Happy Thanksgiving to my Canadian readers. As we celebrate my favourite holiday during this beautiful time of year, today’s post is about something we can never have too much of—thanksgiving and gratitude.

Welcome to week 38 of The Sunday Spark, a series with weekly thoughts and highlights, nuggets of learning, and a sustainable living tip for the week. In addition to thanksgiving and gratitude, this week I look at the environmental impact of rice, eco-friendly hair dye options, expanding the EV charging network, and sustainable Halloween decorations. 

The Sunday Spark – Week 38

On my mind this week: Thanksgiving and gratitude

I’m a big believer in the power of gratitude, so it should come as no surprise that Thanksgiving is my favourite holiday of the year. Even though I try to be thankful every day, this holiday provides an open invitation to pause and reflect on our blessings.

In 2020, I published a Thanksgiving gratitude post for the first time. In that post, I spoke of 2020 being a “different kind of Thanksgiving” thanks to the pandemic restrictions. Amid the challenge of the pandemic, I was determined to find positives to focus on, and I shared a story of hope that grew from a tiny seed that I had planted in my garden that spring.

Three years later, I thought it would be fun to revisit the list I put together in 2020 to see what, if anything, has changed.

First, the big stuff

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.”

In 2023, I’m still grateful for family. I’m especially thankful that my daughters are now independent young adults who are finding their way in the world. As for my Mum, she turned 90 this year—and we’re leaving on a trip to England next week.

Health

“In the middle of a pandemic, and especially during Breast Cancer Awareness Month, I am grateful for good health.”

I can’t imagine a thanksgiving and gratitude post where I wouldn’t mention good health. Without it, nothing else matters.

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.”

In 2023, I’m excited for turkey and stuffing, and pumpkin pie. And, unlike 2020, I’m grateful that I get to share it with extended family. Charitable giving and volunteer work are both on my 60 before 60 list, because we all have a responsibility to help others if we are able.  

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.”

Yes! And in 2023, I’m also grateful for our new deck and patio, and the summer weather that continued through September so we could enjoy it.

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.”

In 2020, I was in the early days of my decluttering and simplifying journey. Three years later, I’m even more intent on reaping the benefits of fewer possessions. The pandemic gave us an opportunity to strip away the excess and figure out what really matters. I’m determined to maintain that focus.

Then, the simple pleasures…

Beyond the big stuff, I also highlighted ten simple pleasures of Thanksgiving 2020. On that list were glorious fall colours, autumn skies, blogging friendships, early morning quiet, fall hikes, time off work, fall home décor, time to read, finishing up a course, and a double rainbow sighting.

It’s hard to argue with anything on that list.    

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Three highlights of the week

It’s important to celebrate big milestones and simple pleasures in life. Keeping the trend going, here are three highlights and simple pleasures of the week gone by:

• The summer-like weather continued for most of this week, giving us a last opportunity to enjoy our new deck.
• On Tuesday, I recorded an episode of Sharing the Heart of the Matter podcast with the wonderful Wynne Leon and Vicki Atkinson. Stay tuned for more information later this week.
• My husband traded his flip phone for a smart phone. Welcome to the 21^st century!

Three things I learned this week

Life is all about learning. Here are three things I learned this week:

Rice is a water intensive crop

Rice is a staple in the diet of many countries, but it also takes a lot of water to grow. Growing one pound of rice requires about 168 gallons of water, and the flooding of rice fields after harvest uses about one quarter of the world’s fresh water. Quinoa and barley are two less resource-intensive alternatives to rice. (Source: Earth 911)

Eco-friendly hair dye options

I stopped dying my hair years ago, mainly to avoid the toxic chemicals in most hair dyes. However, I never stopped to think of the impact of chemicals found in hair dyes on the environment. It turns out most wastewater treatment facilities do a very poor job of filtering out chemicals that are toxic to marine life.

This week, I read an interesting article from Earth911 about natural alternatives to hair dyes, including lemon juice, beet juice, carrot juice, henna and even coffee. The article also points out vegan brands that minimize environmental harm.

EV charging infrastructure set to improve

Concerns about charging infrastructure is one of the barriers to widespread adoption of electric vehicles (EV). A new partnership between 7 major automakers is hoping to change that. The new network will add 30,000 charging stations across North America starting in 2024. Even better, the chargers will be 100% powered by renewable energy. (Source: Earth911)

Sustainable living tip: Halloween decorations

I love seasonal decorations, but so many of the cheap items from the dollar store end up in landfill after a single season. I reuse the same decorations year after year to reduce my impact.

As you plan this year’s Halloween activities, keep the environment in mind. This week, Tales of Belle published an excellent post on Tips for a sustainable Halloween. I encourage you to give it a read when planning your costume and spooky celebrations.

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I’d love to hear what you think about any of this week’s topics. Drop me a comment below and let me know your thoughts and ideas.