What a wonderful place to live, here on the coast of British Columbia. The mountains, the sea, the mighty Fraser River dividing and emptying into the sea, the the eagles and salmon and other wildlife, Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands; the Indigenous people, whose land this originally was, the recognition now of their history and suffering, and the celebration of their rich culture — to experience all these things and more is the good fortune of those of us who call the West Coast home.
The concern is that we take all this for granted. In our day-to-day lives, we are too busy or distracted to notice these many natural blessings around us. Sometimes on my way home from the church, driving up Highway 17 toward where my wife and I live in Burnaby, in full view of the expansive sky and open fields, looking to the North Shore mountain range extending east to Golden Ears peaks, I say to myself, “Do you see that? Look at that!” I make myself notice, not often enough.
Friends, stop and notice. An instinct of gratitude will come over you. If we’re mindful, it’s a natural response to what we are given. More about gratitude next month in time for Thanksgiving.
