'Tis the season to be Thankful....

It's easy to get caught up in the "hustle and bustle" around us in December.

I've found in the recent past, life events have a way of smacking me and changing my focus to other things around this time of year.  In 2007, my husband had a reocurrance of cancer and ended up undergoing back surgery where the liposarcoma had metastasized, (causing him to lose his ability to walk), and resulting in admission to hospital on December 22 (the start of five months of therapy and treatment before he walked out of rehab).  This year, a very dear friend is undergoing some health issues which have left her physically and emotionally exhausted, and extremely frustrated. There are solutions that would make her life easier and put less physical strain on her body, but those have yet to be offered/implemented, and that doesn't help with the frustration or the exhaustion.

I believe that's where I come in.  Some people spend their lives searching for the "meaning of life", but I'm not sure there's a single solitary answer to that question. Why are we here? What is the meaning of my life? I believe the answer lives in all of us, and is as unique and individual as we are.  I'm finding my abilities are in friendship, love, compassion, understanding and perhaps most importantly in some circumstances, advocacy. My brother recently called it "moral support".

When you get caught up in life, the chaos of circumstances beyond your control, who do you turn to? For me, it is so very important to have someone to ground me, someone I trust to tell me the truth even if it stings a bit, and to know when to couch it in humour and gentle compassion so I can understand the frank honesty without being hurt.  I value my friends and family who are able to provide context by making me look at the whole picture.   I am so thankful for these people who are in my life, and willing and able to do this. And this is my reciprocal gift to them in return.

Take a moment to put things in context. Look outside the immediate chaos and appreciate those things that we often take for granted. Be thankful for your health, your family, being safe, warm and supported; be thankful for your friends and all they bring to your life -- challenges and surprises.

Most of all be thankful for the time you can spend this holiday season with those you love. That time is a gift!