Just a short word to wish Americans and those who celebrate with them a happy Thanksgiving Day.
Thanks to the sacrifice (literal) of millions of turkeys, Americans will be reminded of the early days when their cold, hungry and needy forebears were introduced to the delicacy by the First Americans. Well, maybe not the cold part: we now know that the first "Thanksgiving" by Europeans in America was French, and was celebrated in Florida.
President-Elect Obama brought his family yesterday to a Chicago food distribution center, where he noted that the number of people showing up for food has increased 33% this year. The slide show and video in this Huffington Post article are worth watching - check the look of pure joy on the faces of the little kids lining up to touch Obama, and the handwritten sign in the school window "We love our Prez."
It's good that Obama took his daughters there "to learn the importance of how fortunate they are, and to make sure they're giving back." Good that he's putting the accent on the original sharing part of Thanksgiving, in these times when millions of Americans are spending first Thanksgiving in homeless shelters, or camping out with the in laws ... or God knows where after losing their homes.
Next year, he will have to perform the usual Presidential charade of pardoning a turkey. It's almost certain that he will visit the remaining troops in Iraq, or perhaps the reinforced contingent in Afghanistan. Hopefully, this time next year, things will be looking better for Americans - and all the others touched by the economic crisis Made-in-USA - after 11 months of an Obama Administration.
And thankfully, we have that to look forward to.
(photo source: Politics & Prose Bookstore, Washington, D.C.)