Come for the Memories Every Thanksgiving
Digest No. 27 - November 2025
If you’re looking for the Commonplace section, a monthly post has been dedicated to the practice. You can check it out here: https://hadleyonfire.substack.com/t/commonplace-journal
November is at an end and Thanksgiving is tomorrow. This is one of my favorite times of year for a couple of reasons.
First, Thanksgiving is a uniquely American holiday. That isn’t to say other countries don’t have similar celebrations, but our Thanksgiving is entirely dependent on our history. Though some today will question or even try to rewrite that history, I remain steadfast that it is a past worth remembering and celebrating. And while I love Christmas and Easter, those are holidays shared by all who know Christ. A wonderful thing, to be sure! But that is all the more reason to appreciate the nature and locality of Thanksgiving.
Second, Thanksgiving is one of the few holidays that requires no “gifts.” Christmas and Easter often involve gifts as a symbol of God’s good gift to His people through the Incarnation and the Resurrection, respectively. Even birthdays are gift heavy in celebration. But at Thanksgiving, the only “gift” expected is that of company and ample food. I find that endearing in a way that presents wrapped under a tree just doesn’t quite match.
On Reading & Researching & Writing
It was an odd month for reading.
I did quite a bit of classroom specific reading, finishing Benedict’s Rule and a significant chunk of Aquinas’s Selected Writings with my students. The thing they loved the most though was Troilus & Cressida. I was surprised by how much they enjoyed it in fact, often genuinely wanting class to continue when we would come to a stopping point. Outside of the classroom, I decided to complete my annual reading of The Sun Also Rises.
I’m still working through The Song of Roland, again with my students, but have also picked up A Farewell to Arms. The latter was the product of a conversation with Sean Johnson who finished Farewell recently. We both reflected on what a great novel it is, but also the real sense of suffering that the end produces. Since I was already in a Hemingway mood, it seemed natural to give it a read. I last read Farewell in 2022, so I probably need to get some of the other Hemingway writings into my regular rotation after this.
For the most part, my research and writing has stalled. Between my new role as a principal and my teaching load, I have simply not had much bandwidth to pick up anything, new or otherwise. I have a couple of projects so near completion that I need to just pull some all-nighters to wrap them up. I’m hoping this Thanksgiving Break, with Christmas right behind it, will afford me some time to get back to the grind in this regard.
On Publishing & Traveling & Speaking
As I said above, my own output has slowed down quite a bite this last month. I’ve also had no news on the things I’ve already sent out, though I expect two essays to see publication in early December. Additionally, November saw no guests on campus and no far away events for me to attend. Thus, the only speaking I did was to a room full of teenagers, and they aren’t there voluntarily. It’s the “Second Quarter Doldrums,” I think, though it doesn’t normally impact teachers as much as students. Maybe January will snap me out of it?
I am looking forward to fellowshipping with friends and family over the next few days, which will necessitate some local travel. And any opportunity to spend more time with my wife and kids is always welcome. We see each other a lot more than most families, since we’re in the same building for school, church, and home. But as the older boys become more involved in things (first cross country, now drama) its nice to have everyone home at the same time.
I’m going to include my recent podcast with Matt Fuller again, since I continue to periodically get comments from friends about it. I can’t imagine that 90 minutes of my rambling (and verbally punctuated) reflections is for everyone, but I’ve been surprised thus far. You can decide for yourself below.
On Listening
I’m going to share two of the most grateful songs I know of below and leave them here for your enjoyment! The first is by Brad Paisley. I don’t think I ever considered how much this song shaped my current views on gratitude until recently, but I recognize its influence now.
The second is by Nine Days. I did not discover this song until the last few years, but it has become one of my favorites. And it offers its own take on gratitude.