Haley Conroy - Thanksgiving Reflection

I wanted to write a reflection on Thanksgiving since we recently had a conversation about giving and gifts recently. Thanksgiving Day is celebrated annually as a national holiday in the North American continent on the fourth Thursday of November. Thanksgiving is all about reflecting on blessings and acknowledging gratitude. After all, in President George Washington's 1789 Thanksgiving Proclamation, he stated its purpose: “Whereas it is the duty of all Nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey his will, to be grateful for his benefits, and humbly to implore his protection and favor—and whereas both Houses of Congress have by their joint Committee requested me 'to recommend to the People of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many signal favors of Almighty God especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness'” In my own personal expierence, my family has a tradition of going around the table and saying what we are most thankful for in the year and then what we will aim to do in the next year in terms of being gracious to others and being thankful. The consensus of most of our answers related to being thankful for our family and our new home in Massachusetts. Reflecting on my childhood growing up in Virginia without family besides my two parents, it is even more special to live near all of my family now and to be able to share special holidays together. 

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