Beech Tree News Network

Thanksgiving is always a special holiday for many of us, because it gives us a chance to gather with family and friends to reflect on the great blessings that we enjoy in our country.

The blessing we enjoy and celebrate during Thanksgiving is certainly much compared to the pilgrims at Plymouth, Massachusetts who celebrated the first Thanksgiving in 1621.  They had very little food to eat and their homes did not provide proper protection from the icy cold temperatures of their new home land.  They were forced to dine outside since their settlement did not have a home or barn large enough for all the people who came to celebrate that first Thanksgiving Day.

Even through those hardships the men, women and children of Plymouth gathered together to give thanks for the limited blessings they enjoyed.  They broke bread with their Native American friends and celebrated a new home, a new life and most importantly, a new start.

Although a meal of Thanksgiving was first celebrated by the pilgrims, it took another 240 years before Thanksgiving became a national holiday when President Abraham Lincoln signed a proclamation in 1863.  As a matter of fact, Lincoln signed the proclamation just days after delivering his infamous Gettysburg Address in Pennsylvania. One of our nation’s greatest presidents was able to give thanks for our blessings even though he faced the challenges of pulling together a nation of wounded citizens and broken spirit due to a war that pitted friend against friend and brother against brother.

Given we are only a few weeks removed from a contentious election that created a great divide among many of us, I ask that we look past the issues we face in the days and months ahead to celebrate what the first Thanksgiving meant and the importance that day played in establishing our great country. We are fortunate to know firsthand the blessing that is the American dream.  If for nothing else, we should give thanks for the privilege of being an American.  Many people in other countries envy our way of life, as we are free to flourish in a society built on the bedrock of freedom, opportunity and humanity.

We must continue to preserve the greatness of our nation with the same resolve, determination and strength that Lincoln showed when he gave his Gettysburg Address. Those characteristics will be our legacy to our children and grandchildren, and to the future of our country and Commonwealth.

As we get closer to the upcoming legislative session in January, I welcome any comments or suggestions on any issues.  You can reach my Frankfort office via our toll-free legislative comment line at 1-800-372-7181.  I can also be reached via e-mail at [email protected].