THE YEAR IN REVIEW
It is December!
Once again, the year is coming to an end quite quickly. December is a month that needs no heralding or announcement. It may be the snowy streets, the decorated houses, the Christmas music playing on the radio, the sudden smell of cinnamon and warm vanilla in the air, and of course the anticipation for the holiday celebrations. December is a special month, and my favorite time of the year, even though it may be bittersweet as I sit and make a mental review of my year and how it went.
I remember January this year, the pandemic was still raging on. There was no way to know what 2021 would look like. There was fear, stress and uncertainty. We lost some people, some of us had people added unto us. The snow was especially cold and for some of us that follow US politics, we lost Trump and gained Biden and Kamala Harris. We watched in admiration as the 20 year old Amanda Gorman delivered a powerful poem “ The Hill We Climb”. In the same January the world watched in horror as there was a US Capitol riot and Twitter suspended presidents’ Trumps account. And this was just the first month. I can go on and on and mention other notable things that happened in the year like the election of the first South Asian mayor in Edmonton.
As the year progressed, we celebrated birthdays.Some of us celebrated beating the Covid virus and some of us bade farewell to loved ones. Some conceded to divorce and left broken relationships, some of us grew stronger knowing that the decisions we made however tough were the for the best. Some of us joined new churches or just decided to make join an online congregation. Some of us joined a gym.
The vaccination lines grew, most of us got vaccinated and breath a sigh of relief with the hope that we may finally be overcoming this pandemic. Summer rolls around, schools close and some of us were able to take a well-deserved vacation or staycation. At least we were able to go to parks, visit people, go to concerts or events and even take a trip to some beautiful location. The sun was hot in the sky and this year we had record heat waves such that Canada was also know as the hottest place in the world. All in all, the theme I want to emphasize is Thankfulness.
THANKFULNESS
When I look at this year and everything that has happened. There are a million things that did not go my way. There were the warm salty tears I cried and there were days of pure uncertainty. There were some days of sheer pain. But there were some days of pure joy. For me ,it has been more difficult to be thankful because of the sheer magnitude of the issues and happenstances that have been thrown my way. But I decided that at each time it could be worse. So, I choose gratitude. I choose to be intentionally thankful.
- I am thankful for my children – the are alive and well
- I am thankful for the joy I feel when I look into the eyes of my children
- I am thankful for snotty noses and sticky fingers
- I am thankful for hugs and smelly diapers
- I am thankful for messy rooms and smelly laundry
- I am thankful for beating covid – it was rough and painful, but I made it through
- I am thankful that I have food to eat
- I am thankful that I have a roof over my head
- I am thankful for my health and my increasing waistline
- I am thankful for my family even when they feel like a United Nations meeting
- I am thankful for this country and the freedoms its has afforded me
- I am thankful for safety and that I don’t have to worry about an attack on my drive
- I am thankful for all the opportunities that I see everyday
- I am thankful because another year has come to an end
- I am thankful for the new strands of grey
- I am thankful for the hope another year brings
- I am thankful that I have a faith that meet my needs
- I am thankful for the virgin birth
- I am thankful for Jesus and the reason for the season
- I am thankful for snowy winters
- I am thankful for connections and new friends
- I am thankful for good food
And the list goes on and on and on. Why don’t you join me and write you own thankful list? You may be surprised at what you will find and how looking back may bring a smile to your face and remind you that it may not be all bad. The point is thankfulness is a choice and an attitude. I daresay that the more you give thanks, the more you have things to be thankful for.
Merry Christmas!
Tayo Elnathan is the Executive Director of LCCMedia Foundation. She writes a weekly column for www.lccmediafoundation.ca