Kiittäen (giving thanks)

The holidays have arrived. We scurry around in preparation, cook bountiful feasts, travel to and from our homes, and reconnect with family that we may only see annually or on special occasions.

The blur between Halloween and New Year’s Day is a crazy, busy time for most people, but also a time of joy and solidarity, of giving and giving thanks.

The event that Americans commonly call the "First Thanksgiving" was celebrated by the Pilgrims after their first harvest in the New World in 1621. This feast lasted three days and was attended by Native Americans and Pilgrims, some said to be survivors of the Mayflower.

The tradition has persisted in the annual coming together of families and friends over a shared meal on the fourth Thursday in November. Differences are set aside and, instead, the focus is on sharing each other’s company and giving thanks for the meal and the many blessings in our lives, including each other.

The simplicity of Thanksgiving is worth remembering. The day should be about love and the enduring ties of family, friends and neighbors. Forget about perfection for a day or trying to be everything to everyone. Gather, enjoy a meal, and the simple joy of it all.

Now and then it’s good to pause in the pursuit of happiness and just be happy.