Laura Ingalls Wilder's Thankful Heart
Understanding the True Meaning of Thanksgiving
In the nine books included in the Little House on the Prairie Series, Laura Ingalls Wilder doesn’t spend a lot of time describing the Thanksgiving holiday. However, the idea of giving thanks wasn’t an unfamiliar theme in Laura Ingalls Wilder’s writing or in the Little House on the Prairie books. In fact, she often dwells with a thankful spirit on her childhood in the chapters that focus on Pa’s fiddle playing, Ma’s presence, or Christmas. The thankful spirit that is so prevalent in Laura’s books comes from a deep faith and a firm conviction in the greatness and goodness of God.
Laura Ingalls Wilder – Farm Journalist
Before Laura ever thought of writing the books that became one of the most popular series of children’s books in American writing, Laura wrote for The Missouri Ruralist. In the fall, her articles often reflected on Thanksgiving and the importance of giving thanks for all that is good in our lives.
Simple but Great Blessings
In Laura’s article on November 15, 1922, she points out that we often think we have to discover a particularly large blessing to be grateful for and that we seldom recognize the tremendous gifts we have in the simple things.
She writes “As the years pass, I am coming more and more to understand that it is the common, everyday blessings of our common everyday lives for which we should be particularly grateful. They are the things that fill our lives with comfort and our hearts with gladness—just the pure air to breathe and the strength to breath it; just warmth and shelter and home folks; just plain food that gives us strength; the bright sunshine on a cold day and a cool breeze when the day is warm.” (279)
Recognize the Blessings in Simple Everyday Things
Laura’s ability to recognize the blessings in the simple every day things and activities is found in a beautiful moment in Little Town on the Prairie when she thinks of doing work that she doesn’t like in order to help Mary go to college. “‘Never mind,’ she thought, while she hoed, ‘I can see.’ She saw the hoe, and the colors of the earth and all the leafy little lights and shadows of the pea vines. She had only to glance up, and she saw miles of blowing grasses, the far blue skyline, the birds flying, Ellen and the calves on the green slope, and the different blues of the sky, the snowy piles of huge summer clouds. She had so much, and Mary saw only darkness.’”
A Large Understanding of Blessings
On November 15, 1923, Laura takes the idea of blessing even further. She reminds her readers that the celebration of Thanksgiving is not an American idea. She points out that for centuries people of varied faiths and lifestyles have celebrated harvests feasts and given thanks. She remarks that the impulse towards thanking a ‘Higher Power’ for our blessings seems instinctive.
“Mankind is not following a blind trail; feet were set upon the true path in the beginning. Following it first by instinct, men stumbled from it often in the darkness of ignorance even as we do today for we have much to learn. But even more than for material blessings, let us, with humble hearts give thanks for the revelation to us and our better understanding of the greatness and goodness of God.” (292-293)
The Depth of God’s Goodness
Another story from Little Town on the Prairie, reveals the kindness and decency that knowing God’s goodness can give those who trust in God. “‘But, my goodness! How can anybody be good without thinking about?” Laura demanded. ‘I don’t know, I guess we couldn’t,’ Mary admitted. ‘I don’t know how to say what I mean very well. But—it isn’t so much thinking, as—as just knowing. Just being sure of the goodness of God.’…Everyone knows that God is good. But it seemed to Laura then that Mary must be sure of it in some special way. ‘You are sure, aren’t you?’ Laura said. ‘Yes, I am sure of it now all the time,’ Mary answered.’”
Give Thanksgiving
If you want to celebrate Thanksgiving like Laura Ingalls Wilder, do it every single day and start with the little simple things in your life.
Hines, Stephen W. Laura Ingalls Wilder, Farm Journalist. University of Missouri Press. 2007 ISBN 978-0-8262-1771-4
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