A Gift to Cherish

 

One of my favorite pictures is that of my niece Jeridee around the age of three, sitting on a child-size easy chair.  She is wearing a red and white checkered shirt and denim overalls.  Her long brown hair is in two braids tied with red ribbons.  She has a huge smile on her face.  Every time I come across that picture, my heart melts all over again and I can't help smiling
back at the little girl in the picture.  Needless to say, she had me wrapped around her little finger from the day she was born and I held her in the hospital.  Jeridee and I share that special bond that aunts and nieces have.  Where have the years gone? 

This week, I was emailed a picture that has melted my heart once again – that of Jeridee’s little girl, who was born two weeks ago.  This little girl is dressed in pink, laying on a pink ruffled quilt with a pink head band on her little bald head.  I can’t believe that little girl with the braids in the picture is now a mother herself.  Time certainly does march on and life continues to move forward (sometimes too quickly).  

So it is that our family received the precious gift of another baby girl. Jeridee and her husband became the proud parents of Maelle Calixte.  This is their first child and it was not an easy journey into parenthood for them.  The end result, however, was worth the months of disappointment, frustration and sadness.  This little girl is perfect.

When Jeridee and her husband picked out the middle for their new daughter, they chose it because they liked it and it went so well with her first name, and because  both names are very French which appealed to the couple.  In one of life’s funny little quirks,  Jeridee was not aware that Calixte was the first name of her great-grandfather!  She was surprised when her mother told her this.  So, although it was not intended, little Maelle carries the name of her great-great grand-father and that shared name is now a connection between generations, a reminder of where we come from and who our ancestors are.  When she is old enough and sees pictures and hears stories of this ancestor who has the same name as her, she will feel the bond of family – even though that family member came and went many years before she was born.  We, the rest of her family, now have a reason to hang on to our memories of him, the pictures we have and the stories we know because suddenly it is important for her to know and we feel the responsibility of sharing this with her.  I never realized before this how a name can connect generations and encourage families to keep the memories alive of those no longer with us.  My sister ( Jeridee’s mother) and I have many memories of our grandfather which we will share with Maelle. 

As we welcome Maelle, this treasured gift, into our family and look forward to her future, we also look back into the past and acknowledge those who walked the path before us.  A new child in our family, a new reason to reflect on our ancestors . . .  it’s a good thing.

Vote Today!

Today is civic election day.  Make sure you cast your vote!  Our right to take part in a democratic election should not be taken lightly.  This is your opportunity to have a say in the way our city is run and managed.   If you are satisfied with the decisions of this Mayor and council, then get out and vote to keep them in power.  If you are not happy with the way things are being dealt with at the civic level, go to the polls and help elect new people into these positions.  As well, the Catholic School board and Saskatchewan Rivers School board elections take place at the same time.  Again, make your views known by casting a ballot.

            If you decide not to take the time to vote today, listen to the news and see what has happened around the world over the past couple years.  In the Middle East, South America and Africa, people have protested, demonstrated and have even been killed in their quest to gain the freedoms we take for granted.  They have put their lives on the line for the right to vote and the right to live in a democracy.  We have an influx of immigrants who have arrived in Prince Albert over the past few years.  If you have a chance to speak to new Canadians, ask them how they feel about their newly-found right to vote.  They will all tell you, some with tears in their eyes, how fortunate we are to live in a democracy where we choose our leaders and what a wonderful gift we have in the ability to vote for a federal, provincial and civic government every four years.  Most will also tell you they cannot believe how we take this freedom for granted. Rest assured they will be voting - they know far too well what it means to not have the opportunity to vote

            So, take a few minutes and exercise your right – and freedom – to mark your ballot.   Show your pride in living in a democracy by taking part in deciding who our leaders will be.        

During the last federal election, there was a movement called “Rock The Vote”.  It encouraged people, especially young people, to go out and vote.  Today, let’s Rock The Vote in Prince Albert and surrounding area.  Let’s increase the voter turn-out, which has been so low in recent civic elections.  This is your chance to make a decision that will affect our city and how it is run.  Having a say in who runs your city . . . it's a good thing!

