as a child, I remember a picture in a school book representing the first Thanksgiving celebrated in america--men and women gathered on the ocean shore, in front of a forest. The men wore black baggy pants and matching coats, girded with wide black belts fastened with a big buckle. Starched collars adorned their white shirts. High black hats adorned their heads. The women were in long black dresses with wide white collars.
In the midst of the gathering an open fire roasted wild turkeys, emitting salacious aromas that stir festive taste buds. Behind the gathering, from the forest, emerged a couple of Indians bearing gifts of corn and pumpkins.
Out front, just off shore was a big rock called `Plymouth'. Nearby, the Mayflower ship rested having transported the Puritans away from intolerance to a land of religious freedom. For that freedom they battled the ocean for weeks; worried about storms; worried about the outlaws of the sea; the pirates who might capture, rob, burn, or kill,. In the face of these hardships one wonders how the Puritans in the painting arrived with faith undiminished. They were fleeing religious persecution in England and looking for a place to worship freely.
america was that place.
When they found it, they dropped to their knees on the shore and gave thanks. Thanksgiving Day was officially declared in 1621 at that Plymouth colony, when Governor Bradford appointed a day of praise and prayer after the harvest. The first harvest was crucial for these people to survive the ensuing winter.
During the following years many Puritan customs gradually wove themselves into the new american nation which was being born. among those customs was Thanksgiving Day. From Plymouth, it spread through out the New England colonies and gradually across america.
The first nation-wide observance of Thanksgiving happened when Congress requested President Washington to recommend Thursday, Nov. 26, 1789 as "a day of public thanksgiving and prayer, to acknowledge with grateful hearts the many and signal favours of almighty God".
In 1863, the date of the american Thanksgiving was officially pegged at the last Thursday of November by President Lincoln. When the celebration spread to Canada the Canadian date was moved up and eventually pegged at the second Monday in October.
So much for the establishment of Thanksgiving Day. Re its celebration--often a family gathering was topped off with a Thanksgiving meal. Garden vegetables were gathered. Cottages were closed, water was drained from the pipes before bidding "Farewell" to the summer cottage country.
`Thanksgiving' is even more special for seniors. They once were young and hardy. In their youth, perhaps they figured they were self made. Now, with age they realize how dependant they are on others and a Higher Power. as a result, their Thanksgiving is more fervent. Some recall the stages of their own life; their childhood; their family, their parents, seeing themselves grow, marry, have children and grand children of their own. Remembering the tough times, perhaps they wondered how they ever made it through. Maybe they see themselves like those pilgrims making a voyage across the ocean of life; succeeding and wanting to thank the almighty.
Like Pilgrims, like seniors, we are all on a journey, not to Plymouth Rock, but to the Rock of Paradise. Our last unpegged leg of the journey is not on the Mayflower but in the arms of the angels. arrival is crucial for the best
Thanksgiving Day of our Eternal Life. Happy Thanksgiving!
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