This past week, we celebrated Thanksgiving, what some would call a uniquely American holiday. It commemorates the feast the Pilgrims shared with their new friends, the Wampanoag Indians, in 1621.
It was their first harvest in a new land, with new lives, new freedoms, and new friends. They gave thanks for these things, and to God.
Then, on November 30, 1777, General George Washington declared a day of “solemn Thanksgiving and Praise.” The day he set aside was December 18th, and it was to celebrate recent victories over the British, but this was the first official day of Thanksgiving in the United States.
In 1846, Sarah Hale began a letter-writing campaign that would last 17 years. She requested that the last Thursday of each November be recognized as a national holiday, to be called Thanksgiving Day. She referenced the Pilgrims’ feast and George Washington’s decree.
Finally, her letters reached a receptive Abraham Lincoln in 1863. The President was looking for a way to celebrate the Union’s victories at Vicksburg and Gettysburg. Thanksgiving Day was a perfect solution. He signed the order and our first national Thanksgiving holiday was held that year.
Today’s Thanksgiving most closely resembles that harvest feast of the Pilgrims. Only back then, it was probably duck instead of turkey, and mashed potatoes and cranberry sauce had not been invented yet. But they did have a big feast. And they gave thanks.
Today our menu has changed a bit, yet we’re thankful for many of the same things — like family and friends and freedom. But there are other things to be thankful for that the Pilgrims never dreamed of.
Like electricity.
I spent my Thanksgiving Day without power. No turkey, no cranberry sauce, no mashed potatoes. I ate dinner at McDonald’s, of all places, because it was the only restaurant open.
No running water. No flushing toilets. No heat.
You might say it was pretty lousy, as far as Thanksgivings go. And yet …
The Pilgrims had none of those things, either. They gave thanks for what they had. For a new start and new freedom.
As a freelance writer, I give thanks for those things, too. For the freedom to do something I love, to spend more time with my kids, to work from home on my own terms. That’s my new start. Those are the freedoms I’m chasing.
I’m not there yet. There’s hard work ahead. There are struggles to face and obstacles to overcome. But the opportunity is there, too.
So it was with the Pilgrims. They weren’t home-free. They were celebrating one successful harvest. A lifetime of hard work and struggle still stood before them. But for them, the freedom made it all worthwhile.
So it is for me. And for many other starting writers, I presume. It’s hard to get going in this business. Brutally hard, sometimes. Not only do you have to find, land, and satisfy clients, you also have to fight those internal battles that come with being self-employed. Like motivation, prioritization, and morale. It’s so easy to get discouraged.
The Pilgrims had the Wampanoag to help guide them, showing them how to survive and live off the land. Luckily, we, too, have friends to help us. Friends like B2B Writing Success and AWAI, offering guidance and roadmaps to ease our way. Friends like mentors and peer groups, sharing personal advice, encouragement, and feedback.
All that guidance and support won’t do it for us, though. In the end, it’s up to us to do the work, to overcome the obstacles and failures, to survive and grow our business. The Wampanoag did not just feed the Pilgrims; they taught them how to feed themselves. And the Pilgrims were humble enough to learn and strong enough to persevere.
So when I’m thankful for my new life, it’s not because I’ve reached my goals. It’s because I’m still striving for them, still fighting to make them real. Each success is like the Pilgrims’ first harvest — a victory to celebrate, but also just another step down a long and challenging road.
As I write this, it’s two whole days after Thanksgiving. The power just came on. I still haven’t had any turkey. No mashed potatoes, stuffing, cranberry sauce, or pumpkin pie. I haven’t even had a shower in three days (I’m waiting for the water to heat up on that one).
And yet I’m thankful. Thanksgiving Day was not about the things I missed. All those things could come tomorrow, or even some other time.
I’m thankful for my family: my four wonderful, amazing children. For my parents, my brother and sister and their families. For friends, old and new. For a life filled with opportunities, even if I haven’t quite grasped them yet.
And for the hundreds of utility workers who gave up their Thanksgiving vacations to help us, coming from all over the northeast to get our lines fixed and bring us power: THANK YOU.
There really is so much to be thankful for, no matter your situation. No matter how bad it seems at times. Look deep inside and remember what Thanksgiving Day is all about.
Celebrate your victories. Fight on. And be thankful for what you have as well as what you strive for.
Whatever country you live in, whether you celebrate Thanksgiving or not, I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend. And that the next one will see even more of your dreams coming true.
