On the second Monday of October, we in Canada celebrate Thanksgiving, whereas the American Thanksgiving falls in November. That means next Monday, October 12th, 2009, is our day of celebration.
And what a glorious time of year our Canadian Thanksgiving falls on…the trees are abundant with brilliant colors – leaves of red, yellow, orange and brown!
But perhaps you hardly notice the beauty around you because you’ve recently experienced the death of a loved one, or you’ve lost your job and are wondering how you’ll pay for your basic needs, or you’ve received bad news from the doctor, or you’re missing a loved one and it’s almost too much to bear.
Do you find yourself staring at the those words ‘Thanksgiving Day’ and wondering, “What do I have to be thankful for?”
When life’s struggles seem to block out all joy, you have to make a conscious decision to be thankful.
Give thanks that s/he was in your life, even for a time that was much too brief!
Give a belated thanksgiving for all the blessings you never noticed at the time and turned your back on.
Take nothing for granted.
Give thanks for the candle you light in honor of your beloved.
Give thanks for the memories you have…the happy times.
This is a time of reflection—to reassess the priorities in your life.
But don’t compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
Is there something you are thankful for?
Melanie Hack
Author of Who Killed My Sister, My friend
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