Thanksgiving Day Here In The United States; We Should Give Thanks Everyday

18th Century gardening tools.  Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia; 2004 (click to enlarge)
Minolta Dimage A1; 14mm; 1/320th sec. @ f/6.3; ISO 100
The Minolta Dimage 1 was a 5mp non-interchangeable lens bridge camera introduced in 2003.  My first EVF.

Today is Thanksgiving in the United States.  It is the day we officially set aside to be thankful for all our individual and collective riches.  Some have more riches than others, but I believe even the most destitute can find something for which to be thankful.  Maybe for just being alive?  For those of you who are not familiar with Thanksgiving in the United States, you can view a video and read some additional information about Thanksgiving at History.com.

Being a Virginian for the past 46 years, I will take exception to the commonly written history of Thanksgiving being held in Plymouth, Massachusetts in November, 1621.  In reality, the first formal gathering in the Colonies to "give thanks" was held two years earlier (December 4, 1619) at Berkeley Plantation along the James River in Virginia.  The settlers "thanksgiving" was about prayer and not food.  They had been directed by their benefactor (The Berkeley Company) to give thanks for their safe arrival and it to “be yearly and perpetually kept holy as a day of Thanksgiving to Almighty God.”  An article about the real first Thanksgiving can be found here.  Even in President Kennedy's proclamation officially creating the Federal holiday, he refers to Virginia.  History is not only written by the victors but also written by those who have better public relations as well as those who control the ink and paper.  As we know through our more and more sophisticated science and discoveries today, history is continuously rewritten.

I try to keep this blog generic and about photography.  Very seldom do I write personal things here, but I wanted to interject one personal note for Thanksgiving.  I try my best to live a thankful and grateful life—everyday.  I have been blessed in many more ways than I ever deserved.  I have risen to the top of my profession—twice. I've enjoyed much success in all facets of my life.  I have a strong faith, a wonderful and beautiful family and great friends.  I have relatively good health.  I really want for nothing.  As I said, I realize how blessed I have been throughout my life and I am thankful everyday for those blessings—not just one day of the year.

Thanksgiving is a wonderful time for family and friends to come together and be thankful. I am truly thankful everyday and remember that life could have been very different for me if it weren't for the counsel and support of others, hard work on my part, dreaming big and getting up repeatedly when knocked down.  For all the blessings that have come my way, I am thankful and grateful.

Happy Thanksgiving and I am thankful for all of you who read my blog.

Join me over at Instagram @dennisamook or my website, www.dennismook.com. 

Thanks for looking. Enjoy! 

Dennis A. Mook 

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