Let’s focus on fellowship this Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving traditionally is one of the most beloved occasions of the year. Its nonsectarian nature makes it something that just about everyone can celebrate.

Indeed, today will still be marked by turkey and the trimmings, football games and everything else that goes with the festivities.

But it’s been quite some time since we’ve been able to celebrate this day without at least a bit of the anxiety that tinges so much of our lives in the 21st century. Families typically reflect the broader political divide in our country. In recent years any gathering of extended family was accompanied with worry that the conversation would turn toward a controversial topic and get ugly.

Many of us received a year off from these worries in late 2020, as holiday celebrations tended to be smaller and more muted in an effort to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

But this year that fear is back and stronger than ever. Not only are there disagreements about general political issues, but even discussing the pandemic in the most matterof-fact manner could trigger a fierce argument.

Making things even more tricky is that while restrictions have been lifted, there’s still a health crisis going on, with thousands of people still dying of COVID-19 each week in the United States. It would be a huge understatement to say that people differ on the best way to approach the situation.

With all this in mind, we’d like to offer a few suggestions for the day, all built around a simple but sometimes elusive idea: Be kind to one another.

This day should be spiritually fulfilling as well as fun for those celebrating it. We urge hosts to do their best but to relax and not worry if things aren’t perfect at the holiday table. Guests should be understanding and approach this occasion with goodwill.

Give politics the day off. Don’t argue, and if necessary change the subject.

Let us all resolve to seize this opportunity for love and fellowship. Thanksgiving offers a wonderful opportunity for personal contact with loved ones. Smartphones and other technology, though they ostensibly connect us with so many people in our lives, have an unfortunate tendency to leave many feeling disconnected and lost.

Today, let us reconnect for real with the people who matter most. Let us think of each other as relatives, friends or colleagues rather than as liberals or conservatives. And rather than just bemoan the state of the world, country and communities, let us use the start of this season of giving to resolve to do something about it.

Most important of all, let’s focus on the core message of the holiday, which tells us to express thanks for the blessings in our lives.

We know there are plenty of serious problems facing us as a nation and community along with serious difficulties so many are dealing with as individuals and families. But this is a time to step back and focus on the good in our lives.

Our nation is enduring a pandemic that has brought challenges that were unimaginable not so long ago. It’s been painful, but we are indeed enduring it. Our society and economy continue to function. And most important of all, we still have each other. The fact that so many of us can gather again for a festive meal is a clear sign that things are OK. Not ideal, perhaps, but certainly not as bad as much of the shrill discussion in the news and social media may lead people to believe. The fact is, most of us do still have good reason to give thanks even as we pray for better times ahead.

So let us express our gratitude today, and not just for food and other material things. Let us give thanks for one another. Among the most profound lessons of the COVID-19 pandemic is how suddenly what we take for granted can be lost. That most certainly includes the people closest to us.

Let today be the start of a true season of joy and giving as we put rancor aside and truly focus on loving one another, whether it be those closest to us or strangers in need. The world keeps changing, but that message has endured for generations, and for good reason. We must never put it aside.