Today is Thanksgiving Day here in Canada. A day to give thanks for the blessings in our lives. 2020 hasn’t been an easy year and this won’t be a typical Thanksgiving celebration for most people. In the spirit of gratitude, today’s post will focus on things I am thankful for.

Earlier this year, I posted 20 things I’m grateful for right now. I wrote that post just three weeks into the pandemic shutdown as we were getting ready for an unusual Easter celebration. Here we are, six months later preparing for an unusual Thanksgiving celebration. Who could have predicted the restrictions would have lasted this long?

Last week, I wrote about how I was feeling pretty low and tired. One of my strategies to overcome the fatigue of the pandemic was to refresh my gratitude habit. So, today I’m going to practice what I preach with another gratitude post.

Changing your perspective

Sometimes hope and inspiration come from the most unexpected places. It’s all about changing your perspective. Here’s a simple example from my own life.

Over the last couple of years, I have taken up vegetable gardening. Last winter, I bought a grow light and was excited to start some tomato and bell pepper seeds indoors to get a head start on spring.

When I got out my seed packets in March, I was so disappointed to find only one lonely pepper seed left in the package. Because of the pandemic restrictions, I knew I wouldn’t be able to get any more seeds in time for spring planting. So, I planted the lone seed and hoped for the best.

Thankfully, it worked. That single seed grew these beautiful fruit. These orange sun peppers from my garden were the sweetest and most delicious peppers I have ever tasted.

So, my initial disappointment turned to joy and gratitude as I watched my little pepper plant grow all summer.

What I’m grateful for this Thanksgiving

Times are tough right now but there’s always something to be grateful for. With that in mind, here’s what I’m grateful for this Thanksgiving.

The big stuff

First, let’s talk about the big stuff. No matter what else is going on in my life, I am grateful for these things every day.

• Family. I am grateful for my husband and my two wonderful daughters. They give me a reason to get out of bed every morning. I’m also thankful for my Mum, who amazes me with her energy at age 87.
• Health. In the middle of a pandemic, and especially during Breast Cancer Awareness Month, I am grateful for good health.
• Work. I am lucky to be working at a time when so many aren’t. My job makes me crazy sometimes, but I am glad to have it.
• Food on the table. When so many are hungry, I am grateful for the food we have and I am reminded of the importance of giving to those who are less fortunate.
• A comfortable home. Like most people, I have been spending a lot of time at home lately. I’m grateful to have a home where I feel safe and secure.
• Having “enough” of what I need. We spend so much of our lives accumulating stuff. At this stage of my life, I am focused on minimizing and having just enough.

10 simple things

With the big stuff out of the way, here are ten simple things I’ve written about in my gratitude journal lately:

• Glorious fall colours as the trees get ready for winter. I snapped this picture in my garden last week.

• Having a week off work this past week to rest and recharge. I went on some fun day trips with my husband and daughter. We also squeezed in a short trip to visit our older daughter at college.
• Autumn skies. There’s something different about the clouds this time of year. Here are some photos from our travels this week.

• Fall home décor – Scarecrows, fall wreaths, and beautiful mums definitely give the house a warm feeling.

• Early morning quiet. I’m an early riser and it’s always nice to have time to myself in the morning. I enjoy sipping my tea while I read or write content for my blog.
• Finishing my first course in the Plain Language program.
• I’m making time to read more over the last few months. Right now, I’m reading The Art of Money by Bari Tessler, and Tricky Twenty-Two by Janet Evanovich.
• Fall hikes. During our week off, we did a lot of hiking. It’s wonderful to get outdoors when the weather is a little cooler. I especially love the sound of leaves crunching underfoot. Here are some pictures from our hike at the Island Lake Conservation Area in Orangeville.

• An unexpected double rainbow at the end of a sunny day trip to the lake.

• My friends in the blogging community. This week, I’m especially grateful to Shelly from Growing with Spawn for nominating me for the Blogger Recognition Award. Thanks Shelly!

Finally, I planned ahead and ordered the seeds I need for next spring. Hopefully next year’s pepper crop will be just as delicious, and a little more plentiful. That would be something to be grateful for.

Happy Thanksgiving!

To all my Canadian friends and family, Happy Thanksgiving! No matter how you are celebrating, enjoy and take some time to be thankful.

Keep the faith my friends. We will overcome this and celebrate together again. If you need a little inspiration, remember the lonely pepper seed.

What are you thankful for right now? Tell us below.

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