I've been reflecting on gratitude as the year draws to a close. I hate change, and I think a lot of people are averse to it. But, change is a part of life. Some things change as a natural progression and other things change in a more dramatic, sometimes painful way. But, change is inevitable. There are things that I wish had not changed, but they have. So, I have been reframing my thinking and trying to be thankful for what we had, instead of bitter for what has changed. And also, reflecting on what new, different good has come from change.
One of the biggest changes in the last few years has been the proximity of the extended family. My dad passed away and that started a sort of snowball of changes. My brothers and their families moved out of the lower mainland. Matias moved to Alberta. My mom moved to Finland. My aunt and uncle moved to Hope. Instead of lamenting all these changes, I've been thinking about how lucky and blessed I was for the first more than 40 years of my life. I was surrounded by family. We had celebrations and parties with the extended family often. The close knit family that we had for all those years was extraordinary. Some people never experience that. So, I am grateful.
There are also things that are good that have come from change. Even though our extended family is not physically as close anymore, it makes getting together more special. At Christmas 20 of us squeezed into our cabin in Hope. We brought food, we cooked, we laughed, we ate. The younger cousins wreaked havoc and ran around until they were exhausted. The older cousins chilled together. The sauna was on for hours. The teen boys jumped into the ice cold creek. Some watched the hockey game. There was music. It was loud and chaotic and really great. Three of the four families stayed the night in Hope, filling up every available bed and spare mattress. It was so nice and it only came together because we don't all live near to each other anymore. And for this too, I can be grateful. It's different, but it is still good.
