Giving thanks for NAID and its members
November 20, 2012
Ok, it is not very original or creative to write about gratitude on Thanksgiving Day but here I go.
Though celebrated on different days and in different ways, the holiday has been around for thousands of years. The Horn of Plenty is actually a symbol from Greek mythology. The turkey symbolizes the Pagan worship of the sun. The pumpkin, when eaten, was thought to give powers. Corn, also a big part of the traditional celebration, is an ancient symbol for the mother or queen of heaven.
It was actually brought to North America by the pilgrims from Europe, where it had adopted a more Christian perspective. Canada has its version too, which is celebrated earlier in the year. The celebration in the U.S., which first appeared in 1621, was originally a three-day festival, just as it had been in ancient Rome thousands of years before.
As it turns out, humans have a long history of celebrating their gratitude. Unlike fear, an emotion apparent in virtually every animal, the ability to experience deep appreciation and express thanks for the good things life brings us is uniquely human. I suppose it is a lot like humor in that regard.
In a weird way, it is as though we are really being grateful for the capacity to be grateful. So, it is with my colleagues across the U.S., and those around the world who celebrate a similar holiday, that I will take time this Thursday to exercise my uniquely human capacity to appreciate and give thanks for my incredibly good fortune.
Know too that when I gather with my loved ones on that day, among the things for which I will be giving thanks are the hundreds of secure data destruction professionals who have trusted NAID to help improve their industry, the NAID staff who put their hearts into their jobs, and the hundreds of friends that have resulted from that pursuit.