Switch on a TV or radio and the world can often seem a sombre place. So many headlines about wars, disasters, disease, poverty, unemployment and market crashes, so many reasons to be fretful and fearful.
Although global events often give a distorted impression of the world, they can also provide a much-needed reminder about how blessed most of us are.
With people returning to work from the Thanksgiving holiday after quality time with family and friends, this may be a good occasion to pause, reflect and … yes … count our blessings.
In Barrhead’s case the counting could go on for a while. So in the interests of brevity here is a list of ten random reasons to be thankful.
For a town so pretty, so neat, so clean, so compact, where all the key buildings are within walking distance.
For a safe environment where we can walk the streets and not worry about being mugged or robbed.
For the cold calm of the mornings and the meditative quiet of the evening.
For the people, sometimes strangers, sometimes only vaguely familiar, who rarely pass you on the pavement without acknowledgment – a smile perhaps, a nod of the head, a hello or a “how are you doing?”
For the courtesy of motorists who treat pedestrians as royalty, letting them cross the road, often with a polite wave or a nodding gesture.
For the countless shop assistants and cashiers who make customers feel appreciated and not a necessary evil.
For the environmentalists like the TD staff who took time out on a Saturday to plant trees at Rotary Park and make Canada greener, healthier and more attractive for everyone.
For the Barrhead Composite High School students who are wonderful ambassadors for the town on their educational and sporting travels.
For the Wildrose Rodeo Finals, which are a source of immense pride, boost the local economy and help put Barrhead on the map.
For the easy pace of life, so different from the helter-skelter, impersonal rush of the city.
The list is not exhaustive, of course. Far from it. Everyone will have his or her own idea and sense about what makes Barrhead special.
It could be an individual, a group or a business. There will be talk about nurses, volunteer firefighters, the police, charities, Rotarians, town and county councillors, education board members, school principals and teachers, sporting and artistic clubs, Alberta Arts Days organizers and many other equally worthy additions to the list. There will be talk about farmers giving thanks at the close of the harvest season.
There will be disagreements about whom to include, differences about emphasis.
Few, however, will argue that Barrhead is not richly blessed compared to other places in Canada, not to mention the world.
Barrhead’s cup truly runneth over.
