Sometimes it amazes me how easy it is to just get busy.  And how in getting busy we let other things, things that are important to us, slide out of focus.  This blog is one of them.  Focusing on getting the first several pages of my manuscript in proper condition to send to the publisher who was interested in it is another, and making time for the people in my life is the most important thing that I’ve let slide out of my focus in the past several weeks.

This past weekend was Canadian Thanksgiving.  It’s a time to spend with family and friends, be gluttons, and take a moment to be thankful for all of the blessings we have.  I was able to go visit my family in NB for the early part of the weekend, and then come home in time to spend Thanksgiving Monday with my fella’s family, which meant I was a glutton twice!

I also definitely took some time to relax and let the worries of work leave me for several hours.  A drive through what to my mind is back woods NB, a hike among the fall colours, and taking in some beautiful views with my love were certainly some of the highlights of the weekend.  Beyond that though, I found it particularly hard to let go of the life that was awaiting me back home.  It was hard to be fully present with my family.  Hard not to think of the way time away would steal from the time I should be working.  As a pertinent side note, I had a sample life coaching session several weeks ago. The most revealing thing this life coach said to me is that she noticed I used the word ‘should’ a lot while talking about my life.  Apparently I have what seems to be a ridiculous, presumably stifling and perhaps damaging sense of responsibility about the many ways I feel I should be spending my time.

The thing is though – the time I didn’t make to really spend with the family this weekend, the time I don’t make to call that friend I haven’t called in too long, to meet for that cup of tea with another, or that I don’t give to spending some time with me is the time I’m really wasting.  Yes, work needs to be done. Yes, responsibilities need to be met.  There’s no denying that.  But I have this sneaking feeling that if I put those other things first (within reason) I’d still get the work done, and probably have more energy and mental clarity in the process.

It was a weekend to be thankful and I have so much to be thankful for.  And so much that I don’t show that thankfulness for enough.  At the end of a Thanksgiving day run, the fella, upon seeing a rundown apartment, started commenting on just how lucky we are and just how often we don’t see that.  We let our stresses, our pains, our frustrations blind us to the fact that we’re some of the most blessed people in the world.  If you’re able to read this you’re probably wealthier than a staggering number of people in the world, not to mention more educated.

I’ve read so many times in so many ways the importance of being thankful daily, of taking the time to acknowledge the things in our lives that we are grateful for and though I do, it’s certainly not consistently.  I challenge myself, and you (if you don’t already) to do that.  Just be thankful, take the time each day for a brief moment to think about what you’re thankful for.  Ask a loved one what the best part of their day was and be thankful for that – together.

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