I’m in the middle of a 2-day video shoot for a project I’m working on for the 2010 Olympics and I’d like to use this blog today to express my gratitude.
I and a 3-person crew drove around Whitehorse yesterday interviewing Yukoners of all different ages and cultural backgrounds about what it means for them to live in this magnificent place. It was a mild day, thanks weather gods, and the sun even came out in the afternoon, giving us warmth and great lighting options. All went very smoothly.
One of the people I interviewed was a First Nations Elder, a man who is greatly respected by his own people as well as the larger community. He grew up in a small northern village where traditional ways are still practiced and though he likes Whitehorse he says living here makes him lazy.
“I can pick up the phone and someone will bring food to my house,” he said, chuckling. For a man who grew up living off the land, the “Delivery” option was a luxury that deprived him of exercise and outdoor activity.
When I asked him to sum up his experience of living in the Yukon in one word he said, “Gratitude.”
According to the dictionary on this computer, “gratitude” means “the quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness.”
To show appreciation for kindness and to return kindness.
The kindness I experienced yesterday was extraordinary. So many people willing, despite their reservations about being in front of a camera, to give. In turn, I was able to give back through kindness by being patient, enjoying their presence and encouraging their individual answers.
What gifts! The words “thank-you” fall short.
Inspiring Message of the Day: When I am full of readiness to show my appreciation for kindness and to return it, the gift of gratitude enriches my life. Thankfulness breeds joy.
