America deserves our gratitude for the beauty and bounty of its land, the wisdom and goodness of its constitution, the decency and openness of its institutions, the nobility and generosity of its role in the world, the toughness of its idealism – and, yes, agrees this Republican, for the audacity of its hope.
America deserves our gratitude for the forgiveness in families, the neighborliness on your block, the caring of teachers, the cop who risked his life for you last night, the amputee home from Iraq – and for the self-correction that flares if these are betrayed or neglected.
When my house thanks America for such riches, we’re really thanking the God who we believe bestowed them and still stands “within the shadows keeping watch,” as a Civil War hymn says. Your house may be no less heartfelt in their thanks while believing otherwise.
Bridging our differences is the humble joy of the extravagantly blessed. In time, we hope, even the ingrate next door will warm to the Thanksgiving spirit as we have. We are the grateful Americans.