The fall season brings Thanksgiving and the beginning of the

In the words of Margaret Cuomo: “The fall season brings Thanksgiving and the beginning of the holiday season. Sharing meals with family and friends are a key element of this joyful time of the year. We are faced with an abundance of food, and can easily gain extra pounds as a result.” At first, these words may sound like a simple reflection on the feasts of autumn, yet within them lies a truth both ancient and enduring: that joy and celebration must always walk hand in hand with moderation and discipline. For the gifts of the earth, though abundant, can either nourish us or weigh us down, depending on how we honor them.

The fall season has long been the time of harvest, when the labor of the year yields its fruit. Our ancestors gathered wheat, grapes, and corn, rejoicing that the famine of winter could be endured through their plenty. Feasting was not merely indulgence, but gratitude—a sacred acknowledgment that the gods or nature had been kind. Yet, the ancients also knew the danger of excess. When the people forgot moderation, the body grew sluggish, the spirit dulled, and the sharpness of mind was lost. Cuomo’s words remind us that abundance of food, while a blessing, carries within it a hidden challenge: the test of self-mastery.

Consider the example of the ancient Romans. During times of prosperity, they held great banquets, tables groaning with roasted meats, fruits, and wines. Yet it was not uncommon that their overindulgence weakened both body and character, leading to a decline in discipline. Many historians point to this excess as one of the factors that corroded their strength as a people. In contrast, the early Romans, stern and frugal, built an empire from discipline and restraint. This tale from history illustrates Cuomo’s wisdom: Thanksgiving and feasts are meant to bring joy and unity, but without temperance, even blessings can become burdens.

Her words also honor the sacredness of gathering. Sharing meals with family and friends is more than consuming food; it is a ritual of belonging. Around the table, laughter flows, bonds are strengthened, and the burdens of life are lifted for a time. In this sense, feasting is not about what is eaten, but with whom it is shared. The danger lies not in joy itself, but in allowing the table’s abundance to overshadow its true meaning. The feast must nourish both body and soul, and the soul is not fed by gluttony, but by love, gratitude, and moderation.

Cuomo’s reflection carries a call to mindfulness. The holiday season tempts us to consume endlessly, to treat excess as the measure of joy. But wisdom teaches otherwise: true joy is not found in the piling of plates, but in the warmth of community and the spirit of thanksgiving. To eat beyond measure is to forget gratitude; to partake with awareness is to honor the gift of food and the labor it required.

The lesson is clear: approach the fall season and its feasts with balance. Celebrate with your loved ones, rejoice in the blessings of the harvest, but let your joy be tempered with discipline. Teach your children that gratitude is not measured by how much one consumes, but by how deeply one cherishes what is given. Let each meal be both a feast of nourishment and a feast of remembrance—that life itself is sustained not only by bread, but by wisdom.

Practical actions are simple yet profound. Eat slowly, so that gratitude may settle in your heart. Share with those in need, so that abundance may not turn into waste. Choose smaller portions, not as denial, but as reverence for your health and for the blessing of food itself. And above all, keep your attention not only on the table, but on the faces around it. For in them lies the true richness of Thanksgiving—not the excess of pounds gained, but the fullness of love shared.

Thus, Cuomo’s words shine with timeless wisdom: that in times of plenty, the true challenge is not survival, but self-control. The holiday season offers us more than food—it offers us the chance to practice gratitude, balance, and love. And when we master these, every feast becomes not a test of the body, but a triumph of the soul.