Hi Cindy,
I'll just start by writing what I did this morning.
I went to service at our Unitarian Universalist church. Today's service revolved around our gratitude for nature such as the moon, the sun, water, animals, birds, food, and so on. The children served us small squares of cornbread and tiny symbol (plastic) glasses of cranberry juice. We listened as the minister explained to the children how the separatists brought the ideas of freedom of religion, freedom of speech, and freedom of the press over from the Netherlands. They learned those ideas there. They never would have been able to pick up those ideas or especially practice them had they stayed in England. In fact, they were supposed to be killed had they hung around there.
Anyway, we stacked some food for the hungry up by the alter as part of the service. We promised part of our collection to the Nathan Hale group. They are trying to help disabled and messed up veterans who are not being serviced by the government.
We were reminded by the minister that the stone which lies at the bottom of the upper pews in the rear of the chapel is the last stone the pilgrims stepped on when they were attending their place of worship in the Netherlands. The stained glass window that shows a printing press being destroyed is because the king of England finally persuaded the King of the Netherlands to smash the separatists' printing press from which they produced their literature and bibles.
We also learned that the Dutch wore wooded shoes because they lived where it was always wet and the shoes kept their feet dry.
We all know that the natives here taught the pilgrims about using corn as a staple for their meals, but we went over it again because it really is very important in that it demonstrates that different people can not only live in peace, but also contribute to the welfare of each other. Also, when you consider that one half of the colonists died during that first winter, you can see how easy it might have been for the natives to do nothing for the survivors. The importance of the lessons by the Indians to the pilgrims cannot be understated.
Anyway, the reason I am using this service to describe myself is that I find the story of the pilgrims to be very powerful as a learning tool for myself and as inspiration as to how I should conduct myself. If not for the kindness and the generosity of the Dutch in the Netherlands and the Natives here, they would surely have perished. If not at the hands of the English throne, then by nature itself in the bountiful yet hard world they had eventually found themselves.
I also like a good laugh as many of you know. Just so you don't think I'm some kind of humorless person -
Love,
Rebis
