Blessed and Grateful

 Today is Thanksgiving. In this weirdest of years there is a lot to be grateful and blessed. I am grateful for my amazing and beautiful soulmate. We complete each other. I am also blessed to have two incredibly diverse and talented stepchildren. They are carving their niche in totally different areas of life and location. I am grateful and blessed to have the most adorable and amazing grandson in all the world. Yes I am slightly biased. 

He is 4 and a half and started preschool which he loves. He is unabashed. The next school day he announces to some older boys. “ Hey Ollie’s back”. When Shelley and I see other little toddlers we say to ourselves he/she is cute yet not Ollie cute.

I am blessed to have an amazing support network that I can reach out to whenever and they reach back whenever. One of our friends dropped off  homemade Cabbage Rolls at 1030 last night. We turn them into soup and it was delicious. 

We had a vegan dinner, roast yam, with leeks, carrots, beets, turnips and onions. Years ago I would never have thought of having a vegan dinner. I am grateful that I am able to explore new foods without repercussions or negative chatter from my birth family. The key is to tune them out. 

I am blessed and grateful to live in a country where I am able to freely express my opinion. I am aware of my white male privilege and admit I have taken advantage of it. I am also more aware of the marginalized and oppressed communities within our society. We all know better so we can all do better. 

This has been the weirdest of years  The pandemic, to racial reckoning on both sides of the border. The American election has divided the country and in some aspects the world. It is sad to see how unhinged the current President is. It is a train wreck where you cannot look away. The next revelation is bigger than the last one. Thankfully the end is near however come on America this is the best you can come up with two Septuagenarians.

Overall, my mental health has wavered up down and all around. A couple of months ago I felt like checking out (albeit fleeting). My sweetie especially knows when I start to waver downward. She sees it in me. I become angry, irritable and as Shelley says “ Old Andrew Comes Out”. It is not a pleasant experience. We talk and I practice self care and I connect with my support network. 

Be kind, be respectful, support one another. Don’t let the little things get to you. Control what you can. Bad and good days will happen. I am blessed and grateful for my family, my friends, my activities, hobbies, interests, my career  Happy Thanksgiving