I'm so glad I wasn't born 400 years ago. We visited the Jamestown Settlement yesterday and I came away from that experience thankful for many things. Thankful I live in a house made of something more substantial than the clay and sticks and thatched roof of the settlers of Jamestown.
Thankful that I have heat in every room of my house. Especially this morning, the first day of which I needed to turn on the heat this season.
Thankful I didn't have to suffer the long ride across the big blue ocean on a small ship in rough waters.
The ship was beautiful none the less.
With some wonderful costumed shipmates.....
And some stow away eager to shoot the cannon.
I was thankful that the natives (Powhatan Indians or is that Powhatan native Americans?) that we met were friendly and informative (not the case when the first settlers arrived). We learned the groundhog ate the crop this year. We also learned that the natives thought it bad luck to let the fire go out inside their huts. The natives had to work diligently to keep the fires burning. Again I found myself thankful for not living in those times.
I was amazed by the ability of those settlers who nearly 400 years ago braved that long ship ride to Virginia. They were completely unprepared for the task of facing the native people and survival in an unfamiliar territory. I would never have survived the harsh conditions. I'm thankful they braved the conditions so today nearly 400 years later I have the comforts I'm so very lucky to possess. We don't have much but by God we have so much more than those settlers had and for this I'm very thankful.
