Ah, Thanksgiving… that time of year when we go on the hunt for the biggest possible turkey that will fit inside our oven, load up on three kinds of apple pies and dig our elastic-waisted pants from the back of the drawer in preparation for the biggest feast of the year. Family and friends gather around the table to share stories, reenact family lore, argue about sports and politics, and laugh at Uncle Stan’s spirited retelling of the time he was accidentally locked in a port-a-potty for five hours.
Almost 400 years ago, the early American settlers and the Wampanoag people gathered in a celebration that was all about gratitude. The Plymouth colony had just experienced their first successful harvest. It was autumn of 1621 and there was much to be thankful for as they celebrated their endurance in a harsh new world. The Pilgrims would not have survived their first year without the help of the native Wampanoag people. To celebrate, the 53 surviving English and 90 Native Americans participated in a weeklong celebration involving food, games, conversation, and prayer. The Wampanoag brought five deer to the feast. Duck, seafood, cabbage, onions, corn, and squash more than likely rounded out the meal. What about turkey? Sorry, Pilgrims, you’re going to have to wait until the 1800s for that bird to make it onto the traditional Thanksgiving dinner table. No cranberry sauce came sliding out onto a plate in the shape of a can, either.
They celebrated life and the goodness of others with humble hearts. Pie was just a perk.
In 2014, we, too, have much for which to be grateful.
- We are able to shop at stores with multiple aisles of groceries and an abundance of choices.
- With the turn of a knob, we get clean, hot water on demand.
- We are free to speak our minds (whether it’s song lyrics, a speech or a telephone call).
- We have so much clothing that it takes multiple loads of laundry to get them all clean.
- We can hop in our cars and drive to a building that houses thousands of books… and read them for free.
What are our employees at Newport Avenue Market thankful for this season? Family. Friends. Job. Health. They are grateful for so much, including:
- Champagne and good friends
- Smiling people
- Great beer
- Health insurance
- Fabulous co-workers
- Sports
- Flush toilets
- Snow
- Chemistry
- Skirt steaks
- Hairy dogs
- Duck football
- Opportunities
- Books, slippers and mugs of tea
- Pine needles and falling leaves
- Steak, bacon and chicken
- Big-girl panties
- Chickens + fresh eggs
- That it’s not cancer
We continue to be grateful for our incredible customers, our dedicated employees, the quirky soul of our beloved Bend, and for the daily reminders of all that is good. Thank you for being an integral part of our small corner of awesomeness in the world.
In the chaos of preparing the most perfect Thanksgiving meal, it’s easy to forget about gratitude and the privilege we have to live with so much abundance. When you sit down with family and friends this season, please take a moment to give thanks for the abundance that has come your way.
And then pass the gravy.