As we prepare to celebrate another day of Thanksgiving we are reminded of past holidays and the traditions of a day set aside to give thanks for those things most valued in our lives. It’s not surprising that Thanksgiving Day elicits memories of abundant splays of food, drink and jovial comradery of family and friends. The first Thanksgiving, generally credited to have been a celebration of good harvest, took place in 1621, when English Pilgrims at Plymouth Plantation in Massachusetts shared a meal with their Native American neighbors.

Since its declaration of an official National holiday in 1939, the second to last Thursday in November is recognized as a time to reflect and express gratitude and appreciation for those many blessings we experience in our daily lives throughout the year. While the day brings a diverse array of memories and celebration for each of us, the Day’s traditions may best be expressed in a poem by Edgar Albert Guest, a 20^th century, English born American poet.

Thanksgiving by Edgar Albert Guest

Gettin’ together to smile an’ rejoice,

An’ eatin’ an’ laughin’ with folks of your choice;

An’ kissin’ the girls an’ declarin’ that they

Are growin’ more beautiful day after day;

Chattin’ an’ braggin’ a bit with the men,

Buildin’ the old family circle again;

Livin’ the wholesome an’ old-fashioned cheer,

Just for awhile at the end of the year.

Greetings fly fast as we crowd through the door

And under the old roof we gather once more

Just as we did when the youngsters were small;

Mother’s a little bit grayer, that’s all.

Father’s a little bit older, but still

Ready to romp an’ to laugh with a will.

Here we are back at the table again

Tellin’ our stories as women an’ men.

Bowed are our heads for a moment in prayer;

Oh, but we’re grateful an’ glad to be there.

Home from the east land an’ home from the west,

Home with the folks that are dearest an’ best.

Out of the sham of the cities afar

We’ve come for a time to be just what we are.

Here we can talk of ourselves an’ be frank,

Forgettin’ position an’ station an’ rank.

Give me the end of the year an’ its fun

When most of the plannin’ an’ toilin’ is done;

Bring all the wanderers home to the nest,

Let me sit down with the ones I love best,

Hear the old voices still ringin’ with song,

See the old faces unblemished by wrong,

See the old table with all of its chairs

An’ I’ll put soul in my Thanksgivin’ prayers.

President John F. Kennedy once said, “As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.” At Junction Creative Solutions (Junction) our goal is to live by our words.

In this emotionally and politically charged competitive environment, we too often forget to be kind to one another, to appreciate the diversities of our lives, to be empathetic to our individual challenges and to demonstrate our appreciation for the opportunity to share our lives with others. “At Junction,” says Julie Gareleck, Founder and CEO, “we are thankful for our dedicated, creative and talented team of professionals who work every day of the year to bring solutions to the challenges of our clients and are greatly appreciative of the love of our family, the comradery of friends and the respect of our associates.”

Our sincerest wishes, to all, for a happy Thanksgiving Day!