The Mayflower/Thanksgiving thing feels kind of awkward for me with all the books, websites, merchandising, and total BS about some of my ancestors. And then I also have Native American ancestors on my father’s side (DNA-yes, exact tribe-it’s complicated). Thanksgiving is a mixed bag at my house.
Many of the Pilgrims did not survive that first year at Plymouth. I’m thankful Resolved did survive; otherwise (duh), I would not exist. My 9th great-grandfather did not. But my 9th great-grandmother did and likely helped prepare the first Thanksgiving dinner.
Obviously, I don’t have total reverence for my heritage. While I do have some decent notable ancestors and genetic cousins – adventurers, writers, artists – from the history books, some of my genetic relatives were just plain as…, er, not great humans.
Go to www.MARKiX.net/mayflower to read some truths about the Mayflower voyage.
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Postscript. Something to contemplate: Many famous people (Clint Eastwood, Sally Field, John Lithgow, Noah Webster, and others) are descendants of William Bradford and his second wife. They would not exist if my cousin, Dorothy (May) Bradford, had not died. Dorothy fell off the Mayflower and drowned in the icy waters while the ship was anchored off Cape Cod Harbor.
