On Parliament Hill

This past weekend Canadians marked another Thanksgiving – a time to reflect on the many things we have to be grateful for.

It’s true that both 2020 and 2021 have been very challenging years for us as individuals, for our communities, and for our country. Yet even during difficult times, when we pause to take stock of all we have to be grateful for, our perspective shifts.

Often our list of blessings is longer than we realize. Things like family, friends, food, pets, shelter, vehicles, employment, education, and health. Perhaps things we enjoy like nature, sports, music, films, or books. For many of us, we’re thankful for our churches and faith communities too. Our lives are enriched by the presence of so many blessings that we so quickly and so easily take for granted.

I’ll be the first to admit that thankfulness hasn’t always come naturally to me in recent years. We’re living through something we wouldn’t have anticipated and wouldn’t have chosen. But reflecting on our blessings is all the more important in moments like this. It reorients us and helps us to see beyond our present circumstances. We could all use a little of that these days.

After many months of fear, anger, and division, thankfulness is an excellent antidote that we would all do well to embrace.

However your Thanksgiving weekend looked this year, let’s maintain a posture of thanksgiving not only now but every day.