A different Thanksgiving

A different Thanksgiving

Today marks an unexpected Thanksgiving. I'm writing this from a study desk at the Waterloo Public Library. They offer a quiet space with free wifi, and free parking. What a great way to use taxpayer dollars. Of course nobody here wonders why I'm spending my holiday in the public library.

I drove up to Waterloo yesterday morning. Spent a couple hours on campus with #1 daughter. Surprised myself by getting choked up when we met. Then drove up to St Jacobs for supper with Ralph, talking late into the night. That friendship, spanning more than 30 years, ranks near the top of my list of things I am thankful for this year.

Now I'm killing time until Leena finishes classes for the weekend and we make the long trek home. The morning is passing quickly!

I needed this break. Navigating marriage dissolution and an overload at work has me stretched to a tight wire. Add church and orchestra responsibilities and things are falling off my plate. Taking an extra day off, with windshield time and time talking with a friend, is just what the head and heart doctor ordered. Someday I'll write a long post about my perspective on depression.

On the drive up I listened to an hour-long interview with John O'Donohue. Quote of the day: "The mind altering, alters all things." This break helped me alter my mind.

We'll be home tonight, with lots of business of family gatherings and food the rest of the weekend (I'll even try tofurky - which has to be the ugliest word in food marketing - if there is enough .) Saturday afternoon is a wedding shower for Joe and then a book signing for Cross-X. No small challenge is the fact that this is the farewell gathering at the family homestead.