A time of challenge and gratitude

Dave Veale, centre, with his parents and daughter outside his parents' home in Whitehorse before it was damaged by a neighbourhood explosion. Dave reflects on the catastrophe on what he is grateful for heading into the holidays.

As the holidays quickly approach, I cannot help but reflect on what there is to be grateful for. I’m learning, as you will read, the power of gratitude especially during challenging times. 

I am immensely grateful for my family, for my clients and friends, and for my colleagues.

I feel so blessed to be surrounded by wonderful people in work and in life, and for the good fortune that has allowed me to establish a home and a business on the beautiful East Coast of Canada.

A catastrophic event

This gratitude is all the more poignant with what has been unfolding for lately my parents. They were visiting us last month from Whitehorse when their neighbour’s house exploded, killing another neighbour. 

It was a catastrophic event for the neighbourhood. It shook me, and obviously rattled my parents. With the magnitude of the explosion, it significantly damaged their home as well as others.

But what struck me was the resilience and strength that emerged. I watched a CBC story about the neighbourhood rallying to help, underscoring the strength of the community there.

I was also struck by my parents, who kept an incredibly positive outlook while dealing with the aftermath from 4,000 kilometres away. They were far more positive than I, to be sure.

Admire their grace

I had to admire their grace, and I wondered if the difference between their outlook and my own had to do with the fact that they each have nearly eight decades of life experience behind them.

At the same time, they are dealing with the declining health and uncertainty that can come with advancing age.

I’ve found it all very remarkable. 

Of course, we are hardly alone: everyone has their own challenges.

As I have reflected on this, I am also reminded of the good fortune that surrounds me. When I wrote last month about Vision Coaching reaching its 18th year in business, the reaction from friends, colleagues and clients was truly heartwarming.

We enter 2024 with a feeling of strength and optimism, a sense that even bigger days are ahead for us and for the clients we serve.

I wish all of you a holiday season of joy and relaxation, and a new year filled with promise.

Take good care,

Dave Veale

Founder & CEO 

Vision Coaching Inc.

dave@visioncoachinginc.com