🍁 Thanksgiving Reflections

It’s Thanksgiving in Canada, a perfect time to pause and reflect on my journey. Today, I’m especially thankful that after a few weeks of steep learning and many mistakes along the way, my website and first blog post are now live!

Where I grew up, we didn’t celebrate Thanksgiving. I do remember having a harvest service at church, held in autumn, where food was collected and donated to families and individuals who struggled to make ends meet. Thanksgiving is a holiday I’ve grown to love. Here, it’s the most beautiful time of year: a mix of mild and cooler days, leaves turning from green to vibrant shades of red, yellow, and orange. The sight and sound of Canada geese and many other birds flying south over the past few weeks signals that cooler weather is on its way. It’s the time when the garden has given all it can, fresh produce ready for meals, sharing, canning, or freezing. We’re blessed with an abundance of food that came from our small garden. There’s nothing better than the taste of homegrown food!

I’ve spent past Thanksgivings around the tables of family and friends, sharing what we’re thankful for over a delicious home-cooked meal. It’s always a time for reflection and for counting our blessings. One year, I was back home with my family while it was Thanksgiving in Canada. We talked about the dishes that I had tried and served, including the amazing pumpkin pie. Mum and I (well, mostly Mum) decided to make a pumpkin pie from scratch — the best I’ve ever tasted. Nothing beats Mum’s baking! 🧡

Over the years, I’ve learned to practice gratitude not just at Thanksgiving, but all year long. Even when life has been hard, there’s always been something, no matter how small, to be thankful for. Mum and I actually started this practice a few years back. To encourage each other, we’d send a message every day sharing the “best thing”  that happened that day.

This year has been particularly difficult: we lost three close family members in just a few months. It’s hard to believe that only a year ago we were sitting outdoors, enjoying the last of the beautiful fall weather and celebrating Thanksgiving, unaware of what was about to unfold. Those family members are deeply missed by all who knew them. Even in loss, I’m grateful for the memories we shared. This Thanksgiving is different, but the good memories remain — nothing can take those away.

To those celebrating this weekend, or soon south of the border, Happy Thanksgiving. To everyone, thank you for being here and reading to the end. I hope you find something, even if it’s small, to be thankful for this year.

~ Rhonda ~