Our Opinion: Here's to a physically and emotionally nourishing Thanksgiving

Our founders were thankful to break away from a tyrannical monarch and birth a new nation based on democratic principles.

Our president, Abraham Lincoln, was thankful he was able to hold together a young nation as it struggled with abolishing slavery while keeping its union.

Our people were thankful to emerge from the Great Depression, steeled by a decade of hunger, loss and diminished hope.

Our soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines were thankful President Harry Truman had the vision to end World War II in a horrific but necessary way. Our enemies were thankful for the war’s end, too.

Our workers and families were thankful for a generation of unprecedented growth after the great war, turning our nation’s war machine into a manufacturing engine that became the envy of the world.

Our nation and untold millions of Russians were and are thankful we navigated the Cold War without a third global conflict.

Our people of color were thankful for the work of leaders such as Martin Luther King Jr. as they fought for equality at the ballot box, in the workplace and throughout our society.

Our sense of justice was thankful for our resolve after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, as we pledged to avenge the 3,000 souls lost on that day.

Over our 250 years of history, Americans have had much for which to be thankful. That is no different this week, as we look toward Thanksgiving.

We are thankful for family and friends.

A roof over our head and food on our table.

A chance to earn a good living by working hard.

The ability to take time off now and then, enjoying the fruits of our labors.

A nation mostly peaceful at home, without riots in the streets and constant strife.

Our ability to vote for our leaders and then work together as we move forward.

The freedom to worship as we please and express ourselves without fear of government retribution.

The free marketplace of ideas.

Healthy distractions — supporting a sports team, practicing a hobby, walking along a majestic river.

And the many other reasons we are thankful.

We wish you and yours a physically and emotionally nourishing Thanksgiving.