Marla Jones, Managing Editor

marla@ southerntorch.com

NE ALABAMA-- All our life, we have heard stories of the Mayflower leaving Plymouth, New England in 1620, on a journey full of people searching for religious freedom. We have read about passengers who endured and persevered through contagious diseases and extreme hardships.  

These settlers arrived at what is now the United States of America and were taught how to cultivate corn, catch fish and survive daily life by the native Indians. In the fall of 1621, the Pilgrims and Indians gathered for the first official “Thanksgiving”.

Four hundred years later, we will gather for Thanksgiving on November 25. As Americans, we have endured and persevered through contagious diseases and extreme hardships. COVID-19 took away many family members that usually have a place at our Thanksgiving table and fear even made us stop gathering together. Division on issues including, whether it was self-defense or murder, vaccinations, and gas prices have caused disagreements among family and friends.  

It is time to come together as a nation and as families to reflect upon our many blessings. We have food on our table and a roof over our heads. We are healthy and we have overcome many hardships. Hopefully, we will put our differences aside as a nation and truly be thankful for our abundance of blessings and realize what Thanksgiving means to us.