It was with good reason that the early Pilgrim Fathers fell down on their knees when they reached Cape Cod three hundred and fifty years ago.
They had endured a stormy Atlantic journey in their tiny boat "Mayflower" and, when they eventually put their feet on dry land, they gave loud thanks and promptly named the spot PROVIDENCE.
This principle of giving thanks was later enshrined in the annual American calendar as a special day. Since wild turkey served to enrich the diet of the early settlers, these resourceful people named the bird the national emblem of America. A place of honour it still holds to this day which has not been taken over by the bald eagle!
Times have changed however, and not for the better.
For example, here in Canada, 5 million turkeys will meet their fate this weekend, roasted, basted, dressed and later stuffed into the mouths of 30 million or Canadians. Of this vast number of hungry humans less than a few percent will even think about giving God thanks before they tuck into their dinner. Saying grace before our meals has now become passe in modern Canada even on Thanks Giving Day.
Why, the day itself is now being termed "Turkey" Day and the bird is becoming the predominant symbol in all the frenetic marketing that goes on in the grocery stores at this time of year.
Ah, if only all thirty million of us could be shipped from England to Newfoundland in a fleet of tiny Mayflowers to endure our first winter under canvas and tree branches! I do not doubt that the volume of thanks coming from a table loaded with roast turkey would increase dramatically.
Jubilate.
Ian
If you were like me, you would find it difficult to evoke sympathy on hearing the news that Kim Kardashian has been robbed at gunpoint. The thieves broke into her luxury Paris apartment last night and relieved her of her rings, bracelets and necklaces to the tune of a cool ten million dollars. All in matter of fifteen minutes.
This was a daring heist where the crooks were dressed up as police. They knocked on the door the building, tied up the security guard, then knocked on Kim's door, tied her up and took off with the swag.
Reportedly one of the rings was worth five million dollars. Which brings me to my point of having no sympathy for the lady.
I have spent much of my life around poor people: our fellow denizens of planet earth in India, Africa, Mexico and other places. Kim's ring would have fed one of their villages for a LIFETIME.
Not that I am advocating robbing the rich to give to the poor but what happened last night does underscore the wisdom of Christ's words: "Lay not up treasures on earth where burglars can break in and steal, but lay up treasures in Heaven where you will have eternal reward."
A movie that I can recommend is called "Flawless" It stars Demi Moore and Michael Caine. Both pull off the world's greatest diamond heist. Neither are caught. The suspenseful end is what happens to the prize diamond after the whole pile has been recovered by the police. Sufficient to say that a lot of poor people ended up being cared for!
Jubilate.
Ian
