A Light for My Path

There’s a beautiful song by Mary Chapin Carpenter called simply “Thanksgiving Song.” The words are spare with repeating phrases almost like the blessing a child would say at dinner. It is poignant for anyone listening to it, but especially thought-provoking for a grieving parent. It goes:

Grateful for each hand we hold
Gathered ’round this table
From far and near we travel home
Blessed that we are able

Grateful for this sheltered place
With light in every window
Saying, “Welcome, welcome, share this feast
Come in away from sorrow”

Father, mother, daughter, son
Neighbor, friend and friendless
All together everyone
In the gift of loving kindness

Grateful for what’s understood
And all that is forgiven
We try so hard to be good
To lead a life worth living

Father, mother, daughter, son
Neighbor, friend and friendless
All together everyone
Let grateful days be endless

Grateful for each hand we hold
Gathered ’round this table

When a son or daughter is missing from the table it can be hard to be grateful. Missing not in the sense of not able to attend because of work, school, or military assignment. Missing in an unreachable way. Existing in a Heavenly realm, but only as a memory in the Earthly sense.

We are still grateful for those who gather with us and share our feast. We are grateful to hold warm hands and feel hearts beating when we embrace. Still, we know that grateful days are not endless. There’s no guarantee there won’t be other empty chairs next year.

What I find heartening about this song though, isn’t just the image of a happy gathering around a Thanksgiving table with friends and family. It’s the image this song implies about eternity. There are numerous places in the Bible that refer to a banquet in Heaven. In Matthew 8:11 Jesus is quoted as saying, “I say to you that many will come from the east and the west and will take their places at the feast with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of Heaven.”

When we travel to our eternal home, we will be greeted by God and welcomed to His table. We will ALL be together again, sharing a feast, forever away from sorrow. Everything will be forgiven, and our days will be endlessly grateful.

When we hold hands around the table this coming Thursday, for those who are able to be there it’s okay to be both grateful and wistful. Just don’t forget we have a larger Thanksgiving banquet to look forward to. For that I am forever grateful.

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Laura