Today at the White House, the President officially pardoned not one turkey, but two -- sparing both “Courage” and “Carolina,” a request from his compassionate（有同情心的） daughters, Sasha and Malia. Before sending the birds to a life of “peace and tranquility（安宁）” in Disneyland, the President took the time to express his gratitude（感激，感谢） for life’s blessings, and remind Americans that Thanksgiving is also a time to think of those less fortunate:

When my family and I sit around the table tomorrow, just like millions of other families across America, we'll take time to give our thanks for many blessings. But we'll also remember this is a time when so many members of our American family are hurting. There's no question this has been a tough year for America. We're at war. Our economy is emerging from an extraordinary recession into recovery. But there's a long way to go and a lot of work to do.

In more tranquil（安静的，宁静的） times, it's easy to notice our many blessings. It's even easier to take them for granted. But in times like these, they resonate（产生共鸣） a bit more powerfully. When President Lincoln set aside the National Day of Thanksgiving for the first time -- to celebrate America's "fruitful fields," "healthful skies," and the "strength and vigor" of the American people -- it was in the midst of the Civil War, just when the future of our very union was most in doubt. So think about that. When times were darkest, President Lincoln understood that our American blessings shined brighter than ever.

This is an era（纪元，时代） of new perils（危机） and new hardships. But we are, as ever, a people of endless compassion, boundless ingenuity（精巧，创造力）, limitless strength. We're the heirs（继承人） to a hard-earned history and stewards of a land of God-given beauty. We are Americans. And for all this, we give our humble thanks -- to our predecessors（前任，前辈）, to one another, and to God.

So on this quintessentially（精髓的，典型的） American holiday, as we give thanks for what we've got, let's also give back to those who are less fortunate. As we give thanks for our loved ones, let us remember those who can't be with us. And as we give thanks for our security, let's in turn thank those who've sacrificed to make it possible, wherever they may be.