It is Canadian Thanksgiving this coming Monday, and we’ve plenty, personally, to be thankful for. Oh, Canada! Far from perfect, a work in progress, and thank goodness we are trying. Having said that, recent events in the news leave one feeling a touch guilty about feeling thankful. Honestly, you don’t have to look too hard for evidence to encourage the belief that the world is on a slippery slope right now.
Do you find yourself mentally exhausted each time you read about the latest crisis? The events themselves are terrible, and awful for the innocent people caught up in them. I know I lead a privileged and comfortable existence compared with many, so my complaining here is trivial. Here I go anyway. I’m dejected and appalled by the other noise that follows, or masquerades as, the news.
The disillusion and despair is felt most particularly when “leadership” responses appear to be all about changing (ignoring) the facts or focus of discussion. To be this disingenuous about serving in government is a disgrace. When they did this, it really means that! I’m right, and don’t anybody ask what this is actually about! You must agree with me. If you dare to express otherwise, then it proves you are that!
There are statements (speeches, or rather, rants, and tweets – tweets?! – how is that “statesmanlike” or seemly?!) appealing to base notions, or simplifying complicated issues so that pointing fingers and assigning blame overshadows the issue instead of finding solutions. Let’s just control or falsify the narrative to ensure we look good. Any humility? An admission mistakes can be/have been made? Can we allow for another point of view? Nope! Noise, shouting, more noise, and more shouting. I’m in charge and I know best. Oh dear. Common decency and common sense appear to be more and more uncommon these days. Calm things down? No, that won’t make me look strong! Let me threaten instead! It’s so much easier to spread fear and blame than it is to provide hope and help, especially if the needy aren’t your narrow-minded supporters…
I’d better stop writing this. I’m not going to stop reading the news, or cease having an opinion – if we all did, no doubt that would make certain parties only too happy. I will aim for being positive, and that personal positivity will be found most readily in natural settings. I do understand that nature, or the environment, is social/economic/political, but when you’re on the trail, or under canvas, or splashing about in the water, the immediacy of what you’re doing takes over, energizes you, and some of the other concerns fall away, if only for a while.
Well, we might be at the bottom of the barrel – it can’t get any worse, can it? – but you’ve got to try and be glass half full. I’ve a feeling we’re all going to need as much energy as possible as we attempt to look forward. Has it really been less than a year? Aiming for the positive, I’m thankful for all the voices that acknowledge and value our wonderful diversity and common humanity. I’m thankful for all the beautiful places still left on our amazing planet. I’m thankful it’s still possible to agree to disagree and not raise fists.
Hmm. Struggling for coherence here. I think I’ve vented enough – thanks for your patience, and maybe your understanding – and have a wonderful weekend!
The photographs were taken late September at Glenbow Ranch Provincial Park, AB
OldPlaidCamper 
It has been the longest “less than year” ever. And you should not feel guilty about being thankful. I think that sometimes these events happen to remind us what we have to be thankful for. However, with that said-I always feel guilty about feeling thankful when so many are suffering heartache and tragedies. This is the world we live in and it is truly scary thinking about what the future has in store.
I don’t actually watch the news, but it is everywhere even when you don’t watch or really read. The heartache and despair, that is why I don’t. Then that man..I won’t get started on him, but you know the one. To think that this is what we’ve come to. To tweet the way he does. I mean, really? I’ll stay off my soapbox, but gracious.
Enjoy your holiday weekend and have a happy Thanksgiving.
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Thank you – you’ve echoed much of what concerns so many. Not always easy to stay away from the soapbox…
We’ve had a very pleasant Thanksgiving weekend, spent with friends in a beautiful place – so, less guilt, and more focus on our many blessings.
I hope your week is off to a good start!
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Adam have a very happy Thanksgiving. Thanks for your thoughts as they are shared by many many people. Hope you get to spend some time outside this weekend capped off by a fine ale or two. If you are are in need of a laugh maybe check out the Mark Maron comedy gig Too Real on Netflix. Cheers.
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Thanks, Mike! Will certainly chase up the comedy recommendation – a good laugh goes a long way!
We’ve enjoyed a very pleasant Thanksgiving weekend out on the west coast, and even the weather has been warm and sunny.
I hope your week is off to a good start!
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HI Adam, a trip out west sounds fun and glad to hear the weather was good. The week is off to a fine start as we got several inches of any yesterday and then sunny and warm the rest of the week. Gotta love fall.
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Lovely vistas, pc, and have a Happy Thanksgiving.
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Thanks, Jet! Glenbow Ranch PP is a lovely little corner of foothills Alberta. I hope you are well, and you and your friends and family haven’t suffered in the awful fires scorching parts of Northern California – be safe!
