Vital to the full vision of Thanksgiving, as we remember that good things come to our lives through meetings, is recognition of the risk involved in such meetings.

Human beings need to mix and mingle — not only to make life worth living, but also to grow and adapt to our changing environment. Still, this exchange is not without the potential for danger, as the sad fate of the Wampanoag after the first Thanksgiving demonstrates.

The meeting of worlds can end in epidemic, misunderstanding, hostility, and even warfare. The history of America, and indeed the entire world, is written in the twin pens of strife and cooperation.

And, for Reform Unitarians, it is important to recognize the harsh realities of life before celebrating the wondrous potentials, which is why we observe a solemn Remembrance Thursday one week before the Feast of Thanksgiving on Harvest Thursday.