Thanks....

[Jared Cameron]

It's one of the blessing of who we are and where we live.  The Autumn is such a wonderful time on the Rez.  In some cultures this is the end of the year.  The earth is dying.  The leaves change color and fall.  Mother earth goes through her cycle.  Plants are ready for harvest, the last of the fruit, all the fall vegetables   Corn, squash, pumpkins, beans.  There was a time when everyone in the village would have been hard at work harvesting.  Working together like one large extended family.  

These things still happen on the Rez.  Just on a smaller scale.  Families with small gardens in their yards harvest what they have.  We give thanks to mother earth for the harvest.  Kim spends time helping her family with their garden.  One year we'll get to having a garden of our own.  

It's always a busy time of year.  Between the harvest and Thanksgiving it seems that smaller things always get neglected.  This year was different though.   Kim had arranged for Thanksgiving dinner to include both her family and mine.  A birthday present she told me.     I've always put Kim and her need to spend time with her family first.  It's not that my family is less important.   It's just the ways its been.  

And then there was another surprise.  Collin called and offered to take my patrol Friday night.  Another birthday surprise.  I'm sure there was more to it, but it was nice to spend a Friday night with Kim, and to sleep in on my birthday.  

This year unlike other years I felt like I had so much more to be thankful for.  I have Kim, our families, everyone is healthy.  I have a job I enjoy.  And as always I have my extended family.  The pack.