This week we will celebrate Thanksgiving - one of our most cherished American holidays. Because I am a workaholic, sometimes I get so caught up in my work, that I forget to stop and smell the flowers, so to speak. Many times holidays come and go, and I barely pay attention enough to hang an ornament let alone send out cards or write an article about the holiday. It’s rather sad, almost depressing really. But, I have decided to turn over a new leaf on that front. You see, I had an exchange with an old friend recently, and his words resonated with me.
Just the other night, I had dinner at this once very close friend’s restaurant. He knew we were coming, so he was there to greet us when we walked in, he escorted us to our table, got us settled in, and all the while we were catching up. I hadn’t seen him in quite a while, and as everyone was getting seated at the table, he turned to me and asked, “How are you?”. He barely finished getting the question out when I launched into the state of the State, the failure of our Prop 1 campaign, the results of the election, the relief on the federal level, the clean up that Trump and crew were going to embark upon, his cabinet picks thus far, the upcoming Senate hearings and the likelihood of which pick getting approved and which might be rejected, the grave disappointment in how the red wave basked the nation but not a drop fell in New York, etc… As an immigrant from South America and the owner of a small business in New York, we share similar political views. So as I spoke, he smiled and was obviously nodding in accord. When I finished, he said I remind him of how whenever he and his wife would go out to dinner at a restaurant, he would constantly critique the experience - how he could make the dish he ordered taste better, or the decor on the walls would be more fashionable if they tried this or changed that… His wife would have to tell him to “stop working and just enjoy the evening!” He pointed to my chair at our table where everyone else was already seated, motioned me to sit, and he said, “Don’t work tonight. Just sit down and enjoy a good meal with family. Work will still be there in the morning.” And I did. Great advice, so I’m taking it one step further, and tonight I’ve decided to write an article, not about my latest battle in the fight for our rights and freedoms, but instead, to wish you all a blessed Thanksgiving! The freedom fighting will still be there in the morning, and I can write about it in next week’s Substack.
So here is my Thanksgiving holiday message. May it bring you comfort, joy, and encouragement…
Each Thanksgiving I try to reflect upon what this 400-year-old holiday means, which always brings me back to the Pilgrims of 1620. This group of about 100 people spent over 8 weeks on a ship, crossing the Atlantic Ocean during the height of storm season, in rather deplorable conditions (at least by today’s standards). The Mayflower was no cruise ship! It was a merchant ship that typically carried goods, not people, so you can imagine how uncomfortable the cross-Atlantic voyage probably was. There was much sickness and turmoil on that journey, but more than half of the Pilgrims survived and reached what is now the east coast of the United States, in the Cape Cod area. The Pilgrims were fleeing persecution. Religious persecution. They felt it was worth it to risk their lives for freedom.
The first “Thanksgiving” took place in 1621, when the Pilgrims celebrated surviving their first winter in the “New World”. Well, not everyone survived. It’s reported that of the 19 women, only 5 survived that first winter. The Pilgrims’ very first Thanksgiving celebration was shared with some of the Native Americans who were instrumental in helping the Pilgrims survive by teaching them how to successfully use the land to avoid poisonous plants, grow crops, fish the rivers and so on. So, that original Thanksgiving was a celebration of not just freedom, but of friendship, and survival.
Would the Pilgrims have survived if those Native Americans had not helped them? We will never know the answer to that question. But, we can say with a high degree of certainty that the unification of those two extremely different cultures helped those Pilgrims who did survive have an easier time than they would have had they not united during that time of great hardship and strife.
This brings to mind my favorite quote by the wisest man I will ever know, my extraordinary father, Robert Flower… “Always consider the use of adversity.” Out of the crisis of adjusting to life and survival in a new world with strange plants, unknown wildlife, unique fruits and vegetables, and natives that neither looked like them or acted like them, the Pilgrims were able to ultimately forge a relationship that helped them not only survive but thrive over time.
For me… without question, I am grateful for many things.
Looking at the big picture, I am grateful for the election we just had because almost 79 million Americans got off the couch, got their friends and family off the couch, and went and voted for freedom! I’m grateful that many of those same 79 million voters also delivered both houses of Congress to our new President, because they believe he will carry out our agenda of taking back our country from the radicals that have been destroying it for years. Make no mistake folks, we didn’t vote for Republicans, we voted against tyranny, and we gave a mandate to Republicans… you work for us, do our bidding, or we’ll cut you off and replace you in 23 months! I’m grateful because despite all of the negativity and doubt about the integrity of our elections, the power of the ballot box is still mightier than the bullet, as exemplified by every single swing state in this nation going for Trump. I’m grateful because even though we lost miserably here in New York state (with all the pathetic members of our NYS Legislature getting re-elected for yet another 2 years), New Yorkers saw what happened nationwide and are telling me that they are encouraged and now want to replicate that here in New York.
On a personal level, I’m grateful for the Brownstone Institute where I have been a Fellow for the past two years. The support I receive from Brownstone is amazing, on all levels… whether it is with intellectual comraderie, or with my articles Brownstone publishes, or with the bi-annual private retreats for Fellows and scholars, or with the stipend they provide me - I could not do what I do without Brownstone. Last, but certainly not least, I’m grateful for each and every one of you, my readers, my subscribers, my supporters, my family and my friends. You support me on so many levels - mentally (with your terrific emails, notes, comments and posts of encouragement), emotionally (so many of you wrote me endearing cards or letters after I lost my beloved father this summer), monitarily (your donations you give through my website, your paid subscriptions to my Substack, the checks you drop in the mail, all make my crucial work possible to continue). I truly thank you for all that you do.
Wishing you all a Thanksgiving full of unity, friendship, and peace.
Inspirational Quote:
Attorney Bobbie Anne Cox... Knowledge is power! is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
Thank you Bobbie Anne for all of fights you pursue and for writing a compelling column. Trump should have a place in his administration for you.
Beautiful, thank you. Have a blessed Thanksgiving.