giving thanks

Thanksgiving is such a tricky holiday for me.
On one hand I think it’s lovely to spend time with family and friends and to give thanks for all that we have.
On the other hand it’s a holiday rooted in the mass genocide of Indigenous people and white supremacy. I feel that especially given where I live (South West Montana) it is incredibly important to acknowledge the atrocities committed against the Native Americans by not only the first settlers but the US government and its peoples including those in positions of power in present day.
I live on stolen land. Lewis and Clark literally walked through my town with the aid of Sacagawea who was a literal teenager when she travelled with them. This land was not “settled”, it was stolen. Hard stop. There’s signs and monuments and parks all around here named for Lewis and Clark, and what does Sacagawea get? One hotel. That’s it. Considering she did all the heavy lifting in regards to keeping those men alive, I’d argue that she deserves a little more than that.
But I digress, today is not about my feelings about Sacagawea, Lewis, Clark or any other tidbits of US history. It’s about giving thanks and although I disagree with most of the components of Thanksgiving, this is the one element I can get behind.
So allow me to say that I am grateful for my husband who loves me unconditionally and goes out of his way to show it. I am grateful for my dogs and cat who make my days worth living and truly keep me emotionally and mentally stable. I am grateful for my parents and my husbands parents who are all wonderful people that I wish I got to see more often. I am grateful for my health and general well being, as I feel that is something I have often taken for granted. And lastly I am grateful for my home and the land it is on. Land that is steeped in controversy and chaotic history but is so beautiful and complicated all at once.