Thank You, Pilgrims, for Religious Freedom, for Democracy, and for Prosperity.

And if you want to get silly and listen to a real-live interview with a Pilgrim and a traveling cell phone, listen in here with special guest Jimmie Bise.

Happy Thanksgiving!

When the Pilgrims first arrived in America, it was cold — really, really cold. We’re talking Massachusetts-in-winter-cold, because, well, it wasMassachusetts in winter.

They did not fare well that first winter, and almost half of them died.

Once spring came, the Mayflower and her crew departed, and the settlers began to build a community. The men built things and worked the land, and the women did chores and minded the children. They lived a communal life, with everyone working together for the good of the group. In other words, they were socialists.

Read the rest at The Stir

The Pilgrims longed for religious freedom, and they knew they were never going to get it in England. The little group of Separatists (Pilgrims) decided to move to Holland, which did not have a state-run church and was generally tolerant of differing religious ideologies.

For 12 years, the Pilgrims lived, worked, and worshipped as they pleased in Amsterdam, but life became increasingly difficult. It was hard for the foreigners to find work as anything other than textile workers or sailors, and the peaceful political climate was becoming tense. The 12-year truce between the Netherlands and Spain was coming to an end, and as the Pilgrims never planned to stay in Holland permanently, they decided to move on.

Read the rest at The Stir

It’s Thanksgiving week. Which means that I’m frantically grocery shopping, cooking, cleaning, and generally trying not to go insane. One trick I’ve employed over the years to preserve my sanity is to take a deep breath and remind myself of what I’m thankful for.

Isn’t that what Thanksgiving is all about?

This year, I find myself ironically thankful that my life is nothing like the lives of the Pilgrims before they ventured to the new world. I have the freedom to work, play, and worship how I want, but 400 years ago, the Pilgrims didn’t.

Read the rest at The Stir