06October 2021

Things we are thankful for this thanksgiving


It has been another tumultuous year with some highs and lows. We are all adapting to a new normal and there is a lot to be thankful for. As children, we had learned about the first meal shared, where Pilgrims invited indigenous people to join hands and hearts and gave thanks for the “autumn harvest.” That was a few centuries ago, a three-day festival. The holiday continues now, but what are you truly thankful for, at this very moment? Food, Family, Friends, Good Health, Safety? Is that enough?

Giving thanks and being thankful—that’s what our special day is dedicated to each year. We are especially thankful for our families, friends, those present and those gone before us, for infusing a spirit of gratitude for every gift of love and time shared with people love in their lives. We appreciate the continued support from our customers and the community. We are grateful to all our staff, who make what we do a true family team effort.

Giving thanks in Canada is celebrated as a meal, enjoyed together or bringing covered dishes to another family home, but really, isn’t it celebrated first in our hearts?

Let’s all stop and take a deep breath right now—freeze time for just three minutes. What are you thankful for right now? Is it your ability to be enjoying coffee and reading the news before you leave the house for a job you love? Is it because you have time to enjoy the people in your life, that you are thankful? Have you retired from a lifetime job and now can do whatever you want every day?

Holiday times are also some of the most challenging for many of us. Are you grieving the loss of one of your closest loved ones and wonder how you will endure Thanksgiving this year? Or, have you determined to be a part of a gathering of people who volunteer to serve or deliver Thanksgiving meals to those whose eyes will light up with joy when they see your smiling face?

Thanksgiving is often a make-or-break holiday for people on a journey of recovering from grief. “It’s our first Thanksgiving without” is a sentence many of us must say to explain an empty chair at a table this year. Sometimes it is a time of reflection and cherishing those warm moments we had with loves ones. Maybe it can be a good time to pick up the phone make amends for that fight you had a long time ago with one of your friends.

If we could all try to remember to give thanks, and list our blessings, especially when you begin to feel depressed or anxious. It is amazing sometimes how being thankful changes one's whole attitude. Remember that everyone has their own hardships and demons to endure. We can only be compassionate and be thankful for what we have. We have all seen a lot of anger and divide this year and we would hope that people could at least try to be more open and understanding to others. We would be truly thankful for something like that.