As we sit on the eve of Thanksgiving, ready to consume ourselves with Turkey and Pie, we can just as easily consume ourselves with the amount of opinions on the true story of the Thanksgiving and the mythic meal that started the holiday we have all grown to love. As with anything in history though, there is a fine line between fact and comfort fiction. Like our personal lives, we prefer to tell only the parts of the story that best support the positive narrative of where we are today, white lies and all. Do this enough and the next thing you know, you'll be celebrating myths at the expense of the lessons of what Plymouth Settlement's own, William Bradford described as the 'hard and difficult beginnings.' While the routines of our holiday traditions are comforting, Thanksgiving's roots are in the toil of pursuing meaningful change.
pil·grim | \ ˈpil-grəm \
1 : one who journeys in foreign lands : wayfarer
2 : when capitalized : one of the English colonists settling at Plymouth in 1620
Ask around and you'll likely get a definition of Pilgrim as something of the like: religious zealot, early colonist, Christopher Columbus' traveling companions (that's incorrect folks). They were two of those three, but any of us can be pilgrims today. Combining the above official definitions and I see a pilgrim as a journeyer who is bold, certain, uncompromising in their convictions. A Pilgrim is willing to risk the comfort of today for the benefit of living a life true to their convictions.
Have you ever considered yourself a Pilgrim:
The Pilgrim's tale is really a tale of rebellion. At the time, it was illegal to worship in any other organized religious service outside of the Church of England. They viewed the spiritual journey as unique as one's own fingerprints, not to be confined by the traditions and symbolism of a spiritless crown. The combined appeal of freedom and individualism in the New World was enough to outweigh risks. Many forget though that prior to their trip across the Atlantic, the Pilgrims first had an extended stay of over ten years in Holland.
Settling in Leiden in 1608, they worked in textile mills which proved to be exhausting and unsatisfying. So while their appetite for change in the form of religious freedom was granted in this new country, their professional work and family structures were starting to see other types of change that they didn't enjoy. Mainly, an adoption of Danish traditions. The elders' own diaries state that their children were adjusting to the new scenery almost too well and were quickly becoming...Dutch (gasp!). So the scheduled move to the New World was expedited.
Whether the 1600's or 2000's, a pilgrim's journey is sure to bring you down a side-streets and byways, some of which may be longer than others. Not to be discouraged though, these are ideal opportunities to recognize that progress isn't always horizontal. There is value in experiencing what you don't want, so you're more convinced of what you do.
Learning from our layovers:
Having spent from 1608 to 1620 in Holland, the long awaited voyage to North America began. Over 100 people spent 66 days on a damp shared space of about 58 x 24 feet. Already malnourished, they arrived at the footsteps of one of the harshest winters in New England history (including modern times). The cost of change for the Pilgrims was dramatic. Less than two years after their arrival, over half of them would be dead. Makes you start to wonder if working in a textile mill in Leiden and your kids becoming comfy with the ol' Dutch traditions was such a bad change after all.
There is always the temptation to see the grass as greener on the other side; change for changes sake. That's a dangerous jealousy and lust. Pilgrims, former and modern, are searching for something deeper, consumed by an individualistic desire which takes them on paths never within short reach. There is sure to be setbacks and sacrifices, allowing the little thing we all fear most to creep in, 'doubt'. We'll doubt we're capable. We'll doubt the risk is worth it. We'll doubt the others in our traveling party. Doubt in this nature is natural. Surely, the Pilgrims has similar thoughts. True to form though, they didn't doubt their reasoning for taking on the journey. For that, we'd admire and learn from their zealousness.
Change vs. Conviction:
Thanksgiving brings with it 400 years of history, myths, and traditions. So let the traditions bring you comfort but you'd be remiss if you didn't also let it bring lessons. I wish for you a moment of reflection upon your own pilgrimage. Whether that journey has been good or bad, it has shaped you, and an evolved self is always something to be thankful for.
The Pilgrims of Plymouth hold a special place in the American story not only because they established the first European permanent settlement but because they documented the story for us to learn from all these years later. Document your own story; your future self and others will thank you later.
Happy Thanksgiving!
-sam
If you're looking for a great and timely book to read, I highly recommend 'Mayflower, a Story of Courage, Community and War' by Nathaniel Philbrick.
If you want to talk more about your own pilgrimage, connect with me