Tropical Depression: Notes on attending a Thanksgiving morning service at the Friends Meeting House (built in 1815) in Little Compton, RI. It's cold.
These benches really discourage slouching.
Next year I'm sitting closer to the fireplace. And wearing gloves.
Hey, where did everyone get the handouts?
(silence)
I only know the first verse of this song.
(silence)
The silence is really pleasant.
People are spontaneously and thoughtfully expressing thanks.
To the guy who expressed his thanks for the Native Americans who were here for millennia before the white kids- nicely done.
(silence)
Oh, I don't know any of the words to this song.
Wait... It's over?
Other thoughts: It's a pretty neat building- built originally in 16-something then rebuilt in 1815. There are very cool panels that are raised and lowered by an internal rope pulley system. All the panels were raised today. As far as I can tell, it's the only day of the year that the building is used for any kind of worship or community gathering, the rest of the time it is a museum.
The service lasted about 20 minutes and the place was packed; nearly SRO. I was in the upstairs balcony, though balcony is really too grandiose a word. The two short readings were old letters- one by Abraham Lincoln and one by I think an early colony member (but I'm not sure- I didn't get a handout). During the long periods of silence people gave spontaneous thanks- for the farmers and the good harvest, for the community, for surviving a period of hardship. It was really beautiful.
