Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1903-11-25

For thorough common school education in
fundamental branches as against university
system fads.
THANKSGIVING DAv.
It is a good thing that we have one
day in the year set apart for looking
on the bright side of life. That is
what Thanksgiving day is if you ce)e-
brate it in the right spirit. You look
over the past year to see what special
reasons you have for feeling thankful,
and in that spirit you will look for
the bright side.
We are all too prone to magnify
our troubles and forget the blessings.
We look at those who enjoy greater
material prosperity, and we feel envi-
Gus because we forget that happiness
cannot be bought with money. There
is no more happiness among the rich
than among the toilers. For happi-
ness depends less upon the surround
ings than upon the condition of the
mind. By dwelling upon our disap-
pointments and trials they become so
large in our eyes as to shut out all
the sunlight of life.
We therefore need special day to
change the current of our thoughts
and direct them towards the blessings
We have enjoyed. We need to count
up what we have received, instead of
vainly regretting what we have missed.
Few of US but what will find many,
many things that we ought to be
thankful for; things that we may not
have appreciated at their full worth
at the time because they were so COM
mon, but which have added something
to the sum total of our happiness.
Perhaps we notice the troubles and
trials more because they are less
common.
Let US for this day at least leave
out all feeling of envy. Your table
may not be grooming under all the
delicacies of the season; but If you
have sufficiency of good plain food
and the health to enjoy full meal
you are better off than Rockefeller.
He has added perhaps fifty millions to
his pile during the year; but still his
wealth cannot give him health and
the ability to enjoy the simplest kind
of q meal. If you are surrounded by
loved and loving members of your
family you are enjoying something
that all the wealth of the world cannot
buy. If the little you possess of
worldly goods has. been honestly
earned by your own labor you can
enjoy it's possession more than the un-
scrupulous inancier can enjoy his ill.,
gotten gains. A clear conscience, the
ability to look the whole world in the
face, because you know that you have
not knowingly wronged any man, is q
greater source of happiness than any
illeotten gains, no matter how large,
can be. The world as whole might
be brighter if equal justice and equal
opportunities were given to all. 1t is
our duty to do whatever we can to
bring that condition nearer. But
that is no reason why we should envy
the rich who have taken advantage of
existing conditions. For they have
not been able to corner happiness for
themselves along with their wealth.
But there are households in which
sad recollections must mingle with the
thoughts of thanksgiving. Some loved
member of the family circle may be
missing. These are cases in which no
worldly philosophy can avail to soften
the feeling of sadness. For the mater
ialist who believes that this world is
all of life there can be nothing to sof-
to 4 the grief. But the materialist does
not celebrate Thanksgiving for he
Knows of no one to give thanks unto.
But the person who believes in eternal
life cannot hopelessly grieye, for he
feels sure that the missing one is in a
better place, and will feel thankful