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Show thanks for our "treasures""We can only be said to be alive in those moments when our hearts are conscious of our treasures"--Thornton Wilder. Each November, our nation reserves the last Thursday for a special holiday that doesn't honor a religious icon, or some patriotic act by our forefathers. No, we take one day to reflect on the blessings each of us has received during the past year. Lately, though, Thanksgiving has become just another day where we Americans pile our plates high and cheer the beginning of a four-day work holiday. We don't even take the full day in celebration, instead we get to bed early so we can rise and hit the stores for the Black Friday sales the next morning. It's a shame that in today's increasingly urban society we can't even take one day to be conscious of all our treasures, including the blessing of our farmers and ranchers. What other holiday is more agrarian, after all, than Thanksgiving? It's a day solely in celebration of food and harvest bounties. We don't exchange presents or greeting cards. There is no Tom Turkey in the mall for kids to pose with for pictures. Instead we gather together for one meal in remembrance of a special harvest so long ago. We all know the story of Thanksgiving--how it started with the Pilgrims and the Indians who were celebrating bountiful crops in a new land. Generations ago people understood that fall harvesting of crops and livestock was an integral part of our survival. A successful fall was indeed a time to give thanks and celebrate because it ensured the community would withstand yet another winter. Thanksgiving for my grandmother and her generation was a day to showcase the bounty of the fall harvest. From the golden turkey that took all day to cook to the four kinds of vegetables fresh from the garden, and from the hand-kneaded bread to the three kinds of homemade pies, there was nothing convenient about the meal. That's what made it so special. And, while there were certainly complaints about the day of preparations for a meal that took 30 minutes to consume, I don't think she and other cooks like her ever really viewed it as a sacrifice. I think, deep inside, they saw that extra labor as a special way of meditating on the meaning of the holiday. You see, in taking that time to handle and prepare the food, they were able to show a certain appreciation for all the work it took to bring it from the farm to the table. They were truly conscious of their treasures. Today, in a time of frozen turkey dinners, instant mashed potatoes and canned cranberry sauce, we don't take that same time to reflect on the blessings of the harvest. In all the fuss of the holiday, we don't remind ourselves just what that table full of food means to our families and our society as a whole. A full plate means that families don't have to spend half of their days weeding a field of grain to survive a cold winter. It means that our children can spend their free time dreaming up the next cure for disease, or a new work of art, instead of patrolling a vegetable garden for pests. A cupboard of canned goods means parents can take time to read a book, or play with their children, or volunteer in their communities instead of worrying about where the next meal will come from. That table of food and you, the American farmers and ranchers behind it, are our nation's treasures. So, thank you, Nebraska turkey grower, for a golden, delicious, and safe bird. Thank you, California vegetable growers, Texas pumpkin producers and Washington orchard owners for your tireless labor. Thank you, wheat farmers, and cranberry growers and all manner of potato growers for your work and worry. Thank you, High Plains farmers and ranchers, for yet another harvest of plenty and a job well done. Jennifer M. Latzke can be reached by phone at 620-227-1807, or by e-mail at jlatzke@hpj.com. 11/17/08 Date: 11/11/08 Advertisement
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