In a place where gratitude isn’t an event, but a habit.

By D.M.

In America, I discovered the most beautiful holiday in the world: Thanksgiving. I don’t know exactly when, among all the changes one experiences when moving to a new country, I realized I had fallen completely in love… with a holiday. Not with a place, not with a complicated tradition, not with a spectacular custom. But with a day. A day that, surprisingly, is less about extravagance and far more about heart.

Thanksgiving, the Day of Gratitude. I know. It may sound too American, too commercial, too “from across the ocean.” And I admit, that’s how it felt to me at first. But beyond the aggressive advertisements, the reduced-price buying frenzy on Black Friday, this holiday has a simple and profound core: gratitude expressed sincerely.

What moves me even more is the origin of this holiday. Its roots go back to a moment of unexpected humanity, when Native Americans, instead of rejecting or harming the settlers who were struggling to survive, chose compassion. They taught them how to grow food, how to adapt, how to live on that land. And when the first harvest came, they sat together at the same table and shared a meal. It was a celebration not only of survival, but of kindness, a reminder that generosity can build bridges where fear might have raised walls.

And that, I truly believe, is something we Romanians are missing. Not gratitude itself, we know how to feel it, but the courage to express it beautifully, naturally, without forcing it. Romanians and gratitude have a complicated relationship. It’s no secret: we tend to be critical. Sometimes more critical than necessary. We often focus on what doesn’t work, who made mistakes, who “thinks they’re better.” We rarely say “thank you” without hesitation, doubt, or a “but…”. Maybe it’s history. Maybe mentality. Maybe a learned instinct of self-protection. But within this cultural armor, we’ve lost something precious: the simple joy of appreciation.

Since I’ve been in the U.S., I’ve noticed that people don’t wait for special occasions to say: I appreciate you, Thank you for what you do, I’m grateful for you. At work, in families, among friends, it makes no difference. Gratitude is a natural part of everyday language, not a prize reluctantly awarded.

Why did Thanksgiving win my heart? Not because of the food, even though those warm, generous meals create an incredible atmosphere. Not because people stay home. Not because everyone seems kinder for a day. But because people stop. They genuinely pause. They look around and say: thank you for my family, thank you for my friends, thank you for my health, thank you for my work, thank you for the people beside me. And they say it naturally. Warmly. Vulnerably. With a sincerity that disarms you.

This holiday creates space in the heart. It reminds you that no matter what happens, there are always reasons to be grateful. And that transforms people, relationships, communities.

What would a “Romanian-style” Thanksgiving look like? We don’t need turkeys, pumpkins, or elaborate recipes. We need a moment of our own. A day when we look not at what’s wrong, but at what’s right. A day when we tell our parents “thank you.” A day when we acknowledge our colleagues’ efforts without irony. A day when we genuinely appreciate someone without feeling small. A day when we allow ourselves to be warm, vulnerable, human. Because in reality, gratitude doesn’t make you small. It sets you free.

Romania needs a transformation, and I truly believe that one of the most beautiful changes could begin with something so simple and profound: learning to say “thank you” from the heart, not through clenched teeth. A holiday like Thanksgiving wouldn’t just change a calendar, it would change mindsets, relationships, atmospheres, families.

I discovered this holiday only here, in America, but I wish I had known it earlier. I would love to bring it home to Romania, in a version that fits us, warm, simple, authentic. Because at its core, Thanksgiving is not about the United States. It is about humanity. About us. About gratitude. And about that “thank you” spoken with an open heart, perhaps the most beautiful gift we can offer one another.