Right Way to Celebrate Thanksgiving with Inspirational Prayers and Gratitude Quotations

If you feel you could do your bit of work for the world, however small – it is the right gesture.

Sadly, people around the world seem to have forgotten the real essence of Thanksgiving Day and where these benevolent blessings surfaced from?

Lonely and deserted as castaways, a secluded ship drifted across the vastness of Atlantic Ocean. Burning with desire and a gleam for a life free of restrictions, the pilgrim’s prayers were answered. Battling with the odds, they arrived in the land of America to survive their first harsh and freezing winter. Basking in the warmth and glory of the sun rays, they were filled with gratitude.

Commencing from the zealous voyage across the Atlantic sea to braving the extremely ruthless waters, these early settlers embarked upon the journey of establishing the foundation of American history and Thanksgiving traditions. When we think of Thanksgiving, we cannot help but remember and marvel the delicious Thanksgiving feast and the excitement and wonders of the pilgrims who survived the dangerous journey giving a hope to the new generation.

Once secure and landed in the country, the Pilgrims offered prayers and commenced constructing roofs for the sick and ill who had embarked and survived the ruthless journey. Even though the Pilgrims began building quick sanctuaries, they were quite ill-equipped and undernourished to brave the sickness and a callous winter of New England. The population reduced to almost half of their strength that had arrived in the new world fighting the odds of the ruthless sea-voyage.

 Still, daring in hearts, having faith in prayer and supported by helpful Native Indians, they were rewarded with a profuse yield the following fall season with their consistent efforts and perseverance.

 The ever grateful Pilgrims were known to have declared a three-day feast, in the month of November to thank the deities and to celebrate the Thanksgiving event with their Native Indian friends. It is to note that this was not the first Thanksgiving Day in United States, it was however the country’s first Thanksgiving festive event.

Thus what followed is history, paying gratitude is the way Thanksgiving is celebrated; it is embedded and inherited from the day Thanksgiving originated.

How wonderful it would be if we could help our children and grandchildren to learn thanksgiving at an early age. Thanksgiving opens the doors. It changes a child's personality. A child is resentful, negative—or thankful. Thankful children want to give, they radiate happiness, they draw people.

~Sir John Templeton

You say grace before meals. All right. But I say grace before the concert and the opera, and grace before the play and pantomime, and grace before I open a book, and grace before sketching, painting, swimming, fencing, boxing, walking, playing, dancing and grace before I dip the pen in the ink.

~G.K. Chesterton

Would you know who is the greatest saint in the world: It is not he who prays most or fasts most, it is not he who gives most alms or is most eminent for temperance, chastity or justice; but it is he who is always thankful to God, who wills everything that God wills, who receives everything as an instance of God’s goodness and has a heart always ready to praise God for it.

~William Law