A lot to be thankful for
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;