Giving thanks...
Oct 12 '00 (Updated Nov 13 '00)
Back roads wind north and south past fields tufted with hay stacks, and corn stalks standing brittle in the cold. Sumacs sprawl like open umbrellas, glowing with the vibrancy of cherries. In the air of twilight, soft and pink, purple asters line the roadside, marching up limestone embankments, mingling with the last of the goldenrod. Maple, oak, birch and beech, twisted pine and cedar weave a tapestry of colour akin to a vendor‘s stall in the Sunday market; lemon, lime, pumpkin, squash, apple, pear.
A weeping willow graces the front lawn of a farmhouse.
A hill runs down to meet the lake, shining cold and gray like a mirror.
Grapevine covers a fence.
With every twist and turn the road takes, the setting sun slides like water, back and forth across the horizon.
My husband comments that it looks just as bright as a barn fire at night. Visible for miles. Nightfall descends and the city lights, like stars, show themselves behind the next bend. Hush, the children are sleeping in their seats. I hold my husband’s hand as he drives, warmth pressed into warmth.
This is the road that leads us home. A much traveled route, taking us to and from our small city home to the country settings of my husband’s relatives. Grandma and Grandpa, Nanny and Poppa, and Auntie Ruth. Some of the most cherished individuals in my children’s lives. It was Thanksgiving, arriving last weekend here in Canada. And it had been an ideal Sunday for us, spending time with family, eating pie and turkey and watching children gleefully jumping into huge piles of leaves.
Of course it is only traditional to stop and give thanks on a holiday such as this. Thankful of course for friends and family, the roof over our heads, the food on the table. A peaceful drive through the country, offering up a feast for the senses. But how much richer would our lives be if we were able to do this every day. I suggest to you that we have the power to turn any bad day around by giving thanks. And while this will not make the bills go away, the stain on the carpet to miraculously disappear, or the evening news to appear cheerful, it can change your perception of life as a whole.
A mortgage, yes, but what glorious moments have happened between these four walls: newborns coming home, parties on New Years Eve, cuddles on the couch with a loving husband. Children will have tantrums, and push my patience to no end some days, but they will always come back and take my breath away; dancing like goons, pelting out silly songs at the top of their lungs, a tiny hand nestled into mine, a warm cheek against my shoulder.
We mourn our loved ones passed on before us. I miss my parents, but I am so very grateful for having known them at all. For being loved unconditionally by my Mom, a soft spoken and gentle soul, full of courage and a deep seated strength. Who taught me the importance of family and tradition. The simple art of togetherness.
My Dad who, with a great deal of charisma, charm and somewhat raunchy humor was able to nurture the broken heart of a young girl and make her realize that she was special, strong, even gifted. Who brought a step-family together, and treated his new daughters as his own. Who adored his grandchildren and left such a strong impression on their young minds that they still tell stories about him, imagined and real.
There are so many pressures in life that they could easily overwhelm us if we allowed it. But do remember that life would be flat without the challenges, and they offer us a chance to grow, to learn, to become stronger, to reflect and change course. To be grateful for the small things on a daily basis will help you feel centered in spirit and mind. Take a moment to feel the rain, smile at a child, enjoy a perfectly brewed cup of coffee. A simple thank you, even spoken silently and unto you alone, will help bring focus and clarity, and leave you stronger to deal with all the problems, big and small, that face each and every one of us.
From a distant place, somewhere across the country, the continent, or the ocean, you are sitting reading this. Take a moment now to reflect on everything that brings you joy. It doesn't have to be big, it can be as simple as being grateful for the internet that has led you to me, and me to you no matter the geography between us.
Thank you.
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Epinions.com ID:
Caleo
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Member: Brenda C
Location: Ontario, Canada
Reviews written: 49
Trusted by: 121 members
About Me:
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