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Thankful for the beauty and the peacefulness of nature, indeed! Love the photos. I like to keep an eye on a storm, I haven’t watched so much news in 20 years but feel compelled to watch. Thank goodness I can turn it off easily! Ill leave it at that. Happy Thanksgiving!
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Thanks, Margaret! Ah yes, the delights of the TV off button – often a good choice in recent times…
I hope you are well, and safe from the fires threatening parts of California just now. Enjoy your week!
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Yes, I did find the recent events mentally exhausting. First here in Edmonton , then in Las Vegas. Still processing both.Walks outside gave a needed reprieve as do your calm photos. Happy Thanksgiving.It is so important to be grateful and not get dragged down by negativity.
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Thanks, Jane. I hope all is well with you, and that you’ve enjoyed a pleasant Thanksgiving weekend!
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Yes, had wonderful time with friends and walks outdoors with perfect weather. Doesn’t get any better!
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& I’m thankful that the bombs haven’t started falling
yes,that would be far worse.Even If they don’t hit us,the affects will be most certainly felt!
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Fingers crossed that we won’t be watching the skies for all the wrong reasons – like you said earlier, there are all sorts of challenges, and challenging people out there!
Enjoy your week!
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did I say that? Almost sounds intelligent?
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We had to raise our game, hanging out with Dr. PC!
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true that brother
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I’m thankful for a voice like your own that’s unafraid to face the madness of the day, to see the glass half full as we raise it to the larger picture (beautiful photos of the road and its horizons), even when it seems that our fate is in the hands of a few whose only real concern is themselves and their monetary matters. Thanks PC, and Happy Thanksgiving!
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Thanks, Walt! We’ve enjoyed a very pleasant Thanksgiving out on the west coast – fine friends and a beautiful location have restored us no end.
I hope your week is far more than a glass half full!
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Keep being grateful and looking at life through that glass half full my friend. We just have to count our blessings in this day and age, the alternative is too gloomy. Stay well and positive. Happy thanksgiving and never feel bad for counting your blessings. Life’s too short. 🙂
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Thanks, Miriam! We’ve been out on the west coast, and I’ve done more than my share of keeping a glass half full! A very pleasant Thanksgiving with friends in a fine location – some of the blessings we are counting.
I hope your week is off to a great start!
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That’s so nice to hear PC. My week’s got off to a sunny happy start. Keep smiling 🙂
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I do feel mentally exhausted lately each time I read the paper and watch the news. I wish life could be as beautiful as your photos and as simple as enjoy the bigger picture and am glad I could envision that for a few moments in your post. I appreciated your final words of encouragement to aim for the positive and be thankful for what is good and beautiful in the world as we witness so much sadness and devastation. I’m glad to hear you are still enjoying a glass half full and striving for the positive. Happy Thanksgiving!
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Thank you for your kind words! We’ve had a very pleasant Thanksgiving, recharging and counting blessings out on the west coast – a welcome break, and far removed from recent events. Our glasses, metaphorical and otherwise, are more than half full for now.
I hope your week is off to a fine start!
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Most certainly your writings are expressing the concerns of others throughout the world. The unrest of inner peace and the continued projection of fear from the media attempts to attract us into the chaos whirling around. This is where we are being called to focus our attention on what is precious, loving, beautiful and kind. It is reminiscent of Ann Frank expressing that she would not look at all the horror around, but believe in the beauty still within and around us. We are collectively being asked to unite our thankfulness. Happy Thanksgiving, Adam, to you and your family!
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Thank you, Lori! You are right to remind us to look for the beauty around us – even if it can be harder to see sometimes…
We’ve had a very pleasant Thanksgiving weekend, catching up with good friends in a wonderful location.
Thanks again, and I hope your week is off to a great start!
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Glad you and your family are enjoying your beautiful location and the joy of friends for giving thanks for all the blessings that are in your life!
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Spent much of today with our mutual friend Wayne, and we had a great time.
Now we’re trying to fathom who would aim to mistreat the sea lions we saw here, with the spiked float near Ucluelet’s boat launch. Such cruelty and disregard…
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Glad to hear you enjoyed your Thanksgiving with Wayne!
I am concerned about such cruelty towards God’s beautiful animals, as it is our responsibility to look after them!
We appear to be having a symbolic mirror regarding your post and Wayne’s regarding people lashing out and hurting others. If one steps back and uses divine definitive discernment, you see the psychological term of “people that are hurting hurt others” – there is a great need of healing, love and forgiveness and compassion in our world.
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