A frail elderly man went to live with his son, daughter-in-law and 4-year-old grandson. The family knew it was time for him to move home because his hands trembled, his vision was no longer sharp and sometimes his step faltered.

The newly minted family of four was patient with one another, but mealtimes were difficult. The grandfather would spill food and, on several occasions, drop a plate or a teacup, which shattered on the floor. One evening, after several accidents at the dinner table, the grandson watched in silence as his parents removed his grandfather’s plate and gave him a wooden bowl.

The next day, the father noticed his son playing with his wooden building blocks on the floor.

“What are you making?” he asked sweetly.

“I am making a little bowl for you and Mama to eat your food in when I grow up,” the boy said, just as sweetly. The child smiled and went back to work.

The parents were speechless. Though no word was spoken, both of them knew what must be done. 

That evening, the boy’s father sat even closer to his own father and gently guided him throughout the meal. From that moment on, neither the husband nor wife seemed to care when a fork dropped, milk spilled or when the tablecloth got soiled.

As a family, they learned that patience, care and empathy were pure reflections of love.

On Thanksgiving, our thoughts and memories can become flush with the remembrance of family, friends and food. Year after year, we seem to assemble the same group of family and friends, in a warm home filled with the familiar smell of pecan pie, mashed potatoes, stuffing and other humid aromas.

Somehow, we manage to make the Thanksgiving scene the same. Sometimes the people change - elders pass, and new babies arrive - and sometimes the locations change, but we always re-create the same scene. You know you will catch a glimpse of someone’s fingers glistening with turkey grease. You know someone will twirl and unfurl the linen tablecloth which only emerges once a year.

Thanksgiving is like a genetic trait, handed down from generation to generation. This year, as you're enjoying the sights, sounds and aromas of Thanksgiving, please know I am deeply thankful for the traditions we continue to share!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Did you know that Sept. 21 is International Gratitude Day?

I’m certainly grateful for having autumn creeping upon us. The nights aren’t as warm as they were even a few weeks ago and stores have already begun stockpiling everything pumpkin-related.

However, I’m also grateful for something much more traditional as many people return to school in the fall—teachers. We are constantly learning—from the time we are born to our last days. This learning occurs not just in a classroom for the first 18 or so years of life, but also as young adults finding our way in the world, as parents and grandparents, and late in life when we have more time to spare and choose to learn something purely for ourselves.

I am most appreciative of the teachers who turn up when we are not looking to learn something new. Those unexpected teachers come out of nowhere. They are the elderly ladies with time to chat, the child who surprises us with insight that many adults overlook, and the average person who takes the time to explain a process, in common terms, that is specific to his or her field of expertise.

Who are the unexpected teachers in your life? Have you told them that they positively changed you, irrevocably, by teaching you something new? Perhaps this would be a good week to share your gratitude.

A teacher who made a difference at some time in your life would probably appreciate a simple card, an unexpected phone call, or even an email from you. This gesture might just lead to a larger conversation and a deeper friendship. If nothing else, you made someone’s day with a positive comment by simply expressing your gratitude. After all, one of the first things we are taught in preschool or kindergarten is to say, “Thank you.”

In Gratitude,
Gino Pezzani
DIEN Realty
604-418-9366

Most successful people know you can’t rely on luck and achieve results that are both predictable and reliable. It may be possible to have an occasional victory, but most successful endeavors require more than luck and superstition.

But what role does luck play?

A 2010 study published in the journal Psychological Science found that superstitions are typically seen as inconsequential creations of irrational minds. Nevertheless, many people do things like search for four-leaf clovers, hang horseshoes or avoid walking under ladders.

Present research reveals performance benefits of superstitions are realized from underlying psychological mechanisms.

Experiments show it is not a magical power that improves results, but good old-fashioned beliefs and behavior that combine to create changes in perceived self-efficacy, confidence, and increased task persistence. So, the next time you are looking for a little extra help, remember to believe in yourself and keep going!

On July 12, 1932, almost a century ago, player Babe Ruth set a jaw-dropping world record of 137 career home runs. But the lore that still surrounds the ballplayer is often remembered more than his incredible stats. Did he really point to the outfield and “call” where he was going to hit a home run in the 1932 World Series? Some sports reporters said he did; he later claimed he was merely pointing toward the scoreboard to insult the Cubs.

Whether or not the legend is true, the attitude behind that gesture is one I sincerely hope you adopt this summer.

Do you remember being seven or eight years old during summer vacation? You knew what you were going to do: play outside… eat popsicles… maybe just sit in front of the fan. It was remarkably easy to point and say what you were going to do. Of course, part of that was likely because— let’s face it— eating a popsicle isn’t exactly tough work.

However, the simplicity of voicing your plan is worth acknowledging. Not just hoping that something might push you to create a goal, but telling the world ‘this is my plan’ turns a daydream into a possibility. Pointing to your goal makes it very real.