What is the truth about Thanksgiving and what is the myth?

Of course, there’s nothing more true than the truth, but the myth is also true, if you take the old and, well, true meaning of the holiday. This parsing of language is appropriate as we celebrate the one national celebration that has nothing to do with wars won or respected soldiers, revered individuals important to our country’s history or religious observances. 

When the events or people associated with a holiday are less concrete, the power of myth surfaces; the stories handed down from generation to generation — with facts lost, obscured or tempered by time — reinforce what nations believe about the best part of themselves. That best part of America is being grateful for what we have and sharing it. This is etched into the story every school child learns, passed down long ago, about the Native Americans, who taught the Pilgrims how to fish and grow corn, before both communities sat down in peace and broke bread together.

We’re taught that we’re free, and we’re all equal, and so have a duty to give thanks.

The myth did grow out of facts, but it’s fairly certain the Pilgrims didn’t spontaneously decide to hold the first Thanksgiving in 1621 and invite the Native Americans to dinner to thank them for their help in keeping the colonists’ community alive. Early winter feasts celebrating autumnal harvests that guaranteed survival through the coldest and most food-insecure months were common in Europe long before the Plymouth Colony ever took root.

What is most true about Thanksgiving is how it serves as a reminder of an important element in the founding of our country. It reminds us to be grateful for what we have and to share our good fortune with others. The Thanksgiving stories we’ll tell, for everyone fortunate to be with loved ones at our November feast, should emphasize an important element of our citizenship — remembering those who are not quite as secure as we are.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, food insecurity “describes a household’s inability to provide enough food for every person to live an active, healthy life.” In practical terms, it means people involuntarily cutting back on meals or not knowing where the next meal is coming from. And it’s estimated that 250,000 Long Islanders are numbered in this category.

Long Island Cares, our region’s first food bank, noted it’s seeing a 44% increase in demand for their services this year. 

Closer to home, the Center for Advocacy, Support and Transformation serves families across Riverhead, the North Fork and Shelter Island through its food pantry and mobile food van. CAST also provides healthy foods for needy school children during school breaks, when free breakfast and lunch programs are unavailable.

 These and many other nonprofits and charities are active in our area — not just at the holidays, but year round. As you give thanks this season, please give generously to them as well. 

Happy Thanksgiving to you and your families from all of us at the Times Review Media Group.