This week marks the official start of the holiday season. As with every year, we begin the season of giving with a day of counting our blessings.
At GlobalMed, that means gratitude for a number of recent developments. We’re grateful for our rapidly growing team and all the industry experts who’ve climbed aboard our mission this year. We’re grateful to work with organizations like Microsoft, Meditar, Walmart and the Department of Veterans Affairs. And we’re also thankful for the compassionate and innovative people who’ve reached out and asked us how they can bring healthcare to those who need it most.
However, it’s worth noting that the first American Thanksgiving wasn’t just about gratitude for the year’s harvest – it was born out of a spirit of generosity and collaboration.
The American Tradition of Sustenance
After arriving in Plymouth, Massachusetts in November of 1620, the Mayflower Pilgrims lost half their population in a bitter winter marked by starvation, scurvy and disease. But Squanto, the last member of the Patuxet tribe, taught the Pilgrims how to catch eel and grow corn; Wampanoag leader Massasoit also educated them on planting and fishing techniques. In the autumn of 1621, 53 remaining Pilgrims and 90 Native Americans commemorated their turn of fortune with a three-day feast of venison, lobster, duck, wild turkey, cornbread, squash and other foods.
Later President Washington created the first official Thanksgiving Day in 1789; Americans celebrated intermittently until President Lincoln proclaimed a national Thanksgiving Day in the middle of the Civil War. Our nation has observed an annual day of thanks ever since.
Today we’ve come a long way from the days of scurvy and trading otter pelts. Our Thanksgiving rituals include shopping for gifts on Black Friday, Small Business Saturday and Cyber Monday; we donate to the disadvantaged on Giving Tuesday. But even in a nation of plenty, many people are still starving for adequate healthcare.
So as you celebrate Thanksgiving this week, whether you’re watching the Macy’s parade, tossing a football around with your family or serving a mouthwatering feast to those in need – please accept our thanks for helping to open new doors to care. At GlobalMed, we know that helping people live healthy and prosperous lives is a collaborative effort. Thank you for nourishing the world of healthcare and have a wonderful Thanksgiving.
