Another Thanksgiving has come and gone. And, boy, do we have plenty to be thankful for.
For example, thank goodness we don't have to deal with a government shutdown like the U.S. is experiencing.
What? Stephen Harper has prorogued the federal legislature? Wow. Okay, well at least B.C. is still in business with its fall — huh? No sitting of the provincial legislature?
Uh, well, never mind all that.
At least no Tea Party is going to step up and demand we defund our flawless health care system, which ensures every Canadian has access to a doctor or … what? Still with the closures of local emergency rooms due to a shortage of providers?
Hey, how about those Canucks, eh?
Frankly, while Thanksgiving is a national holiday, we know it's really a local celebration. When you consider what you have to be thankful for at this time of year it's about what's happening in your own community; your own family; your own life.
Each of us will reflect on the day through their own lens, whether it looks back on a turkey shared with those in our immediate family or a road trip that unites us with loved ones afar.
In any case, for those who stayed home Thanksgiving took place in the sunny, warm weather all North Islanders know is typical for our region in mid-October, which is truly something to be thankful for.
And if that's not enough, consider the fact that you live on Vancouver Island on the eve of a winter that for many of your countrymen means months of windshield scraping, parka-wearing and road closures.
Ahem. We said give thanks … not gloat.