Stop and Think About Thanksgiving

One of the local radio stations has already begun playing Christmas music.
The retail stores are already adorned with Christmas trees and holiday décor.
Internet postings are advertising pre-“Black Friday” sales.
Where ARE you THANKSGIVING?

For me, personally, overriding Thanksgiving seem irreverent and disrespectful of a holiday where we are supposed to stop and truly reflect on our blessings and thankfulness this past year. It seems distracting to do this when Christmas rears its head so early on.

In 1620, a group of people, calling themselves Pilgrims, set sail for the New World [America], seeking religious freedom and a better life for their children. Of the 110 Pilgrims and crew who left England, less than 50 survived that first devastating winter in Plymouth. Then, an Abnaki Indian, named Squanto, wandered into their camp and “Welcomed” them. He was a godsend to them, teaching them how to tap the maple trees for sap, showing them which plants were poisonous and which had medicinal powers, and moreover, teaching them how to plant Indian corn and other crops. The results were gained in an abundant harvest for the Pilgrims, with enough food to put away for the winter and they found themselves very thankful for not only the food, but also their wilderness homes and the peace with their Indian neighbors. They wanted to stop and celebrate and offer thanks for their bounty. This “first” Thanksgiving included the Pilgrims and their Indian friend, Squanto, who brought 90 members of his tribe. The celebration lasted three days.

So, why the History lesson? Reading about the long and arduous journey of the Pilgrims brings to mind the long and arduous journey of the Alzheimer’s caregiver. And, Alzheimer’s Services is a little like “Squanto,” assisting families in need, offering an “abundant crop” of educational events and resources for the caregiver and their loved one to have a “bountiful harvest” of hope and blessings to put away whenever they need them.

For the caregiver, however, who might be questioning, “What do I have to be thankful for?”….there’s no easy answer. There can be simple observations of thankfulness, however. Perhaps, like us, the caregiver can overlook the stress of caregiving and focus on what a privilege it is to “serve” their loved one, that special someone in need. There is also that blessing of being present with their loved one, that connection of a favorite memory, a smile, a joyful moment in an otherwise harried day. Plus, hosts of support groups, of which we offer many, are a source of comfort and camaraderie among new-found friends, allowing the caregiver to unload their emotions and frustrations. And, finally, there’s a growing awareness of Alzheimer’s disease, unlike a just a decade ago, which affords us all more information and research and more ways to legitimize a voice in our government for benefits and resources. That’s a pretty good bounty!

Let’s not shirk Thanksgiving. Our organization is so thankful and might I say, privileged, to serve our ten-parish area….individuals who come to us after that first diagnosis, those who are at a loss of how to manage the care of their loved one, and those who need to learn more about the disease and its process. We are blessed with wonderful families, many of whom have become our extended families and these relationships are meaningful and so very important to us. The lives and the stories that have passed through our doors are and have been extraordinary and definitely should be on a Hallmark card, “Things I am Thankful for!” The Pilgrims had a three-day Thanksgiving celebration, but we celebrate and honor You, the Caregiver, and You, the individual with Alzheimer’s disease, all-year long. That’s what makes us so blessed to serve each and every one of you.

Christmas is a beautiful and magical season. But, Thanksgiving deserves our attention, too. In 1863, President Abraham Lincoln appointed a national day of thanksgiving, and years later it was designated as the fourth Thursday of each November. Let’s put Christmas aside for just a little while as that Fourth Thursday is upon us. The music and the shopping and the decorating can wait. Our gratitude is always forefront; the abundance and bounty of who we serve, what we do, and the relationships that sustain us are well worth recognizing this Holiday first.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Dana Territo, Director of Services