Gratitude

When I was 14, I remember trudging off to the Sailor’s Memorial at Point Pleasant Park, in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, with my classmates from The School for the Blind and with our house parent / counselor, Mr. Ed Fraser, a proud veteran sailor of the Canadian Navy. On that November 11th day, the weather was not really conducive to a stroll in the park, and we made this fact very clear to Mr. Fraser. He didn’t seem to be overly concerned about our protests to venturing out into the rain that couldn’t quite decide if it would be cold and wet, soaking and chilling us to the bone, or freezing like shrapnel and attempting to puncture our young uncovered flesh. We arrived at the Sailor’s Memorial ten minutes before the ceremony was scheduled to begin and continued with our unacknowledged whining, that is, until one minute before the two minutes of silence was about to begin when Mr. Fraser faced us and spoke in his commanding and mesmerizing tone. “Gentlemen, all of you, face this direction”, which happened to be straight in to the freezing rain, “stand straight with your hands at your sides, and for the duration of the next two minutes, think of all the gifts and good things you have in your lives. Notice how quickly the time will pass and how you won’t mind the weather. As you list all of your good fortunes, say thank you to the thousands of veterans and to those who have died for each of you so you can be free. By the way, if Hitler had achieved his plan, there’d be no blind or disabled people allowed to live in this country of ours!” It was amazing how the realization of Hitler’s plan seemed very personal to the lot of us who were blind and visually impaired. To this day I not only remember my blessings on November 11th, I give thanks for all I have each and every day of my life. Have you ever noticed how your ability to deal with troubles and challenges is relative to your level of gratitude? Come this November 11th, I invite you to join me in two minutes of silence, A Pittance of Time, and take stock of all the goodness in your life as we honour those who have given of themselves for us and others.