With the direction retailers are taking, Thanksgiving seems to be becoming "Black Friday Eve" with more and more stores opening on Thanksgiving night. Instead of stopping to consider what we have and being grateful for it, consumers may be thinking about what they don't have and want to get. Adrienne Lyles-Chockley, visiting philosophy professor who heads the justice education program at Saint Mary's College, Notre Dame, Ind., is poised to share her thoughts:
“To deliberately and intentionally reflect on what you have to be grateful for – shelter, health, home, community – turns your mind away from the excesses of materialism and consumerism. When you understand that you have what you need, and you have gratitude for it, you are far less likely to focus on your wants. This creates the mental space to seek ways to promote good for others who lack the most basic needs. In the end, gratitude is a means of moving forward toward social justice as well as achieving personal balance and peace."
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