Do Young Americans Understand Thanksgiving?

“Sure I wave the American flag. Do you know a better flag to wave? Sure I love my country with all her faults. I’m not ashamed of that, never have been, never will be.” – John Wayne

Mount Vernon1 Mount Vernon, President George Washington’s estate
While on errands today, I overheard shopkeepers wishing customers happy holidays. One young woman who handled my purchase wished me Happy Thanksgiving. I was surprised and asked her why Happy Thanksgiving instead of happy holidays. Her answer disappointed me but it was not unexpected – we live in Washington, D.C. where the state-sanctioned religion is atheism.

Everyone displays their tolerance towards other faiths with COEXIST bumper stickers, but when it comes to Christianity, they make strong exceptions. She told me in a very confident voice that Thanksgiving is not a religious holiday and thus she would not be offending anyone with her wishes. It is just another holiday that everyone celebrates. I did not have the patience to tell her how wrong and ignorant she was.
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Breathtaking Natural Bridge

Natural Bridge1“So beautiful an arch, so elevated, so light, and springing as it were up to heaven, the rapture of the spectator is really indescribable. It is the most sublime of Nature’s works.”
– Thomas Jefferson, Note on the State of Virginia

Walking down 147 steps along a tiny creek cascading gradually to a larger bed, huge rocks surround us on both sides. I wondered in anticipation, where is this Natural Wonder? And suddenly, the view opens and a grey mammoth arch covered with lush green vegetation rises out of the wet and moss-covered rock. Rivulets of water flow on all sides of the limestone, constantly carving.
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