For all that has been, Thanks.
For all the will be, YES.
Dag Hammarskjold
One thing about living far away from home is that I miss celebrating holidays with my family. This coming weekend is Canadian Thanksgiving.
As a child Thanksgiving was one of my favourite feast days (literally). We would push two huge tables together in Grandma and Grandpa's dining room and squeeze all the aunts and uncles and cousins into the room to eat wonderful food. The table groaned under the weight of roasted turkey, amazing salads and pumpkin pie.
Before we could eat, each of us young cousins was given a chance to list a few things we were thankful for. It seemed hard at first, but once we got started the lists became endless. There was so much,
so much
, to be grateful for! Sometimes the lists were serious and sometimes there were silly. We'd make our silly lists as we ate: pens, paper, raisins, bread, orange juice, disney movies!
Now that I'm older, I forget to be thankful. I forget to look around me and acknowledge all the blessings in my life. Gratitude takes nothing for granted. Gratitude opens your mind so that it is constantly awakening to new wonders around you.
I always wonder... why doesn't the rest of the world celebrate Thanksgiving? Surely giving thanks is one of the most important things we can do? Just a thought:
If we don't give thanks for the little things, we won't be able to receive the big things.
Here's a small list of the things I'm thankful for
this very moment
:
1. The sunshine streaming through our living room window, painting a golden square on the wooden floor.
2. A wonderful, warm, comforting cup of tea.
3. My amazing agents at Advocate Art, who are working hard to sell our illustrations at Frankfurt Book Fair as we speak.
4. Illustration work that is fulfilling and challenging.
5. Skype. All the better for keeping in touch with far flung family and friends.
6. Blogging (all you bloggers are such an inspiration to me!
7. A bookshelf full of books.
8. Beautiful shoes.
9. My amazing family, who are always there when I need them most.
10. My husband: I still thank my lucky stars for him every day.
11. London, my favourite city in the world.
12. And a few less serious things: scarves, sunscreen, pillows, hot water bottles, cameras....
I can no answer make but thanks, and thanks, and ever Thanks.
Shakespeare
What are you thankful for in this moment?