Thanksgiving

Why do we celebrate Thanksgiving?  There appears to be many reasons to celebrate Thanksgiving in Canada.  Thanksgiving has been celebrated because a war has ended, because a Prince has recovered from serious illness, because a rebellion has ended, because of bountiful harvests and even special anniversaries.  Present day traditions indicate it is a time to gather with family and friends to enjoy one another’s company, to share a gigantic cornucopia of awesome food, to raise a toast to good health, and to just give thanks to everyone, and everything, who makes us who we are.  

On this Thanksgiving weekend 2020, while we are in the midst of a pandemic, I’m reflecting on what I’m truly thankful for, and there really are so many reasons to be thankful.

First and foremost, I’m thankful to have my Mom.  Having been unemployed since February, I’ve had so much time to spend with her.  To feel her love and support, during a rather difficult journey, has meant so much.  Keeping her safe from Covid is my number one priority.  We have obviously spent every day together, doing things like jigsaw puzzles, cooking, baking, gardening, house cleaning, culling out old magazines, clothes, and linens, relaxing on the deck, knitting, going for drives, and playing cards endlessly.  It has been a very special time for both of us.

Right up there with my Mom, are my brothers; Sandy and Greg.  Yes, Greg is like a second brother to me.  I love, and admire, these two very much.  They live a life that everyone should live.  They work hard, but they relax and enjoy the best of everything life has to offer.  They have a beautiful home, they are wonderful cooks, they love to garden and their yard is beautiful. They smart, and sensible, and they both have a great sense of humour.  They have been my sounding board when I have been frustrated, and when I have felt defeated.  They have offered advice and encouragement, and I always know they will be there for me.  

I have so many other friends and family that I am so thankful to have in my life, but I dare not try to list them because I know I’d forget someone.  I am sure there are several who do not even realize how much they mean to me.  I’m also thankful for the wonderful neighbours in my community.  I’m truly blessed to live here.  

I am thankful to live in the Atlantic Bubble.  For those of you from away, who may be reading this, the Atlantic Bubble is made up of New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland/Labrador and my province of Nova Scotia.  Residents are free to travel between these provinces without having to quarantine for 14 days.  Anyone outside this region, coming into these provinces, must quarantine for 14 days.  Our leaders have kept us safe by keeping our borders closed.  The Atlantic Bubble has been declared the safest place to live in North America during this pandemic.  

I am also thankful to live in Canada.  I may be bias, but I think Canada is the best place to live.  I’m thankful my parents moved our family, to Dundee, many years ago.  

I am thankful to live in a comfortable house, with a beautiful yard, which allows me watch mother nature at her finest.  I love watching the birds and wildlife visit on a daily basis.  I love to watch the ever changing conditions of the river and lake.  With the stiff wind blowing today, there are beautiful white caps on the water.  Other times the stillness provides some of the most amazing reflections possible.  I’m thankful to be able to watch all the different trees bud, and leaf out, in the spring, display their various shades of green all summer, quietly provide a gorgeous palette of colour in the fall, before going to sleep during the winter, and remind us all that every season provides us with beauty.   

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I’m thankful for the eagles that wake me almost every morning.  How lucky am I to see them on a daily basis?  I just can’t get enough of them.  The coyotes sometimes wake me at night, as they did last night, howling.  Oddly enough, I find it eerily comforting.  I know I’m safe in my house and I know they are just doing what comes naturally to them.  I’m thankful to see deer, fox, mink, otter, seals, lynx, beaver, many birds and other animals either in my yard or very close to my home.  

I’m thankful for my creative abilities that allow me to…well…create.  Pen and paper, and computer and keyboard, allow me to write, and although not all is worth sharing, writing is just something that brings me happiness.  My paint brushes allow me to paint, and try to put into pictures what my heart feels.  Unfortunately others don’t always see what I see, so that is a work in progress.  I’m trying to decide if I’m an abstract or folk artist.  My knitting needles allow me to create wearable items, that I can gift to special people, or wear myself.  I spend many hours a week knitting and this is a true passion of mine.  

I’m thankful for my musical abilities, such as they are.  I love dabbling with various instruments that I have, and working out a particular tune that I like.  Like my painting, I’m not gifted, but playing music gives me great satisfaction when things work out, frustration when they don’t, but a feeling of pleasure regardless.  

I’m thankful for the little things in life; a hug, a thank you card in the mail, an unexpected phone call from an old friend, finding a dime, chocolate, socks (oh how I LOVE socks), books, a compliment on my hair (letting it grow Covid style), a friendly wave, a beep of the horn as someone drives by, flying a kite, a full moon, a shooting star, Mom’s chocolate chip cookies (they are famous), farm fresh local eggs, song lyrics that just resonate, a special memory that comes out of the blue, lighthouses, wind chimes, sunrises, sunsets, rainbows, flowers, lakes, rivers, mountains, valleys, my bicycle, my kayak, waterfalls, a good joke, hearing people belly laugh….I think you get the idea.  

This year I’m especially thankful for my health and happiness.  They go hand in hand, in many ways.  If we don’t have our health, we really have nothing.  If we don’t have happiness, we really have nothing.  If you aren’t happy, it can have detrimental effects on your health and vice versa.  I am so very thankful to have both.  

If you have read this post, sit back, close your eyes, and take a few minutes to reflect on what you are thankful for.  I’ll bet you will be surprised how long your list will be.  

All photos were taken by me.