THANKS and GIVING
By Lana Price
This snowy November we honor Veterans and historic Thanksgiving Day. Is it surprising that two significant events occur in the same month? This month, we give thanks to our Veterans for their sacrifices of family time, loyalty, training and the countless idiosyncrasies that go with donning a uniform and following orders. Events and parades cannot totally express our gratitude.
During a recent Veteran Day event, unusual stories surfaced from Sylvia Linford, who served as an Air Raid Warden during the blackouts in Brooklyn, NY during the war. As a volunteer, she was responsible for the safety of so many and spoke of the usage of red and green lanterns. She told of a German submarine that was spotted about a mile outside New York harbor which frightened people and gave cause for the unknown.
After listening to her story, immediate thoughts surfaced of others who had served this country in a variety of situations in order to protect it. This country then and today, boasts thousands of dedicated and loyal people willing to give 100% to rally whatever it takes to get a job done.
Another special holiday intertwined in historic events that surfaced out of sacrifices and conditions in this country is Thanksgiving. In 1789 George Washington issued the first Thanksgiving and during the Civil War in 1863, President Lincoln proclaimed it a national Thanksgiving Day. All thanks to a writer, Sarah Josepha Hale, who campaigned constantly to make it an established holiday. The proclamation asked people to reflect on those who suffered during the country’s troubled times.
Is it then ironic that two such holidays are celebrated for similar, yet distinctive causes? Giving salutation to those who serve, no matter the capacity… AND sitting down to a meal to express appreciation for all that this country has experienced through the years … gives each and every one of us a reason to be extremely THANKFUL.
