Thanksgiving is a couple of days away and, as with every year, I look forward to spending a day with the family, doing what I can to help with the massive task of the meal preparation (which mostly involves consumption on my part), throwing my elbow out playing on the Wii with my niece or re-hashing family stories and having a laugh while playing the various board games that we have dusted off.

I was flipping through the various collections I’ve accumulated and I came across one of my favorite works of art that echoed my Thanksgiving sentiments, the immortal Norman Rockwell’s “Freedom from Want”.  One of the “Four Freedoms” paintings, the work was part of a series that was inspired by Franklin D. Roosevelt’s 1941 State of the Union address and is generally recognized as the “Thanksgiving painting”.

I am drawn in by the nostalgia of this work, its idealistic setting and the strong image of family.  I am always struck by the power the work invokes thru sheer simplicity, timelessness and masterful use of color and depth.  It reminds me to take pause of my surroundings and to give thanks for what we have in this country, to lend my hand to those in need, to appreciate those that we love, and to protect the ideals and freedoms that define our unique land.

Happy Thanksgiving!
M