Fortunate Not Thankful

With the Canadian Thanksgiving not long over and the American Thanksgiving fast approaching there is plenty of talk this time of year about being thankful for the things in our lives. Funny how we seem to need a special occasion to remind us to ponder what good there is in our lives at that very time. Embrace these moments because without them we may very well get so caught up in ourselves and the swift pace of the world that we would forget to stop and notice any of it at all.

This is when we all instinctively try to, before, during, and for a short time, after the grand gathering try to remember the things we are thankful for.

            Consider for moment those few assorted times of the year that remind us to take the opportunity and regard just how important all of the things we take for granted have truly become in our lives. For a lot of people it means a special time with family and close friends doing nothing but sharing a meal, a few drinks, having a good time and appreciating being in each other’s company, even if it has been an entire year since we did the exact same thing. It is important.

            The definition of the word “thankful” as listed in the Oxford Dictionary is:

Pleased and relieved: ‘I am very thankful for the contribution and support of everyone at the meeting.’

Or

Expressing gratitude and relief: ‘He closed the door, thankful that the meeting was over.’

            This is fitting for most situations, and we are sincerely grateful, pleased and relieved, but sometimes for me, the word “thankful” does not feel strong enough. I prefer to use the word “fortunate” in its place. It is listed in the Oxford dictionary as:

Favoured by or involving good luck; blessed: ‘I consider myself very fortunate to have been given this opportunity.’

            Now that adds just the right amount of emotion. It gives that extra oomph to the consideration of just where you are and who you are surrounded by at this time in your life. Whether you happen to be standing back looking around the room taking it all in or making a toast to everyone, “fortunate”, to me, comes more from the heart and is not as easily passed off as just empty words that you say during the holidays.

Whether you are aware of it or not, there are a lot more things in life than you realize that you have no control over. Most of which are the circumstances that brought you to this point in time with these people. It is that moment when you realize that luck and favour did have a major role in all of this and that I truly have been blessed to be where I am right now in my life.

            I have had quite the medical rollercoaster ride for a while and have plenty of things that have happened over the course of the last year that I am very thankful for. But I consider myself rather fortunate to be alive and to have this opportunity to be able to sit here and feel exactly this way about it.