In the past I attended, even organized, family reunions and in my job at Bishop’s University alumni gatherings. It never occurred to me to get involved in a high school reunion, in a city I’d not lived in for decades with people I’d not seen for as many years. But after friends from my youth […]
FUN FACTS FRIDAYS: DECEMBER
December is special for many reasons. In this month we observe different festivals, for example, Bodi Day (Buddhist), Yule (Pagan), Hanukkah (Jewish), Christmas (Christian) and Kwanzaa (African-American). We count down to year-end and then celebrate New Year’s Eve. In the northern hemisphere the first day of winter, the shortest day of the year, occurs on […]
THE CONTAGION OF KINDNESS
Be kind. Be calm. Be safe.” Dr. Bonnie Henry, Provincial Health Officer for British Columbia Most BC residents can recite the three-pronged mantra that Dr. Henry introduced in March 2020 during her daily updates on Covid-19 to assuage our fears and anxiety about the pandemic. Her words combined science and compassion. Acts of kindness release […]
TV THURSDAYS: BORGEN IS BACK
The challenge in watching the best TV series is finding the next best. Several years ago Glen and I rued the conclusion of Borgen (the Castle), a nickname for Christiansborg Palace that houses Denmark’s Parliament, the Prime Minister’s Office and the Supreme Court. In three seasons we became well acquainted with Birgitte Nyborg, the (fictional) […]
LET THE TEARS FLOW
A few days ago our son told me about a disturbing conflict at English Bay. A stranger accosted him, shouting homophobic and racial slurs, spraying spittle at him. Brandon called 9-1-1. Then he behaved as his higher self; he didn’t take the man’s aggression personally, realizing he was acting from a place of pain. Brandon […]
THE TREASURE OF FRIENDSHIP
“To see a flower takes time, like to have a friend takes time.” Georgia O’Keeffe (1887-1986) July 30th is International Day of Friendship as proclaimed in 2011 by the UN to promote the idea that friendship between peoples, countries, and cultures can inspire peace efforts and build bridges between communities. Although the Day addresses large relationships, […]
THE FUN FACTOR
After completing an exercise to identify three each of my top values and strengths, I asked my brother Tim to reveal the same. Like me, he cited kindness, humility and integrity as essential values. When we went on to mention our strengths, however, I realized our exchange smacked of earnestness. I don’t take issue with […]
NATIONAL WAITSTAFF DAY 2022
Decades ago I got (well, my dad got me) my first job requiring a social insurance number: a waitress (the job title in my day) at The Waffle Shop in downtown Edmonton. In addition to learning how to take and place orders, balance a tray of food and beverages, clear tables, operate a cash register […]
MOTHERS REMEMBERED
Many thanks to the readers who responded to my invitation to participate in a special Mother’s Day post. The following list of remarks is organized, alphabetically, by the first name of the contributor: Al Frank: I grew up in the era of June Cleaver (“Leave it to Beaver”) and Harriet Nelson (“Ozzie and Harriet”) who […]
WORLD BOOK DAY 2022
Padmasree Warrior, founder of Fable, a platform for reading and online book clubs, notes “there is now growing evidence to support what I intuitively understood – reading is a powerful tool to improve mental wellness.” I’m confident reading — though not doom-scrolling — helped many of us stay sane during the years of pandemic restrictions. […]