Consonance and dissonance weren’t that bad after all!

Consonance and dissonance usually describe sounds—first the pleasantness and the second harshness. In terms of feeling, however, consonance doesn’t explain much, but dissonance does. For example, when we take a conflicting action that challenges our established value and/or belief system, we create dissonance to ourselves.

This was the kind of feeling Dev (my husband) and I experienced on the Thanksgiving Day this year. For the first time after 39 years in North America, we're left ourselves on this Day. There was no turkey and nobody was invited at our home. This created a lot of cognitive dissonance in Dev and me. 

Killing a bird for our enjoyment wasn't a joyful thing to do, but that was happening for all these years nevertheless. So, when Dev and I finally decided not to do the turkey, we felt relieved and sad at the same time!


We had to do something to shake our feelings, so we drove to St. Andrew by the sea, and for the first time in our entire life, we went through the Hanwell road. It turned out, it was the best decision we made. The trees on both sides of the roads from Hanwell Road to the Sea were spectacular! Dev and I were breathless from the amazing fall-colours.

New Brunswick is at its best during the short period of fall when there are a few cold snaps but no heavy rain or wind. And, it was just that for us!

In the evening, our children Face-timed with us, so we got to see and chat with all three of them. They told us that the brother cooked most of the dinner at the elder sister’s home and they had dissert and tea at the younger sister’s place. What a blessing it was for our children and us!