At Thanksgiving, I'm grateful for my incredible good fortune

Here’s a quick test: Were you born in North America? Were you born in the last 60 years? If you answered yes to both those questions, then unless you’ve encountered unusual pain, suffering or illness in your life, you’re probably like me: one of the luckiest human beings who has ever been alive.

Like many other Canadians, on Thanksgiving weekend I have much to be grateful for, including the fact that I was born in a safe and prosperous city and country at the greatest time in human history, a mostly peaceful period during which technology has dramatically improved both the quality and length of human life. There are literally billions of people who would trade places with me in a second. Many would swap the best day of their lives for the worst day of mine.

That incredible good fortune means I have no right to wish for anything and every reason to acknowledge, respect, help, welcome and support the people who haven’t been so lucky. I try to remember that every day, but especially at this time of year. Happy Thanksgiving.

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