The Warkworth Gratitude Project
What are you grateful for?
This past weekend marked the 10th Anniversary of the Warkworth Gratitude Project. The event coincides with Canadian Thanksgiving.
Warkworth is the charming little town I live near and the one I most associate with, having it as my closest village, part of my postal address, and encompassing the community I am closest to amid the three towns which make up the modern Municipality of Trent Hills in Eastern Ontario.
The idea behind the Gratitude Project is simple. It’s an expression of what you are grateful for.
A short history from the organizers
A decade ago a group of Gratitude Crusaders, got together, ripped up dozens of sheets and extra fabric for the community. The ribbons were distributed throughout the local shops with instructions for visitors to write what they are grateful for on them. Once their gratitudes were written, they were given the opportunity to display their ribbon around Main St. Over the course of the weekend, many ribbons were blowing in the wind with visitors stopping to take photos, read the inscriptions and add their own.
At the end of the event, each ribbon was removed, ironed and stored for the following year.
When we come to Thanksgiving Weekend, the process starts over again. BUT... We start with the hanging of the years past ribbons. Hundreds upon hundreds of ribbons are hung prior to the weekend by an amazing group of volunteers. Ribbons are dropped off at local shops and organizations.
Each year the event grows and grows. Each ribbon becomes an emblem of gratitude.
I made the photo above of ribbons hanging outside Centre on Main Chocolate which has its colourful logo painted on the side of their building. The event often coincides with the fall colours and on a sunny day the colourful leaves and backlit ribbons come alive, dancing in the breeze and spreading their message of gratitude and joy for the simple pleasures of life.
Each ribbon has some careful thought behind it. “I am thankful for my Mom,” one ribbon proclaims. Such simple but meaningful words, hung proudly for all to see.
The cloth ribbons are both colourful and tactile. It is almost irresistible not to go up to them and touch them. And there is really no reason to resist. They are meant to be handled, to be read. To be touched by them. To appreciate the universal sentiment of gratitude and to reflect upon what we are grateful for in our own lives.
Why Gratitude?
Most people know, but if you haven’t really thought about it, consider this:
Studies have shown that feeling thankful can improve sleep, mood and immunity. Gratitude can decrease depression, anxiety, difficulties with chronic pain and risk of disease. If there was a pill that could do this, everyone would be taking it. Your brain is designed to problem-solve rather than appreciate. - Mayo Clinic
Gratitude forces us to slow down and take stock of what is, rather than striving for what might be. When we do this, we become reflective. There is value in counting our blessings. To see in real time how lucky we truly are. There is so much trouble in the world. And as hard as our current life circumstance may be, there is always someone who is less fortunate than ourselves. This realization can provide us with humility and empathy for what others may be facing in their own lives. Gratitude makes us kinder, and the world needs more kindness, now more than ever.
The power of gratitude lies in its ability to completely change the way we see the world. We are conditioned to approach life from a place of scarcity – to compete with others and with ourselves. We believe there aren't enough resources to go around. - Tony Robbins
Community Photos
What I am grateful for
Losing a person close to you is one of the most stressful events a person can experience in life. My wife’s sudden illness and passing could have left me feeling bitter and hopeless, but on the contrary, I am filled with gratitude. I am grateful for the life we had together. I am grateful for the life we’ve had for the past 38 years in rural Ontario and the decade before that when we were the best of friends.
Perhaps I am still in a state of shock. Well, I know I am, but gratitude continues to hold me up in these early days of my grief. Last weekend, I added a ribbon to the Warkworth Gratitude Project, grateful for my life with Ruth. It’s just one ribbon in a sea of ribbons, in a sea of gratitude, but it is my ribbon and my gratitude and it counts for something, because as they say “gratitude is the attitude!”
Oh, and one other thing. The Gratitude Project has now spread to the nearby town of Campbellford. That’s the thing about gratitude. It’s infectious.
Thank you for reading my newsletter. As I am want to do, I will leave you with a tune.
Thank you for sharing about this marvellous and beautiful project, John! Amazing.