Thanksgiving to most Americans is a time to gather as family and friends.  This gathering consists mainly of having a wonderful day of feasting on traditional foods.  It is also time to catch up on the past year and to get re-acquainted with loved ones.  Homes have their TVs tuned in to football rivalries clashing on the gridiron or old nostalgic movies.  Time of rest is also an American tradition during this peaceful day.  So, many memories are made when the children race around the chair that grandpa is sleeping in and his snoring can be heard over the cheers or boos of the football fanatics.  Thanksgiving is truly a time of thankfulness for what we have in life and what this country means with the freedoms it offers.  Follow me, if you will, on the journey that led up to our first Thanksgiving.

On September 6, 1620, The Mayflower left England for North America.  The ship’s master, Christopher Jones, was an experienced skipper and had made many voyages.  This voyage however proved not to be a smooth one.  He left port with a crew of thirty men to work the decks.  His cargo consisted of 102 pilgrims bound to start a new life in the Americas.  During the voyage, the pilgrims rarely got a breath of fresh air, except to empty their chamber pots; the ships plumbing of the day.  It was far from the glamorous cruises we enjoy today.  They made this trip with the excitement of the adventure that awaited them.  They sought a level of freedom that they had not yet found and a desire to escape the persecution they experienced in England and Holland.

Halfway to the New World, a violent autumn storm arose and tossed the ship violently.  The ship began to leak and the main beam cracked.  A passenger was thrown overboard, but was able to catch a rope and was rescued.  The entire voyage saw the death of only two passengers, but was blessed with the birth of two more.

On the verge of turning back, the crew was able to make repairs to the beam with a large iron screw that the pilgrims brought from Holland.  The leaks were stopped by with caulk and a mallet.  This moment of perseverance would not be their last.  Upon the storm’s passing, the ship found itself blown off course.  

Finally, and against many odds, the Mayflower landed at Provincetown, Massachusetts, on November 11 after 65 days at sea.  By December, the pilgrims made their way to Plymouth to settle in before winter arrived.  This area provided a calm harbor, cleared land and fresh water which were all the essentials for starting their new life.  The Pilgrims celebrated days of thanksgiving as part of their religion.  These days of thanksgiving were days of prayer, not days of feasting.  Our national holiday really stems from the feast held in the autumn of 1621 by the Pilgrims and the Wôpanâak  Indians to celebrate the colony's first successful harvest.

For myself, I find it refreshing to look at the voyage of the Mayflower as the adventure it truly was.  I also look at the modern day Thanksgiving Day as a reminder that this country started with its share of trials and hardships.  The most amazing part of this day of remembrance is that, after all the trials, pain, suffering and loss, we still take the time to stop and celebrate our successes.  We are still a country that believes in our God given right of Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness.

Researching the voyage of the Mayflower revealed a story that really hits close to home for all of us at American Plumbing Solutions.  We started this year with a bright new vision.  We set off on an adventure to develop a company that was different.  As we embarked on the journey, we plotted our course carefully.  Like the Mayflower, we have experienced trials, pain, suffering and loss.  We have been forced to make adjustments in our plotted course, sometimes landing us far from where we expected.  The merger between American Plumbing Solutions and Bob Billa Plumbing shows yet another similarity to the story: the joining of our two cultures, philosophies and experiences.  Looking back, these are the things which have made us who we are in the local community. 

I pray that this Thanksgiving is a time for family and friends, a time of happiness and a time of reflection for you all.

Have a blessed Thanksgiving Day!