Life is a journey

Happy Thanksgiving everyone; Bonne Action de Grâce.  I've been thinking that while we don't give this holiday as much importance as many others, it is quietly becoming one of my favourites. In Canada it has, thankfully, not become super-commercial the way it is in the United States, and I sure like the idea of a holiday centred around gratitude for what we have. A long weekend in order to spend time with family over a meal full of autumn's bounty? What better reason to celebrate? And to be thankful. And right now, as I watch leader after leader come to power based on divisive, anti-immigrant, anti-minority platforms that reinforce us-versus-them sentiment, mistrust, fear and even outright hatred of the "other," I feel extra grateful to be surrounded by my (multi-ethnic and multi-religious) family, including my parents who raised me to be inclusive rather than exclusive, generous rather than selfish, fair-minded rather than judgemental, kind rather than cruel;

This year's Mother's Day is an emotional one for me with difficult and sad events surrounding me and some of the mothers in my life. My mother has spent most of the last month in the hospital, and the Mother's Day back at home we had hoped for this weekend was not to be. We had our "brunch" this morning in a hospital emergency room, but my mom is doing OK and she was surrounded by her loving family, which is what matters most. And yesterday I attended a memorial service for the teenage son of a longtime friend. It was a beautiful and utterly heartbreaking celebration of a life cut short. But there is something good to be found in the most terrible places, and seeing how a community came together to support a family at such a very difficult time was a truly wonderful thing. This year, my heart goes out especially to mothers who have lost children. Such a loss is unimaginable to those of us who have not lived it, and on this day my thoughts are with those who