A Story of Gratitude on Thanksgiving

Tags

200 words, Dad, Diana Schwenk, Diana's Enormous Book of Quotes, family, Gratitude, growing up, happy, health, life, love, parents, perspective, Relationships, Thanksgiving

Me, Shannon and Dad in 1985

Never let things you want, make you forget the things you have.

In the summer of 2015, Dad called and insisted that I visit that September. Looking back, I am grateful he did so, as unknown to any of us, Dad would pass away two months later.

When I reflect on what I am grateful for, Dad is at the top of the list. I know how fortunate I am to have had a father who loved me, and kept me safe, who was in my life for 52 years.

Dad also was a grateful man. During that 2015 visit, from the couch he practically lived on due to the back pain he’d suffered, he looked at me and said, “You know, Diana…I cannot really complain about anything, I’ve had a great life.”

“A great life, Dad? You grew up in war-torn Berlin. Your windows imploded when bombs were dropped. You were hungry much of the time!”

I don’t remember his answer verbatim, but it was something like, “yes, but we looked out for each other on our street, we shared everything. I was loved.”

~ DIANA’S ENORMOUS BOOK OF QUOTES ~

This Thanksgiving, don’t forget what you have…

 

 

 

Thanksgiving in Rosalind

Tags

Alberta, Calgary, Camrose Alberta, Canada, children, daughter, Diana Schwenk, driving, family, friends, fun, generosity, grateful, growing up, laughter, living in the moment, love, parents, Relationships, Rosalind, thankful, Thanksgiving, turkey

Just how great was Thanksgiving in Rosalind, Alberta?

Glad you asked!

I have to admit that I was a bit nervous about driving to Rosalind by myself on Saturday because many of the roads I needed to travel on are so barren and have no cell service. But in spite of the cold, fog with iffy visibility and snow, it was a rather pleasant drive.

Seeing as this was my first visit there, Michaela met me at the Rosalind School parking lot so I could follow her on the gravel secondary highway eight-hundred-and-something to hers and Werner’s long driveway about 1 kilometer from the school.

We turned the corner on the driveway at around 4:30PM revealing the cutest little farm-house and property. It really is too bad that it got cold and snowed so early this year, I would have loved to have walked around the property a bit. But it was that wet kind of cold, you know? The kind that chills you to the bone in just minutes.

Anyway, after settling in, enjoying a nice cup of coffee and playing a few rounds of Macke Been, Werner drove us to the Brew House in Camrose for dinner. After dinner, we headed back to the farm-house, played a few more games, chatted about this and that and turned in early. I slept like a baby!

The next morning, Michaela made us a wonderful breakfast before starting all the food prep and cooking for the Thanksgiving dinner. We all helped out here and there, but for the most part, Michaela had it all under control. There would be five for dinner. Me, Michaela, Werner and his mom and dad, Claudia and Manfred, who I would be meeting for the first time.

It was fun.

Lots of laughter, lots of story-sharing and playful banter.

And what a feast it was, especially since this was the very first dinner party, Michaela had ever hosted!

So just how great was Thanksgiving in Rosalind, Alberta?

it was so great that I forgot to take pictures!

~ HUMP DAY CHRONICLES ~

And how did you spend Thanksgiving? And what did you non-Canadians do this past weekend?

Happy Thanksgiving Canada!

Tags

200 words, Canada, daughter, Diana Schwenk, Diana's Enormous Book of Quotes, family, friends, Gratitude, happy, Oma, parents, Relationships, thank you, thankful, Thanksgiving

“If the only prayer you said was thank you, that would be enough.”
― Meister Eckhart

This weekend Canada is celebrating Thanksgiving.

What better day than today to talk about thankfulness?

And what better way to do that than list off some of the things that I am thankful for?

I am thankful for my parents who immigrated to Canada and worked hard their whole lives to build a better life for our family.

I am thankful for my daughter, my future son-in-law and his beautiful 3-month old daughter – I’m an Oma!

I am thankful for my brother who is also my friend and for a while in my early teens, my only friend. I am also grateful for my sister-in-law and my amazing nephew.

I am thankful for my life-long friends who are like family to me.

I am thankful for all the opportunities I have had and continue to have in this beautiful country.

And I am thankful for you, my beautiful readers and writers. ❤

It’s not happy people who are thankful, it’s thankful people who are happy

~ DIANA’S ENORMOUS BOOK OF QUOTES ~

What are you thankful for?

Related article: 10 Reasons Why Gratitude is Healthy

Dear USA: Happy Thanksgiving…with love, Canada

Tags

Canada, Diana Schwenk, family, forgiveness, humour, Hump Day Chronicles, love, Relationships, Thanksgiving, USA

Photo credit: perhumanresources.blogspot

After a good dinner one can forgive anybody, even one’s own relations – Oscar Wilde

As you know, Canada had Thanksgiving in October and the food was great but it was the company that was truly outstanding!

