Happy Thanksgiving

Preparing for thanksgiving I was looking for the Jewish prayer that is translated "Blessed are you O Lord our God, King of the universe, who has kept us alive and sustained us, and enabled us to reach and enjoy this day" and I came upon this Thanksgiving prayer by Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi. The English translation reads:

"In the days of the pilgrims, the Puritans, when they arrived at these safe shores, suffered hunger and cold. They sang and prayed to the rock of their salvation. And you, standing by them, roused the caring of the natives for them, who fed them turkey and corn and other delights. Thus you saved them from starvation, and they learned the ways of peace with the inhabitants of the land. Therefore, feeling grateful, they dedicated a day of Thanksgiving each year as a remembrance for future generations. ... Thus do we thank you for all the good in our lives ..."

Earlier this week a friend observed that this day of thanksgiving is a day where the entire nation is united in thanksgiving. However we acknowledge this day, to whatever degree we keep it, we are united in thanksgiving.

May you be blessed on this day. May you experience unity and thanksgiving for this past year as well as an anticipation for what this coming year holds. May next year find you stunned to new levels as you remember all that has happened from this day to our next National day of thanksgiving.