Thanksgiving Thoughts: Rethinking Alcohol

 🍂💭 Thanksgiving Thoughts: Rethinking Alcohol

It’s Thanksgiving weekend here in Canada 🇨🇦 — families gathering, Canucks game on, drinks flowing everywhere.

But I was reading a post about youth drinking, and something about it really hit me…
We keep saying “don’t do it” instead of helping young people understand it.

We don’t teach what alcohol actually does — how it can change your emotions, reactions, even your relationships.
We don’t teach how to spot when someone’s had too much, when things turn manipulative or unsafe.

In both Canada and Mexico, drinking is everywhere — parks, beaches, family tables.
And especially in Mexico, I’ve seen expats who never make it home, drinking daily, slowly fading away.
I see elders showing signs of dementia and disconnection, and no one talks about how long-term drinking plays a part.

I think it’s great to abstain — truly — but pretending that “just say no” works? It doesn’t.
Moderation, awareness, empathy — that’s the real lesson.

This Thanksgiving, maybe instead of another round, we start an honest conversation about why we drink, what it means, and how we can take care of each other. ❤️🍁

Stay tuned as I am going to do a series on this.

Thanksgiving Dream

AI helped

I had a weird dream..

 EXT. POINT GREY ROAD – DAY

I’m walking down Point Grey Road, the sun glistening on the ocean. The houses, those towering mansions, are lined with balloons and banners swaying in the breeze. A strange sense of celebration fills the air. People wave, smiling at me like I’ve been expected.

CROWD (in unison, joyful) We’ve been waiting for you! Welcome!

I stop, confused, but they surround me, their warmth undeniable. They gesture toward a Tiny House—just like the Tumbleweed model I used to dream of. It sits on a perfect patch of grass, as if it belongs there.

PERSON 1 (gesturing to the house) It’s yours! Just like you imagined it. Little house on wheels. Come, we’ve so much to show you!

They guide me closer, pointing out where everything will be hooked up to the local facilities—water, power, everything. A truck pulls up, overflowing with plants, fruits, vegetables, and treats, everything I could need to start a life here. They hand me a bike, fishing rods, and a toolkit—all of it feels too good to be real.

PERSON 2 (leading me inside the house) This is your home now. For as long as you want.

The inside is perfect. Every detail is as if it had been pulled from my dreams. Tears fill my eyes. Then, a familiar voice calls from behind.

VOICE Hi, Mama!

I turn. It’s my kid.

MY KID Guess what—I got one too! We’re gonna be neighbours!

We collapse into each other’s arms, laughing and crying. It’s everything I’ve ever wanted—peace, security, family. I can’t believe it’s real. But it is.

It really is

---

INT. ROOM – MORNING

I wake up suddenly. Silence. The light filters through the window. But there’s no heat. I’m wrapped in fleeces, buried under layers of blankets.

It was a dream.

The joy fades, replaced by the cold reality of my room. But the sun is shining, and I can hear the quiet outside. I take a deep breath, pulling the blankets tighter, giving thanks for just being alive. Thanksgiving morning.

Because this year…this year, so many I knew didn’t make it.

I close my eyes and whisper my gratitude to the universe. The dream still lingers. Maybe one day it will be more than just a dream.

Remember to Count Your Blessings!

Today is a day to remember how truly fortunate we are! This is my favourite scene -see video, although it's hard to choose and makes me cry just watching it. 
 

http://www.businessinsider.com/fact-vs-fiction-what-the-movie-the-blind-side-got-wrong-2011-5

I will watch the whole movie later as I snuggle in on this rainy Thanksgiving!! 

Sending you all love and light and us all, me, included to count our blessing! Hugs! 

HAPPY THANKSGIVING-Let me take you for a walk!

Thanksgiving- a beautiful time for giving thanks! But it can be hard, sometimes you can not be with the ones you loved, maybe your parents or partner have passed.

Maybe everyone is far away or you can not go to them. Maybe you are broke..I know a lot of people are and the whole Thanksgiving thing can be stressful because you can't afford all the fixings.

This holiday is all about gratitude. Take time to remind yourself what a beautiful world we live in. (I have to!) Take a walk in nature and give thanks for that!! Just to have freedom, clean air, green grass, trees, and if you live by the ocean or rivers that's a super bonus. WE ARE SO BLESSED!!

To be truthful Thanksgiving can be a sad time for me, while the leaves start to fall and it's very beautiful...the leaves are dying...and on the dark and dreary days like yesterday it can be depressing. This is the time of year that my dad passed, I was eleven. I remember after the funeral my aunt sending me out to rake the big maple leaves and telling us to go jump in them. We tried to have fun..but how could we.

What ever is stressing you, please remember, you are NOT alone. Many others are suffering or feeling the same grief, disappointment, stresses that you are feeling. You are not alone. Remember that! 

You have to force yourself. Sometimes, you have to! When it's dark and dreary do what I did, snuggle in, put on a good movie and remember tomorrow is a better day!!

And it is, today here in Kitsilano it's a gorgeous day and we will go for a lovely walk soon. I took the same walk a week ago and this is what I saw.

Come for a walk with me and HAPPY THANKSGIVING!
Remember you are not alone!  Sending love and light to you all!!
 

Photography by Tina Winterlik aka Zipolita © 2015

Photography by Tina Winterlik aka Zipolita © 2015

Photography by Tina Winterlik aka Zipolita © 2015

Photography by Tina Winterlik aka Zipolita © 2015

Photography by Tina Winterlik aka Zipolita © 2015

Photography by Tina Winterlik aka Zipolita © 2015

Photography by Tina Winterlik aka Zipolita © 2015

For Mikey- and everyone who loved him.
If you are wondering about the gargoyle...My friend passed a couple of years ago from pancreatic cancer. Very very sad, we were the same age and we really miss him.  Anyways he had a couple little gargoyles in his apartment. He was a very kind man and let me sublet that apartment when he went away to work and it helped me and Angel immensely.  While out for my walk I saw this gargoyle in a tree in someone's yard and snapped a couple of photos as it reminded me of him. I like to remember him and this is little sign he's still around and there if we need him. So if you are wondering that's why. Miss you Mikey!