Sure some people picked at their plates and others were still angry about that thing that happened forever ago, but when we sat around the table to eat, all that yesterday stuff was forgotten. We ate. We were thankful. There was love.

So yeah, I know you are anxious about Thanksgiving dinner but as you can see it turns out ok, so you can relax and loosen your grip on that knife!

I wish I could be there with you! I know, I know, we’ve had our quarrels about who invented hockey and basketball – Canada did – but that’s not the point. The point is we are thankful for you, our neighbours south of the 49th parallel and the further south you are, the better. And if you invite us over during winter, we’re even more thankful!

But I digress. You’re family. You’re like our big brother and we know your occasional jabs at us are your way of saying you love us too. And we know we can be a little pesky at times like little siblings do. However, Thanksgiving is a time when we lay all that aside.

It’s a time to reflect on, and be grateful, for family, friends and all the little blessings in our lives. So we raise our glasses to you with warm thoughts in our hearts and prayers for your health and joy on our lips.

So while you celebrate Thanksgiving and enjoy your meal, know that we are thinking of you and wondering why you didn’t invite us for dinner.

~ HUMP DAY CHRONICLES ~

Happy Thanksgiving USA!

*Sorry Alaska. We do not mean to offend you by seemingly not acknowledging that you are indeed north of us, but your location really messes with our whole ‘south of the 49th parallel’  schtick.*

Happy Thanksgiving – Gratefulness

Tags

200 words, community, Diana Schwenk, Diana's Enormous Book of Quotes, diversity, gifts, grateful, Gratitude, living in the moment, love, memories, Relationships, Thanksgiving

He is a wise man who does not grieve for the things which he has not, but rejoices for those which he has.”  ~ Epictetus

Gratefulness makes us happy – it’s scientifically proven!

If being grateful makes me happy, I want to be grateful every day – not just on Thanksgiving.

Below are just some of the things that fill me with gratitude:

With my family at some German restaurant outside Montreal in 2009

• The odds of conception are 15% – 25%. I was born. I am alive and well. Life is a gift I cherish.
• I am loved by family and friends. No matter what comes my way, I am not alone.
• I have the necessities of Life. Food in my stomach. A roof over my head.
• The teachers and mentors who have taught me important life-lessons and encouraged me in my journey.
• The opportunities I have had to help others along in their journey.
• I live in this beautiful country of freedoms and rights.
• I belong to a community of diverse people with unique gifts that can build a better world than we were born into.

~ DIANA’S ENORMOUS BOOK OF QUOTES ~

What are you grateful for?

Thanksgiving and Columbus Day

Tags

Columbus Day, Diana Schwenk, friends, Kamloops, memories, Paul Lake Provincial Park, Thanksgiving

It’s been my experience that when I am thankful, I am happier.

This past weekend was Thanksgiving in Canada.

Since my family is spread out across the country and I wasn’t going to see any of them, I needed to find something to do.

So last Monday, on a whim of an idea I called my friend Sue who lives in Vancouver and said, “Hey, want to meet in Kamloops this weekend?”

And she said yes!

Sue and I in the lobby of the newly renovated Plaza Hotel, Kamloops, BC

Sue and I have been friends since we were neighbours in Chateauguay, Quebec.

We met when I was 18 years old and we traveled out west together in 1983.

She and her boyfriend moved to the mainland and me and my boyfriend went to Kamloops, well Pinantan Lake actually, to help his sister June build a log home.

As the years went by, Sue and her husband also lived up at the lake for about a year and a half and we all lived in Calgary for a time as well.

I stayed here in Calgary and Sue moved back to BC.

We hadn’t seen each other for about 3 or 4 years and the Kamloops trip seemed like a good way to catch up.

A four-hour drive for Sue and an 8-hour drive for me!

So Friday after work I drove out to Golden, BC (about 3 hours) and stayed the night there. I planned to leave for Kamloops the next morning.

Here are some photos from my drive the next day.

Golden, BC

Salmon Arm, BC

I got to Kamloops first so I thought that while I waited for Sue to arrive I would go exploring.

The town had changed since I lived there 22 years ago!

The Grind Coffee Shop

Victoria Ave

They don’t mince words in Kamloops

The next day we drove up to Pinantan Lake, population approx. 500 including dogs and chickens.

We had the distinct pleasure of running into some folks who still lived up there and seeing the house that I helped to build.

This is the house I helped to build.

It was great to catch up with June and her daughter Kimberly as well.

How time flies, I met Kim when she was 4!

Me and June

Me and Kimberly

When we left to go back to Kamloops we stopped at Paul Lake Provincial Park.

In my 20’s I practically lived here in the summer!

Paul Lake, BC

All in all, it was a great trip.

Thank you Sue for agreeing to meet me.

Thank you June and Kimberley for your hospitality.

If you’re Canadian, how did you spend Thanksgiving?

If you’re American, how the heck do you celebrate Columbus Day? 😉