Reflections on Thanksgiving
1620 was a year of tribulation.
The Mayflower voyage was no vacation!
In America, one hundred Pilgrims arrived.
By spring, only fifty-three remained alive.
Befriended by a Native American tribe,
they grew corn and learned to thrive.
1621 was a year of jubilation,
harvest time at Plymouth Plantation,
when the Pilgrims and the Wampanoag
gave thanks together and got along.
A time for gratitude and celebration,
plans for peace and co-operation.
Peace and cooperation were transient,
but Thanksgiving was a hopeful event.
Brotherhood, the spirit of Thanksgiving,
can transform our way of living!
Copyright© 2020 by Cheryl Batavia
Harvest festivals have been observed all over the world since ancient times. Several States claim to be the site of the first Thanksgiving in the US, but Plymouth, Massachusetts, though probably not the first, is the most well-known. Native Americans rescued several struggling American colonies in the early days. The Wampanoag befriended the Pilgrims at Plymouth, teaching them to grown corn and celebrating Thanksgiving with them.
The history of our country, as in many countries, has been blemished by racism, persecution of indigenous peoples, slavery, and religious intolerance. Many people have fought these evils, and many wrongs have been righted. The fight continues. The first Thanksgiving at Plymouth Plantation is a hopeful example of brotherhood and peace.
