Of course, today’s post is a no-brainer.

What a privilege it is that we live in the country of America!

On November 1st, when I first asked my 1st graders, “Why was the very first Thanksgiving ever celebrated?”  The answers varied.  

Most said, “So we can be with family.”

“Yes, but why was the first Thanksgiving celebrated?"

“So we can be nice to people."

My favorite though, was, “Because Jesus died.” 

 “But why did the very, very, FIRST Thanksgiving happen?”

Blank stares.

Now, it has to be understood that many of my students are bilingual, others have language processing challenges, and for them all, it’s been a long time since conversation about Pilgrims and Native Americans, etc.

So we got into a grand conversation about the very first Thanksgiving.  We talked about the trip over on the Mayflower, how hard that was for these people making such a voyage.  Arriving to a new land full of hope and promise, but fear of the unknown and the challenge of surviving the elements without google to figure it out.  No streets, houses, restaurants, grocery stores, or policeman, etc.  The fact that the Pilgrims suffered through all of that to start a new country where they could worship God the way they wanted and that the King of England “wouldn’t have to be the boss of them anymore."

You know?  When I think about having the many privileges and freedoms afforded to us as Americans, my first thanks always goes to the Armed Forces that keep us safe.  The soldiers that protect our freedom overseas and the families here that carry on in their absence.  

I rarely think about the Pilgrims who took that chance and what that journey into the unknown and first year must have been like.

But talking about this with my young little 1st graders made me think about the Pilgrims and the Native Americans who befriended them, as well as all of the heroes throughout our nation’s history that have fought for everything that we have today.

This morning on fb, one of Guitar Boy’s incredibly talented band directors who is African-American (incidentally with a Caucasian wife, noteworthy in light of what he said)
posted the following:

Decades ago, I could not have the life I have today. I could not live next to Roland Pimm, a retired hobbyist wood maker from upstate New York. I could not have "Mr. Joe" as a neighbor; a 93 yr old WWII vet from New Orleans that brings my daughter stuffed animals on her birthday every year since she was born. I couldn't be married to my lovely wife and certainly not have my beautiful daughter with

out being terrorized everyday. Decades ago, I couldn't even drive to the town where I teach and influence the awesome kids that I have the privilege to teach. I wouldn't have even had the opportunity to leave my small Mississippi Delta town of Greenwood to attend the University I call my alma mater.
So, today, I am thankful that many people had the courage to say, "No more!" and endured the unthinkable so that one day I, a person who did not even exist yet, might have the life I live today. Today I salute and pay homage to you by exercising a right that many of you never got to experience despite your efforts. My vote today is in memory of you.  Tony L. 11/6/12

So today,  like every other American who exercised their right to vote, no matter the outcome, I’m so grateful to be an American.  Why God chose each of us to be born into this freedom, is a question that we’ll never be able to answer yet a blessing I hope none of us ever take for granted.

May God Bless the USA!!