I hope you’re enjoying this wonderful holiday, and I commend to you An Objectivist Ode to Thanksgiving by Jennifer Anju Grossman, the CEO of The Atlas Society, in which she offers “a Thanksgiving prayer that can appeal to secularists and religionists alike.”
For many Americans, Thanksgiving dinner begins with a prayer.
It is a chance to hold hands, to take a pause, to give thanks. Ayn Rand, firm exponent of reason and the originator of a philosophy for living on earth, would not have approved of praying to a deity. Yet insofar as prayer is defined by the dictionary as a “solemn request or expression of thanks to an object of worship,” she certainly would have approved of a prayerful thanks during this holiday — and she did.
In one letter to friends — a Spanish painter and his wife — she emphasizes that she and Frank (her husband) wanted the couple “to come in time for Thanksgiving, so that we will have occasion to give thanks.”
After you read the rest of that, do me—and yourself—a favor and go read The real Thanksgiving story. And in case dinner isn’t ready yet and the ball game is boring, here are some other Thanksgiving posts you might enjoy:
- 2007: This Thanksgiving, celebrate the producers — Features Debi Ghates’ wonderful explanation of what you should be thankful for and who you should thank.
- 2008: Happy Thanksgiving — A funny/sad story about kindergarten kids celebrating Thanksgiving. It features cops and accusations of genocide.
- 2009: Thanking the producers again — This time with lots of help from Jim Woods. Also, remembering the anniversary of the Jihadist attacks on Mumbai.
- 2010: Best wishes for Thanksgiving — Features John Stossel’s and Fouad Ajami’s thoughts on the holiday. You might enjoy Ajami’s thoughts on our Thanksgiving cuisine.
I’ll finish with a reprise of the song I posted last year. It seems even more appropriate after all that’s happened this year. If the election results have led to tension among your Thanksgiving guests, have them listen carefully to Don Henley’s “My Thanksgiving” (from the 2000 album Inside Job). It’s the perfect song for today, and one that hopefully will help them put any concerns and disagreements into perspective.
| A lot of things have happened Since the last time we spoke Some of them are funny Some of ’em ain’t no joke And I trust you will forgive me If I lay it on the line I always thought you were a friend of mine Sometimes I think about you I wonder how you’re doing now And what you’re going through The last time I saw you We were playing with fire We were loaded with passion And a burning desire For every breath, for every day of living And this is my ThanksgivingNow the trouble with you and me, my friend Is the trouble with this nation Too many blessings, too little appreciation And I know that kind of notion-well, it just ain’t cool So send me back to Sunday school Because I’m tired of waiting for reason to arrive It’s too long we’ve been living These unexamined lives |
I’ve got great expectations I’ve got family and friends I’ve got satisfying work I’ve got a back that bends For every breath, for every day of living This is my Thanksgiving Have you noticed that an angry man Can only get so far Until he reconciles the way he thinks things ought to be With the way things are Here in this fragmented world, I still believe In learning how to give love, and how to receive it And I would not be among those who abuse this privilege Sometimes you get the best light from a burning bridgeAnd I don’t mind saying that I still love it all I wallowed in the springtime Now I’m welcoming the fall For every moment of joy Every hour of fear For every winding road that brought me here For every breath, for every day of living This is my Thanksgiving For everyone who helped me start |
I hope that’s as meaningful to you as it is to me.
