The celebration of Thanksgiving, in many countries, around the world, share the origin of giving thanks for the harvest, after the growing season.
The past few days I have been thinking of how thankful I am for one of my grandmothers. The mother of my father, but not a blood grandmother, for I am a child adopted into her family.
She taught me two important things, for which I am so thankful.
The first is something she told me, the second is something she showed me.
Once, when I was facing a new and challenging experience, I called her. She had the uncanny ability to read into how I was feeling without me sharing all of the details. After I mentioned the upcoming experience, she replied, “just be yourself.”
Her words have returned to my memory frequently.
Then there is what she showed me … every day of her life. Though this lesson wasn’t one she shared verbally, she shared it with every action, every fibre of her being.
As a child adopted into her family, she adopted me fully. I cannot fathom feeling more loved by a grandmother by blood.
My memory of her is that she would do anything for those she loved. She baked bread, and pies, and meals. She invited people over, she went to their homes. She bought gifts, made phone calls and attended every concert her grandkids performed.
She didn’t wait to be loved, before she gave love, before she showed love.
“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit.
Rather, in humility value others above yourselves,
not looking to your own interests
but each of you to the interests of the others.”
Philippians 2:3-4
It didn’t matter if her family no longer visited as in the past, or if we called her as often. For her, love was in the selfless giving, not because it was deserved, but because she choose to always communicate love.
Today, technology has allowed for the growing season, and harvest, year round in heated greenhouses in even the coldest temperatures. As such we should give thanks year round as well.
When I look at the legacy that my grandmother left, her building of confidence to be oneself and the gift of modelling selfless love, I hope that I can continue planting seeds as she did. I hope that they will reap an amazing harvest too.
itsawonderfilledlife 