Gratitude at Thanksgiving

The Shawnigan community has come together to listen to messages of gratitude, hope and generosity in advance of the Thanksgiving holiday.

On Thursday morning, the School gathered in Chapel for a special Thanksgiving service. Standing in front of an altar surrounded by and covered in donations for the local food bank, Reverend Jim Holland opened the service with a focus on diversity, reflecting on his recent visit to the Songhees Wellness Centre in Esquimalt, where he learned more about the history and culture of the Songhees people of South Vancouver Island.

“What really struck me was how blessed we are to live in a place with such a diversity of cultures,” he shared. “If you think about this community as a tapestry of beautiful threads, each one of us represents one of those threads. On Thanksgiving, as we think about the blessings in our lives, this gift of diversity that we live with is one of our greatest blessings. And as we think of our blessings, my hope is that they will inspire us not to want more but to think about how we, in our own little ways, can make the world a place where everyone gets to experience the same kind of blessings: enough food, water, energy, and a life lived with dignity and justice.”

Following Reverend Holland, Headmaster Larry Lamont drew attention to the journey that many members of the Shawnigan community have undertaken since term began.

“Well done for such a strong start to the year and for making it to the Thanksgiving break in good heart. For many of us, this has been a step into the unknown and we appreciate the support and kindness we have received along the way. There is much to reflect upon – from classroom challenges to new friendships, from Inter-house competitions to community gatherings.”

Mr. Lamont then encouraged the community to think of Thanksgiving not just as an annual festival but as a daily reminder.

“Thanksgiving is a wonderful time to gather annually with family and friends and to reflect on the blessings of the year gone by, but perhaps we should pause to reflect each day to give thanks for what we have. It is part of developing a generosity of spirit and daily sense of gratitude.”

He concluded by noting that Oct. 5 is World Teachers’ Day, a celebration of the vital contribution that teachers make to the education and development of young people. He encouraged the student audience to help bring the Chapel service to a close by giving thanks to Shawnigan staff for their support and kindness over the past month.

The food donations will be shared with the local food bank as the Shawnigan community sits down together on Thursday evening for a Thanksgiving dinner before the long weekend commences.