The Little Things
By Jason Marshall
It never ceases to amaze me how life can change in an instant.
There are no guarantees. No agreed-upon timelines. Just tears. Laughs. And the moments in between.
Life is fragile. It’s fleeting. And usually it takes someone losing theirs for you to truly appreciate your own.
The ironic part is the longer you live, the more loss you experience.
It doesn’t get easier. In fact, the more we deal with losing loved ones, the more we think about our own mortality.
Within the last year I honestly can’t tell you how many wakes, funerals and celebrations of life I’ve attended. Safe to say too many. Most recently our family said goodbye to two dear friends. Both losses were unexpected and devastating. But as I’ve learned through the years, it’s okay to be sad, but it’s also okay to be happy. Happy for moments shared and time spent together.
I’m a believer that those who’ve gone before us want us to know that time is a precious gift that shouldn’t be squandered. They want us to live in the moment. Be present. Hug those most important to us. Tell them you love them every chance you get. Be silly. Worry less. Laugh more. Work hard. And play even harder.
So, with Thanksgiving upon us, there’s no more fitting time to take their advice and count our blessings. In fact, here is a blessing that can be used around the dinner table this holiday weekend, or any day for that matter.
Dear Creator,
On this day of giving thanks, I feel blessed for the gifts bestowed upon me.
I’m thankful for the warmth and peace of a loving family and the special moments we share together. I give thanks for good health. And to a small but mighty circle of friends. Especially those whose spirits live in our hearts and help light our way, especially on the darkest of days.
I’m grateful for parents who were rich, not with money, but with love, comfort and guidance. For making a house a home where our family compass always pointed, so we’d never lose our way.
I give thanks for the song of the birds, and the beauty of the seasons.
For yesterday, as it’s full of life lessons and perspective.
For today, as it’s about doing and achieving.
For tomorrow, as it’s full of hope and wonder.
I’m thankful for endings, because each of life’s stories has one.
And new beginnings. Because everything great must start somewhere.
I thank you for family, whether by blood or choice, because without it, life’s challenges can seem insurmountable.
I’m thankful for each new morning. Especially one that begins a day blessed with the laughter of children.
I’m grateful for giving, as it warms two hearts and souls. And for receiving, as it’s a reminder we matter to someone else.
Thank you for a loving home where we generate memories fueled by love and happiness. And for albums of black and white photos full of colourful memories.
I thank you for music, because it’s fuel for the soul.
For books, the fuel for your mind.
For art, the fuel for your imagination.
And for nature, the fuel for your spirit.
I’m thankful for dogs, because they erase the day’s troubles the moment you walk through the door.
And for campfires. Fireflies. Crickets. And frog songs. All of these also make worries vanish.
I give thanks for the smell of freshly mowed grass. The first cut of hay. Bacon on a Saturday morning. A crisp newspaper. And bread baking in the oven.
Let us also give thanks for a blanket fresh from the dryer. For a hand-written thank-you note, either sent or received. For snow falling on Christmas Eve. And for a friend with a sense of humour that’s just as warped as mine. All these things warm a person’s heart and soul.
We can’t forget to offer thanks for spellcheck. The five-second rule. GPS directions that replace the need to read—and fold—a roadmap while driving. And speaking of driving, how grateful are you to find a parking spot right in front of the store while Christmas shopping? And special thanks for drama-free days.
Finally, no thank-you list would be complete without a mention of the little things in life, because they make all the difference.
Amen.
Jason Marshall has been a writer and journalist for more than 30 years and is an on-air host and station manager at Valley Heritage Radio just outside of Renfrew, Ontario. And he’s truly a big kid at heart. You can email him anytime at jason@valleyheritageradio.ca.
