Happy 11.22.01
For those of you not living here in the great PX, it’s hard to imagine the importance of Thanksgiving to us colonials. It’s the only non-war related, non-religious, non-political holiday we have of any consequence, and it marks the transition to the really important part of the year which has to do with plying retailers throughout the land with wads of our hard earned cash in exchange for stuff that will later make the grand cosmic cycle from gift, to back of the closet, to garage sale or charitable donation.
The story of the first Thanksgiving is a well worn wease about persecuted zealots who flee to the future site of a fishing and tourist center with ship-related industries and cranberry-packing houses via a twelve year sojourn in Leiden, the Netherlands. In 1617, discouraged by economic difficulties, excessively rich Dutch food, and the fact that their children were spending too much time in the red light district smoking hemp, the loyal few voted to leave their hiatus in Holland and immigrate to America. Not everyone went and money was tight so they negotiated a financial agreement with Thomas Weston, a prominent London iron merchant (Big Iron? Perhaps the local IBM distributor?) A small ship, the Speedwell, carried them to Southampton, England, where they were to join another group of hearty travelers and pick up a second ship. After some delays and disputes, the voyagers regrouped at Plymouth aboard the 180-ton Mayflower, a vessel scarcely larger than a Chevrolet Suburban.
After a 65-day journey, the intrepid band sighted Cape Cod on November 19 (those of you who know the tune from Gilligan’s Island can start whistling it now). Carrying on a tradition that stretches even to this day, the so-called pilgrims got a bit lost and were unable to reach the land they had contracted for. Snatching victory from the jaws of an unintended destination (thus setting the tone for legions of managers that followed), they congratulated themselves on making it to the site of Provincetown. Unfortunately, they had no legal right to settle in the region, so they drew up the Mayflower Compact, creating their own government. Later, IBM managers were to take inspiration from this act and declare that the definition of the word “strategic” is whatever sells (I’m not making this up, one of my neighbors, an IBM big shot swears this is the secret, but only true definition of the word strategic).
The lost lot soon discovered Plymouth Harbor on the western side of Cape Cod Bay and made their historic landing on December 21; the main body of settlers followed on December 26.
It wasn’t until June 20, 1676 that the humble pilgrims decided it was time for a proper day of thanks. The first official Thanksgiving proclamation is hardly the example of brotherly love, and “hey you Indian dudes, come have some victuals” that American school children imagine. In fact, the opening paragraph is filled with words like “Afflictive dispensations”, “Heathen Natives”, “in the day of his sore displeasure against us for our sins”, and “reserving many of our Towns from Desolation Threatened, and attempted by the Enemy.” Whew! That’s the kind of stuff you want to hear just before you spear a yam or hack into a slab of Tom Turkey!
Still, in the midst of what were certainly hard times and uncertain circumstances, this band of believers that had hiked their collective butts across an unimaginably large ocean to reach what must have felt like a far and remote land saw fit to cease their industries and fighting to express thanks for the good that they surely felt had befallen them. These were not great and noble people that had somehow been touched with good fortune. They were ordinary people with unreasonable dreams who set themselves one step at a time to make those visions a reality in a harsh and unforgiving land.
Then as now, the tribulations of our present times are small in comparison to the gifts of friendship, companionship, and adventure we have available every day. It’s a bit dark just now, but unlike Pilgrim’s Progress, this book is not yet written. It’s ours to write.
Happy Thanksgiving
Send mail to
webmaster@kevinhoffberg.com with
questions or comments about this web site.
Copyright © 2002
Kevin Hoffberg
Last modified:
05/03/06