As my adult son was setting the table for a quieter-than-usual Thanksgiving meal last year, he noticed the wooden Pilgrims sitting in a place of honor as the centerpiece . These had been my mother’s and were always part of our table on this holiday. He pointed to the Pilgrims and asked the rest of the family about the true narrative of Thanksgiving—if it was really a joyful meal between Native Americans and Pilgrims, sharing food from the first harvest and gathering as neighbors to give thanks.

As often happens when our children are home for the holidays, a vigorous discussion about truth, liberty, and sometimes-tumultuous American history ensued. But it got me thinking about the origin of the word thanksgiving and the fact that peoples of all nations have gathered through the ages to give thanks. 

We don’t need to wait for blessings or healing before giving thanks.