Opinion: In these divisive times, giving thanks can be an act of unity

Two stories anchor our oldest holiday. Both took place in times of division and deprivation. And both offer a hopeful note about who we can be when we try.

The first, of course, unfolds in Plymouth, Mass., in 1621. After a devastating first winter that wiped out nearly half the pilgrims, the Wampanoag people taught the survivors to cultivate corn, tap maple trees and fish local waters. The generosity of the first Americans was the settlers’ salvation. And while that three-day harvest celebration was part of a too-brief alliance, the tale we tell ourselves about that first Thanksgiving teaches us the lifesaving grace of welcoming the stranger, of sharing gifts across profound cultural differences and the possibility of peaceful coexistence.

The second story, almost 250 years later, offers