"Over three centuries ago, our forefathers in Virginia and in Massachusetts, far from home in a lonely wilderness, set aside a time of thanksgiving. On the appointed day, they gave reverent thanks for their safety, for the health of their children, for the fertility of their fields, for the love which bound them together, and for the faith which united them with their God." ~President John F Kennedy
Walking around and admiring the beauty of the fall season! What a beautiful palette of colors, from green to brown, from red to yellow from shiny brass to royal gold! I am wondering around in the Japanese Garden in Wroclaw Poland, only to remember that today is the final Thursday in November. For many that might not mean much but for the Americans this is a big day,Thanksgiving day. As a proud naturalized American citizen today my heart is with the United States and I would like to share some Thanksgiving history that I learned along the way during my years there.
Thanksgiving tradition was carried by the Pilgrims and Puritans Fathers who emigrated from England in 1620s- 1630s and were the first settlers. There are few different dates carried around and depending on where you are in the States, they might carry heavier or lighter weight. I used to live in Massachusetts and the well documented events from 1621 of the first settlers in Plymouth was heavily emphasized as the origination of the Thanksgiving tradition. Later on, while residing in Washington DC, Virginia area I learned about another, earlier date of 1619 event that traced the tradition’s origination to Virginia. Needless to say, I spent additional 15 years in Florida only to find out there another significant trace of the Thanksgiving origination. The Historians Michael & Robyn Gannon from the University of Florida argued that the earliest Thanksgiving service was celebrated in 1565 by the Spanish in what is today the oldest continuously inhabited European established settlement, Saint Augustine, Florida.
The truth of the matter is that the question of the Thanksgiving origination remains a debate, primarily between New England and Virginia unless you live in Florida :) However, Thanksgiving remains a beautiful celebration away from religion and politics where people give and receive thanks to one another. And instead of division, the holiday represents
a union that is well captured in President's John F Kennedy’s speech from the year 1963.
"Over three centuries ago, our forefathers in Virginia and in Massachusetts, far from home in a lonely wilderness, set aside a time of thanksgiving. On the appointed day, they gave reverent thanks for their safety, for the health of their children, for the fertility of their fields, for the love which bound them together, and for the faith which united them with their God."
Nowadays, the Holiday is celebrated on the final Thursday in November as autumn hugs the ground. And without a difference where in the world I am on this date, I always remember the Thanksgiving Holiday. Today, as I wonder around the Japanese Garden in Wroclaw, Poland I am THANKFUL as the beautiful palette of colors in the nature turns from green to brown, from red to yellow from shiny brass to royal gold! Happy Thanksgiving fellow Americans!
~Lady Captain