Thanks

Here we are at Thanksgiving. Earlier this year I would have believed that I would be mourning rather than giving thanks. On this beautiful autumn day things were different. We loaded Mark in the van and took him down to Cherry Beach. It seems to be a tradition over that past few years. We stroll past all the little sailing clubs on Unwin Ave. They are busy wrapping up their season. The dog runs until he wobbles. He's having so much fun he doesn't want to stop, but his tired old body can't keep up to the little puppy within. I know the feeling.

Thanksgiving shouldn't be a time of denial, pretending that everything is okay. Instead, I think it should be a time of reflection. As I reflect upon this year I remember that this has been a tough year.Truly, it's been a tough couple of years.

In the spring of 07 we'd had just gone through a long tough spell with Mark. He finally had a g-tube installed and so we had some peace of mind around feeding and medication issues. Then I had the motorcycle accident. I spent most of the rest of the year recovering.

By late summer my mother, who had suffered a whole range of illnesses, finally passed away. It seemed to have taken too long. I only say that because for my mother, living was working. It was sad to see her go that way, it might have been more fitting if she died in a sowing accident or perhaps a gazebo collapse.

Marks health continued to slide and it was becoming difficult to send him to school. He was no longer able to sit up, so on the bus ride to and from school he would slip down in his chair until he was so uncomfortable that he would just be sobbing. Then came the series of ambulance rides and hospital stays that defined this year for us. By the middle of the year the doctors were defining our care strategy for Mark as palliative.

Meanwhile, several friends marriages have tanked, another friend is fighting of the creditors in a desperate attempt to avoid bankruptcy, and then Steve, my work partner and friend, had his turn with a motorcycle mishap. Many of our Sanctuary friends have experienced terrible things as well. Suddenly everyone is becoming a diabetic.

Whoa! Slow down. That's a lot of crap. So, how can we be thankful. Well, for starters it's important to be thankful for what is rather than what has been. Just stop and take account of what you do have.

I actually have an ex-diabetic friend. My friend (we'll call him Bob) took someone to a healing prayer group. He was hoping that God would touch this person who had many problems. That may have happened, but God also touched Bob and healed his diabetes.

Steve has recovered from his motorcycle mishap about 4 times faster than the doctors had predicted.

My financially troubled friend is still on the edge, and he's still a great creative mentor and artist.

Sadly when marriages breakdown it's tough not to end up on one side or the other. However, as with any journey of pain, I find myself closer to the halves that I have and am truly grateful for both the hurtin and the healing that they have shared with me.

Mark who was declared palliative is still here. He's also experience a prayer healers touch. His seizures were in the order of 5-6 majors a day. Since August 12th the majors are completely gone and the very minor abscence seizures have almost no impact on his quality of life. On Tuesday, Mark will be getting on the bus to go back to school.

My mom's passing was sad, and a great loss to my Dad. My own Grampa Muir died just one year after his wife. I wondered if Dad might just give up on living too. Apparently not, because on September 20th my Dad slipped a ring on Rosemary's finger and vowed to live happily ever after.

As I count the blessings in my life I realize that I have a lot to be thankful for. My wife, my girls, my very special son, a meaningful job and a great bunch of friends, mentors and supporters.

Thank you all and thank God.