Quotationary: Thanksgiving

Okay, I didn't want to lug that huge book home so I just found this online. Compliments of: http://www.quotegarden.com/thanksgiving.html

Thanksgiving Day is a jewel, to set in the hearts of honest men; but be careful that you do not take the day, and leave out the gratitude. ~E.P. Powell

After having dinner at Annie's the other night I really felt like she was able to make me appreciate (to the best of my ability) the meaning of Thanksgiving. This woman opened up her home to us and we hadn't even met until that night. She explained what the meaning of Thanksgiving is for the foreigners who had never celebrated it before. Her thankfulness to have people surrounding her and having a good time was so pure. She never once asked for any compensation for the feast that she served us and was happier when more and more people showed up. I think that after all these years of family meals, I tend to forget what being thankful really feels like. When I come home I expect these traditions to carry on, but after Annie introduced this holiday to her guests it really hit me that we should be thankful for each other and what we have...you know, like Charlie Brown's Thanksgiving. Her kindness was one of the most genuine that I have seen in a long time. This sounds cheesy but, it was like everyone just slowed down from their busy lives and met 18 other people and had a nice dinner with them. The gratitude that I feel towards her is an emotion that I haven't felt for a stranger before. I am so glad that there are still people out there who take the time to plan events like this and can reiterate (in my mind) what the true meaning of Thanksgiving is.