A Season of Gratitude 🍎🌽 🍽️
Reflecting on traditions and the spirit of giving, this article emphasizes the importance of gratitude, sharing, community, and addressing food insecurity by ensuring everyone has healthy food.
Hello friends, harvesters of hope, grateful givers,
As the leaves fall and the season transitions to a time of gratitude, I am reminded of the purpose of my journey. Not just through life but through the connections I make, the traditions I carry forward, and the lessons I learn from the past.
Gratitude, more than an expression, is a bridge that ties the past, present, and future into a meaningful whole. I am thankful for so much this season and recognize my level of privilege and purpose, the value of sharing, especially with those in need.
A Meal in the 1800’s: Sustenance from the Land
The confluence of the Columbia and Willamette Rivers and the surrounding lowlands form the Portland Basin. Humans first inhabited the region about 11,000 years ago—small, mobile groups who lived in winter villages and moved to seasonal camps to gather food. They fished for salmon, sturgeon, and smelt in the Columbia; hunted birds, deer, elk, and other game; and gathered nuts, berries, roots, and bulbs. From the earliest inhabitants came Chinookan-speaking peoples, including the Clackamas, Kathlamet, Multnomah, and Tualatin.1
In what is now Clackamas County, Oregon, the indigenous people relied on the abundance of their environment to prepare their meals. Roasted salmon, nuts, wapato tubers, camas root, and dried berries were not just sustenance—they were a celebration of their deep connection to the land. These meals were shared communally, embodying a spirit of gratitude for the natural world that provided everything they needed.
Thanksgiving Traditions Today
Today, many of us celebrate Thanksgiving with meals that reflect layers of tradition passed down and adapted over generations. A table filled with roasted turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, cranberry sauce, and pumpkin pie brings loved ones together in gratitude. Each dish, often prepared with care and shared with joy, tells a story of family, culture, and connection.
Our tables also feature roasted vegetables like carrots, parsnips, sweet potatoes, and Brussels sprouts drizzled with olive oil and herbs; mixed greens salads with radishes, cherry tomatoes, and cranberries topped with a light vinaigrette; and crusty homemade bread, whether in loaves or rolls. Desserts include pumpkin pie with whipped cream and apple pie, while the sides boast creamy mashed potatoes garnished with chives, fresh cranberry sauce, and herb stuffing with chunks of bread, celery, onions, and dried cranberries.
Yet, amidst this abundance, pause and extend that spirit of thankfulness beyond our tables. The holiday season is an opportunity to share, ensuring no one is left out of the celebration.
Gleaning and Giving: Sharing the Harvest
Every week, we volunteer to bring gleaned food and items to people in need. This work is now more crucial than ever. Through the Portland Fruit Tree Project and the Gleaners of Clackamas Country, we gather fresh fruits and vegetables such as apples, pears, squash, kale, and more. These will be transformed into nourishing meals for those facing food insecurity at food pantries such as the Bethlehem House of Bread.
This act of sharing honors the principles of the past—living off the land and sharing abundantly—while addressing the present need for kindness and compassion.
Gratitude as a Way Forward
Life, indeed, is a journey—one where the seeds of gratitude can grow into acts of kindness that ripple outward.
Call to Action: Join me in making a difference this Thanksgiving by sharing your abundance with those in need. Volunteer, donate, and spread the spirit of gratitude and generosity within your community. Together, we can ensure everyone has a nourishing and meaningful holiday season.
https://www.oregonhistoryproject.org/narratives/commerce-climate-and-community-a-history-of-portland-and-its-people/introduction-3/first-peoples-in-the-portland-basin