A light fog is surrounding my house this morning. The morning sun climbs higher in the sky, the fog burned off and the sunshine brightened the day. Today is Thanksgiving.  However, as the morning progressed, I begin to wonder about the first Thanksgiving Day in 1621. The first Thanksgiving Day is still being taught to children in grade school. Facts on Thanksgiving have been reviewed this morning and I realize that a few of the facts had been forgotten.

Once the Mayflower landed at Plymouth Rock September 6, 1620 the two groups of people on the ship knew that there had to be a change.  As it turned out, there were two groups of people on the Mayflower.  The first group, called themselves ‘Separatists’ or “Saints” and the second group were called “Strangers”. Once they landed at Plymouth Rock the two fractions eagerly called a truce. Going forward, it was known as the Mayflower Compact. The two groups merged together to call themselves “Pilgrims”.

Tragedy

In reality, the Pilgrims had been ill prepared for the first winter and many died. Eagerly the local Native Americans befriended them and provided the Pilgrims with food. Working together, the next spring the Native Americans taught the Pilgrims the technique to cultivate corn and how to grow the native vegetables.  Harvesting the crops at the end of the growing season, in 1621 the Pilgrims along with 90 of the Native Americans celebrated the first harvest on November 29, 1621.

Going into the third year, the corn crop was damaged and Governor Willam Bradford ordered a day of fasting and prayer. Soon afterward, rain began to fall.

President Franklin D. Roosevelt formally announced the fourth Thursday in November the official date for Thanksgiving Day.

Is America the only country to celebrate Thanksgiving?

Of course, America is the only country to celebrate Thanksgiving.  Our neighbors in Canada, celebrates  Thanksgiving Day on the  second Monday in October. China celebrates August Moon on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month of the Chinese calendar. But,Brazil began to celebrate Thanksgiving because an ambassador emulated our celebration. Comparatively, Korea celebrates Chu-Sok “fall evening” on August the 15. However, Korea celebrates for three days.

Today, I ask that my friends pray for world peace. Sharing the results of a 1993 experiment with my friends, demonstrated the benefits of 2,000 people meditating for peace on Washington D.C. The results at the end of the experiment was that the crime rate dropped over 40 percent.

So, I ask that you also join me and my friends in prayer for world peace. Then, not only on Thanksgiving Day, but on a regular bases, if we meditate together change will be able to begin. In like manner, if we join together and each of you ask your friends to join in, then maybe, we will soon see evidence of peace settling over the world.