Moose Jaw Express.com

Reflectiv! Moment" Thankfulne­ss comes about for large and small reasons

- By Joyce Walter - Moose Jaw Express Joyce Walter can be reached at ronjoy@sasktel.net

Occasional­ly, as we ponder our personal circumstan­ces and start feeling a bit sorry for ourselves it only takes a PRPHQW RU WZR WR ¿JXUH RXW RXU OLYHV DUH GRLQJ MXVW ¿QH thank you very much.

The nightly news from around the world quickly shows us just how lucky we are to live here rather than, VD\ 8NUDLQH RU SDUWV RI 3DNLVWDQ RU LQ ODQGV RI GURXJKW and famine, and even closer to home on the other side of Canada where some dame called Fiona left a devastatin­g calling card on some of the most beautiful parts of our nation.

With Thanksgivi­ng on the horizon, it is the appropriat­e time to once again ponder our lives and give thanks, or DW OHDVW ¿QG VRPH KXPRXU LQ HYHQWV WKDW PLJKW KDYH EHHQ worse in each of our personal situations.

First, I wish to give thanks for the clear skies and warm temperatur­es that recently enticed us to go for a Sunday drive in search of a tasty meal at the end of the trip. Some people are unable to travel and I am thankful we are still able to clamber into a vehicle and head off whenever a spark of adventure hits our spirit.

Secondly, I am thankful that our friend Errol used top-quality concrete when years ago he repaired a portion of our driveway. If his workmanshi­p hadn’t been topnotch and his choice of materials above grade, imagine the crack that might have happened when I hit that concrete, landing as I did like a beached whale when my leg went one way and I went another.

As I reclined there in some discomfort, and surely in a bit of shock, I was thankful that Housemate was close E\ DQG VDZ ZKDW KH GHVFULEHV DV P\ ³SUDQFLQJ´ SHUIRUPDQF­H 0\ UHFROOHFWL­RQ RI HYHQWV ZDV NQRZLQJ WKH IDOO was coming and wondering if it would delay our trip.

I am thankful we had a bit of bonding time after my screams subsided and I made the decision that nothing appeared broken, I could gingerly move each limb, and ¿QDOO\ , FRXOG VLW XS ,Q P\ QRQ H[SHUW PHGLFDO RSLQLRQ there was no need for an ambulance.

I am thankful that the Wilson family lives close by DQG WKDW \RXQJ 0U :LOVRQ FDPH TXLFNO\ WR KHOS +RXVHmate hoist me carefully to my feet. I was embarrasse­d beyond measure but profuse in my thank you. What a story he would have that day to tell his pals!!!

Others should be thankful that I never aspired to be nurse, for the efforts we showed in trying to clean and dress my bleeding and scraped elbow would have left any patient of mine wondering how I had ever passed my basic bandaging course.

Upon thinking about my situation in the driveway, I considered I might have been able to get up myself if I had scooted on my behind closer to the step where I would have had some leverage. But in scooting, I might have ripped the seat out of fairly new jeans.

I am thankful that underneath those jeans there were no more bleeding areas but look at that large bruise on my knee and leg, right there nearly on top of the bruise that remains from injuries in a car crash over two years ago. I have photos.

When the elbow injury failed to heal, I am thankful my doctor jumped into action and worked his magic to clear up whatever was happening in my driveway rash. I now have a lovely scab. I wanted to take a photo but I FRXOGQ¶W ¿JXUH RXW KRZ WR GR D VHO¿H RI P\ VFDEE\ HOERZ Facebook friends should be thankful.

Now many days later I remain stiff and sore and low and behold, my previously injured back decided to rePLQG PH WKDW , DP EH\RQG WKH DJH RI ³SUDQFLQJ ´ , DP VWLOO WKDQNIXO WKH ¿UH GHSDUWPHQW KDVQ¶W EHHQ UHTXLUHG WR remove me from the bed or the commode.

We are both thankful for friends and family who have offered to help in anyway they can. I am especially thankful to a friend who quietly dropped off home-grown tomatoes and potatoes and loaves of homemade bread.

I looked at the driveway more closely the other day and saw the spot where my blood and DNA remain and am seriously thankful there are no chalk marks outlining where the body dropped.

Yes indeed, we have much for which to be thankful. We wish the same for others. Happy Thanksgivi­ng.

• • • • • • • • •

I have two more fowl supper dates to add to last ZHHN¶V OLVW 7KH\ DUH 2FW DW 0RUWODFK 0HPRULDO +DOO and Oct. 28 in the social hall of St. Andrew’s United &KXUFK LQ 0RRVH -DZ .HHS WKRVH GDWHV FRPLQJ

 ?? ?? The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author, and do QRW QHFHVVDULO\ UHÀHFW WKH SRsition of this publicatio­n.
The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author, and do QRW QHFHVVDULO\ UHÀHFW WKH SRsition of this publicatio­n.

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