Happy Thanksgiving

So, What Exactly Are We Thankful For?

When pilgrims first came to the shore of what later became the United State of America in the early 1600s, they held a bold and radical vision.  No one was to tell them how they might worship.  No king, queen or government would dictate what god or what church would be worshiped.  Church was to be separate from State.

This was a bold and radical vision.  No one had ever done this before.  Through all our struggles–from the Revolutionary War, our Civil War, two World Wars, and wars in Southeast Asia and the Middle East–along with our internal struggles–Civil Rights, Women’s Rights, equal protection of marriage, and more, we continue to expand the pursuit of life, liberty and happiness that had it’s beginnings with the pilgrims, nearly 400 years ago..

To be sure, we aren’t perfect.  There is graft, corruption, at times violence, and injustices, to be sure.  We have had dark periods in this country, and many dark acts that have been harmful to us all.  Injustices will probably continue.  We definitely do have a long way to go to perfect what the founders of this country envisioned.

But by and large, we continue to press our values.  It can be and often is hard, very hard.  And we often see ourselves taking a few steps back for every one step we are able to move forward, but forward we will move.  In that, I have no doubt.  And that is what I am thankful for–a political and governmental landscape within which we are able to express our views–whatever they are, and to move forward in the pursuit of life, liberty and happiness for all.