“Thanksgiving” Allows Us to Review the Good Feelings

According to foreign media reports, before Thanksgiving on Nov. 22, millions of Americans are racing to the airport or driving on the road, taking advantage of the holiday to visit friends and family. It is estimated that between Nov. 21 and Nov. 25, over 43 million people will travel 80 kilometers or more to attend holiday parties.

Today is a grand traditional holiday — Thanksgiving. A holiday with similar importance and characteristics to the Americans as the traditional Chinese New Year has to us.

To the Chinese people, the origin of the holiday is not important. What is important is the warm family reunion that this holiday emphasizes and creates as well as the “Thanksgiving” theme. The emotional desire for family, friendship, love, etc. is free of skin color and ethnic groups. It is a beautiful spiritual home for all mankind!

From media outlets such as the internet, television, etc., we can see that Thanksgiving is not just an American holiday. Like other “Western holidays” including Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day, it has “walked” into the customs of the Chinese people. Of course, the Chinese people have localized this holiday, mainly through excavating the “Thanksgiving” theme.

For the Chinese people, Thanksgiving should not be a problem. 5,000 years of heavy cultural heritage in China never ignored this grateful spiritual theme. “A drop of favor should be repaid with a fountain of return” [is a saying that] grew up together with generations of Chinese people. The seed of Thanksgiving is already implanted in the soul of the nation.

We will not talk about those familiar, timeless and touching stories of filial piety that have brought gratefulness to the parents, or the numerous warm social stories about those who never abandoned ill relatives no matter how hard it is. However, while being touched, we cannot ignore the social indifference we see more and more.

Of course, with China’s rapid economic development, youngsters are facing greater pressures from work and life. It is inevitable that they need financial help from their parents. However, these are not unperturbed excuses. Even immoral actions, like forcing parents to give up their pension money to “care” for them, were performed by those who are ungrateful. Unhealthy practices of society cannot escape responsibility for these un-filial behaviors: adults who, for their personal interests, not only proved ungrateful, but also framed the good ones, which leads to social indignation at “how difficult it is to be a good person.” Parents who, on the issue of their child’s education, put too much emphasis on test scores and getting into a good school, while ignoring traditional moral education, such as finding pleasure in helping others. Unscrupulous enterprises and traders who gain benefits at the expense of people’s health and lives…

With the help of this wonderful holiday of the United States, let us remind ourselves of the warmth of “Thanksgiving.” Let your parents know how grateful you are for their care either face to face or over the phone; send your loved ones a text message or a gift to show your feelings for all that they have done for the family; express your appreciation sincerely to the friends who support and care for you.

Thanksgiving will make our lives different. Thanksgiving gives us the momentum to move forward and the warmth of sunshine!