Blog
Missing an Anniversary?
Jun
I was browsing through the various anniversaries I celebrate or ritualize in some way or another. There was a pattern. The joyous ones of birthdays and family celebrations such as Christmas, Thanksgiving and New Year’s included sharing with my friends, my family and food.
The sombre ones of deaths and more national moments such as Remembrance Day I honour quietly, respectfully and ‘showing up’ regardless of the weather. I don’t have personal experience with divorce, but I understand how that date can be met with mixed emotions each year.
I like to enjoy stretching myself. One way for me is to remember to pay attention to what isn’t there. It’s more challenging and more fun.
So I asked myself if I could identify an anniversary I don’t celebrate but would like to, what would it be?
I’d want it to be happy as that best represents my personality. I decided that it needed to be a specific day, but that day could be arbitrary – any date would work. Now, what anniversary was I missing? It took me a while.
I decided that I’d like to celebrate the good concepts I reference throughout the day; the complexity of nature, showing respect, my attitude, sharing love, having hope, and being grateful.
I have been doing this reflection for so long now that I barely notice when I do it.
So I decided to celebrate this pattern with a day of celebration in my daily life. For no particular reason other than the weather is probably still warm, I picked September 15. I’ll set aside some time, share it with at least one other person, and include a favourite dessert followed by a bold red wine. (To the wine aficionados amongst my regular readers, I’ll leave an appropriate time lapse between sweet/sugary and my glass of wine.)
Now, for a name. Ah, got it. ‘The Good Day.’
Please give this a bit of a think. What anniversary is missing from your life? What is stopping you from creating this personal day? Perhaps you could make it a joint day with someone else; a stranger, a friend or a family member. The person doesn’t need to be physically close by. Knock those barriers you might be setting for yourself.
I’m curious about your thoughts. Please share your bit of a think below.
Photo by Patti Black on Unsplash
If you enjoyed The Blog, please share it with others. Thanks.
And my thanks to St. Albert Seniors Association: 780-459-0433 for making this Blog possible.
Volunteer Blogger
You do some great blogs, Glenn. I enjoy them, thanks.
Thank-you for your kind words.
I was really stuck on this one. However our aunt and I do hope I have the correct one – I believe it was Aunt Hilda. She kept a list of the date that a friend or family member had passed away. On that date she would call the person whose spouse had passed because she knew it would be a sad day for them. I thought that it was one of the kindest gestures I’d ever heard.
What a wonderful ‘bit of a think’ to add to the discussion. Thanks.