A Day For Thanks

When I was young, Thanksgiving was the same as it was in most American families. The family gathering at our home or my older sister’s. Extended family traveling from distance so that we could all enjoy the feast. Being descendants of the Mayflower, however, made the day a bit more personal. 

After arriving, the Pilgrims were kept at a distance by the Wampanoags. Half of those who traveled with my ancestors died during the first winter. It is said that the leader of the Wampanoag nation, with a population that had been recently decimated by a pandemic, needed the more advanced weapons of the pilgrims to keep the peace with the neighboring Narragansetts. In the spring of 1621 he made the fateful decision to make first contact. It is a decision that the indigenous people of this land now regret but it was a decision that continued the family tree of which I am now but a branch.

Thanks for reading Feed The Muse! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.

That spring the Wampanoags taught the colony how to farm in this land that was new to them. By the fall the colony had their first successful harvest and held a harvest feast. It was not called Thanksgiving. Regrettably, my ancestors did not invite those who were the contributing factor of their bounty. It was a portent to how the future would evolve. It wasn’t until the Pilgrims fired muskets in the air as a part of the celebration that the Wampanoags arrived, fearing a war had broken out. After being informed that it was a harvest feast, they returned with deer, fish, and other foods and joined in the celebration. 

My Thanksgiving feasts have not been as dramatic. When I was in the military, they were often lonely events while I longed for home. I remember a particular Thanksgiving in Rapid City where the only dinner my roommate and I could find was at the local Holiday Inn. It was as depressing as it sounds. After leaving service, I endeavored to hold the holiday with the gratitude and solemnity that it deserves and to always be with loved ones. 

Thanksgiving today is a far removed feast than it was back in 1621. Although it is my favorite holiday of the year I am cognizant that it is not joyful for all. For me, whose love language is cooking, Thanksgiving is about nourishing my family and basking in the gratitude of my situation. But there are those, like the indigenous peoples, who regret the fourth Thursday in November, or those who don’t have the warmth of hearth and family to fill them with gratitude. 

And so tomorrow, remember the history you didn’t learn about in grade school. Give acknowledgment to those who might not wish to celebrate. Show compassion to those who, because of circumstance or need, only see the day as just another Thursday. Do a small thing to make their day a little bit better. Look the workers you come across in the eyes and thank them. Smile at someone who appears to need it. And show grace to those who might be longing for a family dinner that is too many miles away or too far in the past. 

Thanks for reading Feed The Muse! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.