This Thursday, Nov. 25, is a little old holiday called Thanksgiving, which is celebrated in the United States as a time to feast with family and to ponder all that one is grateful for. It is a tradition in the U.S. for a meal of roasted turkey and various beloved accouterments to be held on the day of the third Thursday in November. An integral custom of this holiday’s celebration is for each member at the dinner table to express out loud and in turn what they are grateful for this year. What a shame that this tradition is limited to just once a year for most folk out west, as here in Turkey expressing gratitude in all shapes and forms is very much a regular occurrence.
In Turkey, most religious holidays are actually centered on the concept of gratitude. Those that are of a certain elevated financial status will donate to those less fortunate on all of the country’s most significant days of the year, whether it be for Ramadan Bayram, also known as Eid al-Fitr, or the Feast of Sacrifice (Qurban Bayram), never mind all of the many qandils (kandil). There are suggested percentages of wealth to donate for those who have the means and many households prepare special holiday treats they distribute to their neighbors. All of these actions are filled with the sentiment of gratitude, of being aware of all that you have and to willingly share it with others. Even the monthlong fast of Ramadan is conducted for people to better understand the value of the sustenance easily available to us. In other words, Turks like to give thanks and are very willing to suffer for it!
Here in Turkey, there is even a tradition of holding large outdoor banquets to celebrate certain milestones and successes in life referred to as a “hayır.” These celebrations are generally hosted by a household or business for events such as purchasing or building a home, starting a business or sending off a son to the military. While the action may be donating, the reason behind doing so is actually to express gratitude and to protect the beauty of whatever is being commemorated, be it person, place or thing.
Unlike the English language, in Turkish, there are a lot of words used to express thanks and gratitude and they are used fervently. To give a simple thanks, in Turkish there are multiple options. Teşekkür ederim, sağolun, ellerinize sağlık, şükür, eksik olma, kesene bereket, eyvallah... some even use the French expression merci!
There is also a wealth of words in Turkish to express gratitude. For example, you have şükür etmek, minettarlik, gönül borcu, kadirşinaslık, değerbilirlilik and iyilikbilirlik to name a few, with the last two almost serving as tongue twisters. Then, of course, there is the concept of “Maşallah,” which is best translated as meaning “Praise be to Allah.” Saying this word is a method regularly used by Turks to safeguard and protect that which is valued. For example, when greeting a newborn, a Turk will always say “Maşallah” and may even go so far as to pull on their earlobe, make a kiss in the air or knock on wood, all actions intending to preserve what someone is grateful for.
The practice of hanging up or donning an evil eye, aka “nazar boncuğu,” is also regular practice as Turkey’s famous blue opaque glass beads with a white eye are specifically designed for protective purposes, which lies in the regular acknowledgment of what is prized and held dear in our lives.
So, in essence, the whole mindset in Turkey is very much centered on gratitude, a sentiment practiced regularly in everyday life here. That said, this is one of the main reasons I rejoice and am grateful for being in Turkey.
1. Turks are the most grateful, thoughtful and open group of people there ever was. Known for their hospitality, emotionality and spontaneity, they have a certain “joie de vivre” and can live in the moment with ease and embrace developments unfolding with grace and tireless enthusiasm.
2. It is so easy to have a healthy lifestyle in Turkey. From walking to dancing, the Turks are an active bunch. In many cities and towns in Turkey, people can easily get by without cars and navigate the characteristic roads and town squares on their own and as the Turks do. Turkish cuisine is revered worldwide and its genre classified as the Mediterranean diet has been proven to have immense mental and physical benefits. This diet has been proven to be the best to stave of depression and aid weight loss. Furthermore, the fact that food is consumed seasonally here means that in Turkey we are consuming produce at their peak of its nutritious value and we can easily and affordably purchase our food fresh from weekly farmers' markets held in every town in Turkey.
3. Turkey is stunningly beautiful. From the magnificent cultural capital of Istanbul straddling two continents coupled with a fairytale-like silhouette of minarets and churches dating back to the dawn of time to the country’s capital, a sleek, comfortable and easily accessible city with parks. The southern coast dubbed the “Turkish Riviera” is magnificent, as are the fairy chimneys and extraterrestrial skyline of Cappadocia. Then, there is the east, a mesmerizing medley of cultures and remnants of ancient civilizations including huge head sculptures. The seven lakes area and the Black Sea is a whole other picturesque painting of beauty and unique culture. There are unique flora and fauna, thermal springs, waterfalls, spectacular mountain ranges for skiing, some of the best destinations in the world for paragliding, riding hot-air balloons, windsurfing and kitesurfing. There are amazing historical trails for hiking and horseback riding. Furthermore, one can do all of these things by easily boarding boats of all sizes, taking trains, buses, airplanes and so on. As you can see, the list goes on but there are certainly enough adventures here to fill anyone’s bucket list.
4. Having housed multiple civilizations and empires, including one of the most powerful in the world, there is ancient wisdom in Turkey that is applied to everyday life. From the philosophies of the Stoics to the profound verses of the Quran and divine scholars such as Rumi, to the nomadic culture and inherent rural village life, there are just so many wonderful things to learn. From herbal remedies to special ceremonies and amulets, so many elements of the lifestyle in Turkey contain ancestral knowledge.
5. Turks are a resilient bunch and come together to help each other in times of need. There is even a concept here in Turkey referred to as “imece,” in which people volunteer their services just to help. Turks don’t tend to complain or show pain and prize themselves on not being phased by challenges. Like the Stoics that thrived on this land and the nomads that followed, acknowledging that which is good in their lives and accepting and adjusting to accommodate that which is not or simply moving on and starting anew is just par for the course here for the Turks!
