Gratitude Project

You never know when it might be too late to say, "Thank you."  Thank you for all you've done, and for all you've meant to me.

A close friend of our family just passed away.  As a child, she was my babysitter, and I thought of her as my adoptive grandmother, or 'my third grandma' as I used to call her.

Doris Haggis was 97 years old.  As children and teenagers, Doris always remembered our birthdays, and to send some small token our way at Christmas time.  As time flew by, and Brad and I moved in different directions, out on our own, she managed to keep in touch by asking mom and dad about us, "her adopted grandkids".  When I had children of my own, she showed them the same kindness she'd shown to my brother and me; showering them with gifts, sending small tokens of affection their way. She asked me to send pictures of the girls and our family that she kept prominently displayed, with the beautiful photographs of her numerous other grandkids and great grandkids.  I sent her a family Christmas card this year, and I hope she received it because it was the act of thinking of her that meant the most.

Well into her 80s and 90s, Doris kept up an active social life, and broad social circle.  When she eventually left my parents street to move into an apartment building, she would look after others in the building, always paying particular attention to those who she thought seemed lonely.  Losing her mobility never stopped her either.  She still made trips into downtown Peterborough, on her scooter, to buy gifts for everyone.

This Christmas, I was planning to visit Doris, and bring her a small gift - a box of coloured chocolates, the kind she used to keep in a glass jar for Brad and I to nibble on as kids.  My mom told me she wasn't doing well, that she'd been on oxygen in the hospital, and was in a lot of pain, but the day before our arrival, she had shown signs of improvement, and her son-in-law told us we could visit.

Well, unfortunately, we never made it in to see her.  Doris passed away peacefully in her sleep the morning before our arrival.    I can only hope she knew how special she was to me.  Her presence in my life was such a gift, and she will be greatly missed.

It's in her memory that I want to spend this year expressing my gratitude to others.  In Doris's honour, I am embarking on a year-long gratitude project.

Each week, for the entire year of 2016, I will mail out one card addressed to a person for whom I am grateful (that's 52 cards!).  These people, in one way or another, have touched my life for the better, and I wish to thank them personally.

If you receive a card, please know it is because you were on my mind, and I wish to thank you for being a part of my life.

I am sure I could send several cards for every day of the week, for years to come, if I were to actually thank every single person dear to me, so please do not be offended if a card does not come your way. I'm hoping to reach out to persons I may not have spoken to in a while, as well as thanking those I rely heavily on (you know who you are!)  I also want to surprise myself with who I pick (don't ask me how I plan to do that..."spontaneous thank you card giving"- I like to call it)

Once a card has been sent, I plan to add the recipients name to my list here to, once again, share my gratitude.

I hope this project (the idea of which I cannot take credit - thank you Chapters gift card section!) will brighten the days of those who receive a card, but also brighten many others days as they reflect on who it is they have to be grateful for in their own lives, and perhaps choose to share that gratitude in one form or another.

Thank you, thank you, thank you.

1. Marilyn McFarlane
2. Melissa Wallace
3. Jane Morrison
4. Janette Walcott
5. Jodie Turi
6. Megan Brown
7. Sarah Gillespie
8. Lindsay Reynolds
9. Kersten Samolczyk
10. Karina Barker
11. Alexis Spisani
12. Medrie Purdham
13. Leanne Tovey
14. Jen Thomas
15. Helen Provost
16. Claudia
17. Kelly
18. Patricia Lee
19. Melissa
20. Heather Wray
21. Lynne Fitzgerald
22. Carole
23.
24.
25.
26.
27.
28.
29.
30.
31.
32.
33.
34.
35.
36.
37.
38.
39.
40.
41.
42.
43.
44.
45.
46.
47.
48.
49.
50.
51.
52.