PicoBlog

Greetings and happy Thanksgiving! I previously shared with you about the story of Abraham Lincoln and how he restored Thanksgiving celebrations in America. I shared more context in the Daily Caller today; an excerpt is below:

I can imagine there were people during Lincoln's day who took severe umbrage and offense at this notion of giving thanks in the middle of this catastrophic, American Armageddon. For many years following an abusive childhood, that probably would have been me. I likely would have resented Honest Abe. 

But now thanks to prayer and healing, I experience the power of gratitude–science shows us that it is a potent weapon against depression, doubt, and fear.

The science proving the power of gratitude is compelling. Managers who remember to say "thank you" to people who work for them may find that those employees feel motivated to work harder, Harvard Medical School reported.

Researchers from University of California, Davis, and University of Miami found people expressing gratitude exercised more and had fewer visits to physicians than those who focused on problems.

A psychologist at the University of Pennsylvania found patients personally delivering a letter of gratitude to someone who had never been properly thanked for his or her kindness, participants immediately exhibited a huge increase in happiness scores. 

Harvard Medical School also reported couples who express gratitude for their partner not only felt more positive toward the other person, but also felt more comfortable expressing concerns about their relationship.

What’s interesting about Lincoln’s revival of Thanksgiving is how our country forgot this tradition for many years. America’s "First Thanksgiving” happened after Pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock in 1620. To celebrate their first harvest, they hosted an autumn feast and invited the Wampanoag Indians, the tribe that taught them farming and survival skills.

The Pilgrim's Thanksgiving in 1621 continued their European traditions. As The National Park Service notes, in “most agricultural societies it has been common throughout history to hold feasts and ceremonies during the time of the harvest.” Today, Thanksgiving is celebrated around the world, from Germany to Liberia, Japan, The Netherlands, and Grenada.

A grateful world is a more peaceful and stronger world. I’m grateful for the patriots who sacrificed for our freedoms in America, and I pray we’ll pass on their remarkable legacy through deep gratitude within untold generations to come.

Wishing you a Thanksgiving overflowing with joy and appreciation.

Best,

Carrie

p.s. if you didn’t catch my PBS interview about my upcoming memoir, we added it on YouTube. Pre-order the book here for you and your loved ones this holiday season!

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