Thanksgiving 2014

Makers Faire: Pumpkin made of Lego.

Makers Faire: Pumpkin made of Lego.

Fall and winter are upon us once again. Some days it feels and smells like fall; other days it’s downright winterish.

As we harvest our gardens we are reminded to be thankful for our bounty, not just from our gardens but the bounty of life.

I believe we should have an attitude of gratitude every day but it doesn’t hurt to take time to reflect on a Day designated to Thanks.

Here is my list for 2014:

With the recent Ebola epidemic unfolding, we must be thankful we live in a first world country. Canadians won’t necessarily all escape unscathed but I’m told the virus can’t survive cold. I never say this but: Thank God for our cold Canadian winters! (which are useful for mitigating many harmful organisms).

I am thankful, still, for my health. It’s not a random happening. I invest in my health. I educate myself about food, exercise and medical discoveries that could benefit me. I am thankful I stopped lying to myself about my diet, finally confessing to having a sugar addiction, and taking action to remedy my health. The results have been mind blowing. See My Sugar Story at www.WholeRealFood.com.

I am thankful for my brain. So far this year, I’ve read 115 books and am on track to reach my goal of 150 in 2014. Amazingly, books have presented themselves just when I seem to need the message therein. I have had the privilege of sharing some of these good reads with others, who have reported that the messages were timely.

For my “Communities”, I am thankful. Those include my newly joined Canadian Association of Professional Speakers. I have learned many things and gotten so much valuable support that I can’t imagine not knowing these folks. CAPS was instrumental in my forming a new company, www.AccentReductionCompany.com. I am privileged to be able to attend the CAPS convention in Toronto in December.

Another of my cherished communities is Toastmasters. I am on the final project to attain my Distinguished Toastmaster designation. I love attending Toastmasters meetings where I invariably laugh and learn. I have made friends in Toastmasters that have enriched my life. The District 42 Toastmasters Fall Conference is in Calgary in November and I’ve reserved my seat.

My most important community, of course, is my family and close friends. I am fortunate that my daughters and granddaughters (Grandtoys) live close. We see each other regularly and that fills my soul. One of my great joys is being involved in the rearing of my Grandtoys. The other day I noticed my 11-year-old Grandtoy had had a growth spurt. We measured and sure enough: she’s 1/4 inch from 5 feet tall, up almost two inches since June!

My propensity is to always look for the next new thing I can see or read or do. That doesn’t always allow time to reflect on being content with things they way they are. When I take the time to do that, I discover that I have a rich life, certainly conducive to happiness, which is the best life purpose, in my opinion.

I encourage you to take a block of time in the busy Thanksgiving weekend to review your life, celebrate your blessings, and baste yourself in happiness.

See past Gratitude Messages:

Great Full 

Attitude of Gratitude

My Baby Sister

 

April on Tinker, circa 1970

April on Tinker, circa 1970 Photo owned by www.shelleygoldbeck.com

Today, my baby sister, April celebrates her 50th birthday.

It’s hard to imagine her being 50. I wonder how my parents feel: their baby is 50!

What to get a 50-year-old woman who has a very happy life? She wants for nothing. She has family, friends, a nice home.

A party is out of the question. She hates being the centre of attention. She once threatened my life if I even thought of a surprise party like the one we threw for her husband’s 50th birthday.

Finally inspiration. A Letter to the Living. A few years ago I wrote about the importance of telling people how you feel about them before their eulogy.  I call them, “Letters to the Living.”

And I have never sent one to my sister. So here goes.

Dear April:

I remember the day you came to this planet. Mom announced to Dad that the baby was coming and our brother and I were shipped off to Grandma’s. I remember staying home with Dad a few days too.  He fed us and cared for us but he didn’t wash one dish. I remember Mom facing a pile of dirty dishes when she got home with you.

Dad’s parents were immediately taken aback by your name, as no Germans are named April. Named after a month! How absurd! All discussions ceased when Mom reminded them of Great-Uncle August. I happen to think April is a pretty name.

You changed our family. Our parents were finally old enough to be parents and they showered you with love, as much as they were able. In fact, Grandpa exclaimed that at last he saw “Mutterliebe”, mother love in our mother when she brought you home.

Brother and I loved kissing your soft baby arms, cooing, “Chicken wings, chicken wings!”  You would giggle and then pinch us so hard we would cry.

In typical sibling fashion your presence was barely tolerated at times. Other times, I was fiercely protective of you. I remember a friend of mine excluding you when I was eight and you were two. I insisted on your inclusion. She had no siblings. I concluded she didn’t understand love for a little sister.

Brother and I quickly figured out Mom and Dad had a soft spot for you. You became our ambassador, our negotiator. If we could convince you to ask them on our behalf, we reasoned, odds were in our favour of scoring.

Alas, you soon learned of the power you held and you often wielded it for your own good and against us. You adeptly extracted favours for your petitions to parents or you out and out refused us. I suspect you savoured your power over us.

You were ten when I left home. I have often regretted being wrapped up in my own life and not being a mentor or even a good big sister to you, especially as a teenager.  Somehow you grew up and became someone that I have long considered a lifelong friend.

Sisters we may be but we are different in so many ways. I have always known that you were the most intelligent of our parents’ children, though I wouldn’t admit it when I was young. Of course I let on that I was the smartest, but deep down, I knew.

As an adult, I enjoy the intelligent conversations we have. I relish sharing books with you, knowing you have the capacity to understand them as I do.  It’s not easy to find intellectual equals, but I have my sister.

There were times I was jealous of your relationship with Mom and Dad. Thankfully, I grew to value it. You did much to teach them how to love their children and to teach all of us how to have good relationships with our parents and children.

I remember a time when I doubted you would ever be a mother or much of one. How wrong was I?

One of my proudest thoughts has been of you tenderly rearing your children to be the fine citizens they are. I often boast about the accomplishments of my niece and nephew; we all know their mother was integral to their success. Thank you for having a son, whom I think of as a son. He holds a special place in our family of girls.

I am grateful for your thoughtfulness to my daughters and for being an example and mentor for them. They regard you highly, and they recognize the impact you’ve had on their life choices.

I admire how you handled being a stepmother and a grandmother at a really young age. I witnessed that you were always fair and loving towards your stepdaughters. I see you continuing to support them as they raise their families, exploding that whole evil stepmother myth. Well done!

I have you to thank for getting my business books in order. My detail-orientation gene is not as strong as yours.  When you did our books I enjoyed the regular interaction it forced. I miss that.

Your devotion to Grandma in her last years left an indelible mark on my heart. I couldn’t be there but I was comforted that you were and you would defend her to the death. And you did. Thank you for carrying that burden for our family. You did us all a great service.

I can’t think of many others I would enlist to plan a special event or navigate through government bureaucracy. I’m glad you’re the younger sister. You are better equipped to organize my geriatric care than I am yours!

I admire your ability to keep house so much better than I can. I simply didn’t inherit Grandmother’s neat freak tendencies and my priorities are different. But I sure do enjoy walking into your beautiful, neat, clean and orderly home.

Your ability to rise above life’s hurdles and mud holes is inspiring. It’s not easy to crawl from the depths and fashion a brand new life but you did it. You held up your head. You did the hard work. And you emerged a wonderful woman, wife, mother, sister, daughter, and friend.

I honour the day you were born, 50 years ago today.  I am thankful for the day I was given a sister. I am proud to call you my friend.

Happy Birthday, April!

Love, Shelley