‘Spirit of Thanksgiving Day’

In November 1932, the Denton Journal (Caroline County) ran a powerful Thanksgiving editorial to inspire and boost readers’ spirits in the midst of the Great Depression.

The piece made a case for being thankful, even in difficult times. It encouraged people to be thankful if they had their health and if they were working.

It pointed out the ‘bigger picture’— that our country was blessed to be at peace, blessed to have science and invention, blessed to have comforts that their ancestors couldn’t even imagine.

The last paragraph of the piece made a strong argument, very much applicable today:

“Our troubles are due mostly to our own follies, or the faults of other people. Don’t blame the universe for the mistakes we make ourselves. Don’t blame God because you lost in the stock market, or spent your money extravagantly when you had it. Better to say a prayer of thanksgiving, and resolve in [the] future to so live as to be worthy of happiness, in which case you will probably find it.”

Happy Thanksgiving!

Source: Denton Journal, November 19, 1932

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