In the spirit of Thanksgiving

Tue, Nov 24th 2015, 01:20 AM

In a few days we will join our neighbors to the north and other countries to celebrate Thanksgiving. Additionally, some of us will also join what has now become the Black Friday and Cyber Monday craze as we seek to get the best deals available on items that we may or may not need. Not long from now we will feast on the turkeys and other foods with family and friends in an annual tradition.

The celebration of Thanksgiving however must not overshadow the essence of the occasion and the true meaning of the words after which this US holiday is named. It would be a crying shame if we do the shopping, feasting and dining without pausing to give thanks for all that we enjoy albeit in a challenging environment within our country. This piece considers Thanksgiving Day in the context of our beloved nation and the psyche of its people.

Thankful for the youth

The Bahamas is at a crossroad in its history and is plagued with challenges that threaten the Bahamian Dream for many. The youth of our nation are crying for relief from the lack of opportunities, jobs and sufficient participation in the building of our country. The plight of our young is confounded by the menace of violence that seeks to extinguish the flame of their potential before manifestation of their purpose. Their silent cry is revealed sometimes in what has been described as anti-social behavior or a lack of engagement in the national discourse.

In the midst of this predicament, the topic of thanksgiving emerges and they ask whether there is indeed anything to be thankful for. They are frustrated by a system that sees them as problems and not a part of the solution. Their plea this Thanksgiving Day is that the government and the system it presides over is not only thankful for what they represent for the future of our commonwealth but also thankful for their existence.


Through many dangers
It would be an understatement to state, in the words of the old Christian hymn, that "through many dangers, toils and snares we have already come..." In the aftermath of the devastation caused by Hurricane Joaquin, we must be thankful for the preservation of life in the midst of the destruction to property caused by this major storm. It is only fitting that November 25 has been designated as a National Day of Thanksgiving and Repentance with a view to bringing us together to not only give thanks for God's grace but also rededicate ourselves to the service of God and one another.

Materialism and its cost

There is no doubt that Bahamians love to shop. It is a part of our culture as a people and this behavior is heightened during Thanksgiving and Christmas time. Moreover, there are many institutions in our society that encourage this behavior, encouraging our people to borrow to meet their festive needs or in most instances desires. In a nation that is plagued with high unemployment and underemployment and extreme debt, we must be careful not to 'bite off more than we can chew' in an attempt to 'keep up with the Joneses'. While there are many of us who want to make the significant people in our lives feel good by employing the gift of giving, this must be balanced against our priorities.

True friends and family will appreciate intangible gifts once they understand that circumstances may not allow for us to give according to what they may have been accustomed. In this sense, we should seize the opportunity this season to reflect on the positive things that we have experienced this year and the good people that surround us. We must place focus on people rather than things and see where we can give of ourselves either in word, thought or deed for our fellow brothers and sisters.

Ingratitude is a sin

There are many people who may not feel that there is much to give thanks for in this season, perhaps because of the challenges they are faced with either now or during the entire year. However, we must all appreciate that to everything there is season and there will be good and bad times from which no man is exempt. Consequently, there is always something or someone that we can be grateful for despite the myriad challenges we face.

It is often said that 'ingratitude is a sin' - a saying that is embedded in scripture.  This Thanksgiving, we should take the opportunity to reminisce about the things that we are thankful for whether it is the gift of life, health, strength, employment, a home or even a family however dysfunctional it may be. There is always a silver lining in every cloud.

Conclusion

As we move throughout the week and make preparations for the opening of this festive season, this writer wants to personally give thanks for the gift of being a Bahamian, born in an independent Bahamas where colonialism ended without strife and bloodshed. Like many Bahamians, I am also grateful for these beautiful isles that God has blessed us with that is surrounded by the most beautiful waters on earth. We as Bahamians should also be grateful for the beautiful democracy that we enjoy, freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom of association and so many other civil liberties and progressive initiatives that we are the beneficiaries of.

As always, we should continue to pride ourselves on being a people who are committed to moving forward, upward and onward together to ensure that we continue to build a stronger and better Bahamas for generations yet unborn. We should not be blinded by the pain of our predicament and we should not be overwhelmed with disdain for any unfavorable environment in which we find ourselves.

Rather we should lift up our heads to the rising sun as our national anthem employs us to do and look to the future with hope that the sun will certainly shine again. We are a great people with a great destiny and together we can achieve much. Happy Thanksgiving.

o Arinthia S. Komolafe is an attorney-at-law. Comments on this article can be directed to a.s.komolafe510@gmail.com.

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