We remember today our (virtual) ancestors, who just a dozen generations ago fled religious persecution in Europe. The Mayflower’s human cargo risked their lives, literally, to seek new hope in a new world.
They longed for a life of freedom but found a life of hardship. They were thankful for their very survival, first, and then for the bounty of their harvest. That’s the occasion we celebrate on Thanksgiving Day, as we gather around family tables and share what, for those Pilgrims, would surely be riches.
We are all of us pilgrims still, longing for a life of freedom, keenly aware of the hardships we face. That’s why this American holiday, like no other, strikes close to our hearts. We truly are blessed, in so many ways, and it’s natural to be grateful.
As we ponder what enriches our own lives, we think first of the people whom we hold dear. But do we really deserve these wonderful people: soul mates who love us … friends … children who adore us … children who are grown and see us as we are? These people share our lives not necessarily because of anything we did to earn their loyalty. Their gift of caring is given despite our faults.
We are social beings, longing for community even more strongly, perhaps, than for the elusive freedom of our dreams. Our strength comes from the presence of companions on life’s journey. For the Pilgrims, that included the people already living in the land when their ship landed. An important part of the Thanksgiving story is their coexistence and cooperation for a time.
We give thanks, too, for this place in which we live. Words fail to express our love of Sonoma Valley: beautiful, vibrant, alive, nurturing, inspiring. Having lived much of our lives elsewhere, a day seldom goes by without a moment of pause, and awe, to admire the gift of this place.
Yet most days do go by without fully appreciating the incredible opportunities we have, in this place and time. It’s important to remember that we live the legacy of the first Pilgrims, free as we are to worship as we please, to make of ourselves what we will, and to achieve great works of artistic and social significance. Enlightenment, though impossible to attain, is still ours to pursue in Sonoma, in the United States, in 2009.
So as we count our blessings today (giving praise to the God of the Pilgrims, to whatever other gods we may serve, or to none at all), let us particularly acknowledge the value of the people who share our journey, both those we’ve chosen and those who chose us. May our presence be of value in our neighbors’ lives, as theirs is in ours.
Pass the gravy!
This message of thanksgiving first appeared in 2006.
