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Most people above a certain age are familiar with Norman Rockwell. He was a beloved American author, painter and illustrator who had a knack for portraying a slice of everyday life in a single work. He is most famous for illustrating the covers of The Saturday Evening Post magazine. His sense of humor made people smile and reminisce. This painting is entitled Freedom from Want. All the people in this Thanksgiving picture were friends and family of Rockwell. They were photographed individually and then painted into the scene. It has become an iconic representation of the Thanksgiving holiday and family holiday gatherings in general.
This painting is the third of a series of oil paintings called the Four Freedoms. The others were Freedom of Speech, Freedom of Worship, and Freedom from Fear (see below). They were inspired by President Roosevelt’s 1941 State of the Union Address where he outlined the freedoms worth fighting for. The paintings proved to be enormously popular and toured the United States, raising more than $130 million for the war effort through the sale of war bonds.
Yesterday was Thanksgiving. Many family gatherings were tempered for safety’s sake. Which, if we want to try to find a bright side, may be OK as sometimes our family get-togethers are not as idyllic as Rockwell created. During some rough times in my life, I was sure everyone else’s family and life circumstances were perfect, like this painting, and I felt ashamed that mine was not. But life has taught me that is not true. Everyone has their challenges and even the most idyllic-looking family has struggles. We may try to piece together a happy gathering like Rockwell did, but often the portrait of harmony and happiness is not as it appears. And that’s OK. People are messy; life is messy.
If you ever feel like you are the only one whose life is not as it “should be,” please know that you are not alone. No one is perfect. No family is perfect. This iconic image we look to on this most iconic of American family gatherings makes a beautiful painting—but it is not necessarily a reality for most people. Don’t compare yourself to a standard that isn’t real. And remember, it is hard to be grumpy and grateful at the same time. God suggests that grateful is the better way to live.
“Praise the Lord! Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for he is good and his steadfast love endures forever!” -Psalm 106:7
Thankful for you!
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