Let’s put aside differences and give thanks

For years now, the prospect of spending a day with extended family and friends on Thanksgiving has been cause for some consternation.

Our nation has endured a great deal of strife amid a series of nasty political battles, racial and religious strife and a pandemic that took a tremendous toll on public health and Americans’ ability to get along.

Considering that there are differences of opinion in just about every family, there was good reason to fear arguments and ill will would ruin what should be a warm, joyous occasion.

We certainly hope most families have been able to avoid those pitfalls in past years and that they can do so again today.

The gulf between Americans of different views remains wide, and elections such as the one we just completed don’t seem to settle much of anything. After all, we’re in for at least two years of divided government at the federal and state level with good reason for concern that it might be difficult to accomplish even the most basic tasks of government.

It’s not only a fissure between Republicans and Democrats or liberals and conservatives. There are deep divisions within those ranks as well.

There are people on the left who want to push their party in the direction supported by the likes of socialist Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, while others believe they might have been able to keep their House majority had they taken a more centrist tack.

And with former President Donald Trump declaring another run for the White House, disputes within his party are being laid bare. He remains quite popular within the GOP, but there are some signs of potential friction. Other Republicans are mulling a presidential run themselves, and some are wondering if the party’s lukewarm reception among voters this November means it’s time for a new standard-bearer.

Yes, there’s plenty of room for debate today. But let us all resolve to treat this blessed occasion as an opportunity for love and fellowship. The most spirited arguments of the day should be reserved for competing football allegiances.

After all, there is no better holiday on the American calendar for coming together. Thanksgiving has the distinction of being the only holiday with a distinctly spiritual dimension in which just about everyone can participate, regardless of their faith tradition or lack thereof.

For all our troubles, our country remains prosperous and at peace. Though much of the shrill discussion in today’s 24-hour news cycle may lead people to believe otherwise, most of us do have good reason to give thanks.

This occasion is especially important for the opportunities it presents for personal contact with loved ones. The remarkable technology at our disposal, though it ostensibly connects us with so many people in our lives, has an unfortunate tendency to leave many of us feeling disconnected and lost.

Today let us unplug our cellphones and reconnect with the people who matter most. Let us think of each other as relatives, friends or colleagues rather than as people associated with political labels.

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.

Take the time to volunteer and help those less fortunate, or donate to one of the many good causes in need of financial resources. Better yet, get a family member or friend involved, too.

Who knows, maybe if enough of us devote our energies to good works, the spirit will catch on and last beyond Christmas and New Year’s

Day. Is that an unrealistic dream? Perhaps, but it’s a goal well worth pursuing.

We wish all our readers a joyous Thanksgiving feast and a delightful holiday season filled with happiness and peace.