THANKSGIVING - GETTING IN TOUCH WITH OUR ROOTS

"Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today and creates a vision for tomorrow." ~Melody Beattie

Teaching young children in a meaningful manner was one of my goals, with experiential learning as the vehicle. I miss having my own classroom, especially in November. I loved using Thanksgiving as a way of comparing and contrasting the lives of Pilgrims and native people on the east coast, with the lives and celebrations of Northwest Coast native people in the early days of our country. It was higly interesting to the children, especially because of the many "hands on" activities.

As part of social studies another first grade teacher and I planned and executed lessons that led up to reenactments of the Pilgrims' first Thanksgiving in one classroom, with a Northwest native potlatch harvest celebration in another. One class would host the Pilgrim party, while the other would host the Northwest Coast potlatch. All children would be in simple costumes appropriate to the time. Each would have learned about the respective cultures and would set up their rooms accordingly for two days of stories, reports, reenactments and feasting. Children in these classes learned about diversity, caring, sharing, gift giving, and appreciation in a very concrete and unforgettable way. They also had the chance to share orally and in writing what made them feel thankful.

As the children learned about the Potlatch, they saw regional differences in tribal customs, food and shelter. They found that the Northwest tribes used potlatch celebrations for everything from weddings to coming of age with gift giving and one-up-manship as the focal point. No doubt successful harvests were also celebrated. Food included seeds, fruits, fish or seal meat along with seal oil in which food was dipped, and more. Feeding guests to the point of their becoming sick from overeating was the sign of good hosting. Sound familiar?

The students learned how our Thanksgiving Day was set in motion by the Pilgrims and Wampanoag Indians in 1621, when they celebrated a lifesaving harvest and their survival in a strange and hostile land. That long ago festival was supposedly a one-time affair, lasting several days with feasting, dancing, games, and merrymaking. It featured foods like venison, fowl, clams, etc. The Pilgrims had no idea at the time that, because of them, over two centuries later in 1863, President Lincoln would declare the last Thursday in November as Thanksgiving Day. It would finally be designated a legal holiday by Congress in 1941.

So we now know what the Pilgrims were thankful for but what will we be giving thanks for on Thursday? The Pilgrims' appreciation had to do with survival and freedom to worship as they pleased. As our culture and lifestyle has evolved, it is hard to even imagine such a simple time and such basic needs. They no doubt took joy in just being alive, being able to worship as they pleased, and having enough food to get through the winter.

Today some of us feel slighted if we don't have large screen TVs, the latest cell phone, and every bell and whistle of the 21st century. Somehow even the poorest of us can scrape up enough money for a Big Mac and Coke while feeling jealous of the apparent wealth and well being of those who have more.

Perhaps we need to get back to our country's roots and be grateful for some food, shelter and just being alive in a land where so much is still possible. Those Pilgrims, assisted by their native "brothers" set in motion the American Dream, but one wonders what they would think should they be dropped into our century on Thanksgiving Day. Aside from culture shock, would they be aghast at the waste and materialism? Would they shake their heads over those who do not appreciate what they have? Would they be appalled at the lack of caring for others?

Many of us are going through hard times and mind numbing adversity right now. But does it even approach what the Pilgrims went through? Perhaps it's time to focus on appreciating the simple pleasures. Here are a few of mine:

1. A cell phone
2. A television
3. A bed with blankets
4. A car
5. Studded tires on a snowy day
6. An instant hot water tap in my sink for soup and tea
7. The internet and e-mail
8. My hot water bottle
9. Electricity
l0. A fireplace with real wood crackling and burning in it
ll. A refrigerator stocked with a reasonable amount of food
12. A view of Puget Sound out of my window
13. Fairly good health
14. A book to read
15. And most of all, a bunch of people in my life I care about and who care about me!!

And next Thursday I will be in my kitchen, along with others, preparing a feast for more than thirty people. Most will be relatives, but all know they can bring anyone along who has no place to be that day. Because we are a family of cooks and food aficionados there will be plenty to eat. Diets will be out the window. Eater's remorse will be saved for the next day.

I think we will take time that day to talk about those long ago pilgrims and be prepared to say one thing we are thankful for. We owe it to the Pilgrims, their companions who didn't survive, and the Wampanoag Indians, without whose help our country would not be celebrating its unique multicultural beginning.