5 Kernels of Thanks

from the weekly newsletter from United Families Utah that I thought was wonderful:

"After the first Thanksgiving in 1621, there were seasons when the pilgrims had to ration their food.  Legend has it that during the "starving time" of 1623 the pilgrims' daily ration was reduced to five kernels of parched corn per person. Two hundred years later, at the Founders Day banquet of 1820, five kernels of parched corn were placed on each empty plate before the meal, to symbolize the pilgrims' hardships.
Many families continue this tradition today, by placing five kernels of corn on each dinner plate before the Thanksgiving meal. Traditionally, the five kernels of corn represent the blessings of Autumn: beauty, love, family, friendship, and freedom in America."