Lily

Each year, we reflect on the things we are most thankful for as we celebrate Thanksgiving Day.  This year was no different – we all have so many things to be thankful for.  We live in a country where we enjoy the ability to work, worship and enjoy life.  The majority of us have access to good housing, clean water and plenty of delicious food.   However, our family had a reason to be even more grateful for our good fortune this year.

            My niece gave birth to a little girl three weeks ago.  Because her doctors had found that she had a major heart defect prior to her birth, Lily was born in Winnipeg where she could be close to specialists.  At only four days old, she was flown from Winnipeg to Edmonton’s Stollery Children’s Hospital where she underwent open heart surgery.  It was a difficult and lonely vigil for her Mom and Dad who were with her throughout her hospital stay.  It is gruelling to watch your child lay in a hospital crib and is even more difficult if you are far from home and without family close by to lend support.  Never far from our thoughts throughout that week, our family hoped for a quick recovery and prayed that her parents would be given the strength they needed to see this through.

            Lily proved to be a fighter.  Her doctors ordered sedatives for her so that she would remain sleeping during the crucial days immediately after her surgery, however Lily did not want to sleep.  She fought the effects of the drugs and was awake a great deal of the time.  She is a fighter and her true spirit showed through.  With youth and determination on her side, she began the process of healing.  Each day she became stronger. 

            Last week, she and her parents were flown back to Winnipeg where Lily will continue to recover in the hospital there until she is ready to go home.  So it was that our family enjoyed a special Thanksgiving Day knowing that our little girl is mending and will soon be home with her parents and big brother.  Sometimes the things you are the most grateful for are not the material things we work so hard for, or the items we buy for entertainment or relaxation.  Sometimes the life of a little girl placed in the hands of a medical community is the greatest gift of all and the one we are the most grateful for. 

            I hope your Thanksgiving week-end was perfect and that those you love were close by and safe.  Knowing that your loved ones are safe and well taken care of . . . it's a good thing!

Our Angel

This is a picture of my great-nephew, Ty, sitting with his Great-Grandmother, my Mom. We didn't know it at the time, but the pictures we took of Ty that night would be the last ones we would ever take of him. Yesterday, September 28, would have been Ty's 12th birthday. He has been gone for eight years. Ty was born on the anniversary of my Dad's death (Ty's great-grandfather). From the day he was born at Sick Children's Hospital in Toronto, Ty was special. When his Mom and Dad brought him home , he was fragile but determined to live. And live he did! To know Ty was to love him. Everyone who met him fell under his spell. There was something special about the little boy who fought so hard to live those first few months, and then lived so hard for the next three-and-a-half years. He became an active toddler, and fooled us all into thinking that everything was ok with him. He began pre-school and enjoyed playing with the other children, and going to school just like his big sister. Then, as suddenly as he had come into our lives, he left. I don't think any of us realized his impact until his funeral. The church was overflowing with people who came to remember him. He touched the lives and hearts of so many people. Perhaps Ty's entire reason for being here for those short three-and a half years was to remind us that there are angels and there is a heaven, and that sometimes angels come to visit us - but only stay for a short while. Although, for his family, letting him go was the most difficult thing to do, knowing that we were truly touched by an angel and we will see him again . . . it's a good thing.

Autumn Begins

During the past couple of weeks, we have witnessed the transformation of summer into fall.  The days are shorter, the nights are cooler and the leaves are beginning to turn colour.  Life seems to return to normal and routines are observed once again after the laid-back summer season.

Autumn was my Dad’s favourite time of year.  I never did agree with his choice of favorite season, as to me fall is a stark reminder that winter is coming.  I have to admit, however, it does have a beauty which must be appreciated. Walking or driving down tree-lined streets shimmering in gold and red is breath taking.  In gardens and backyards, the view turns from green to multi-coloured.  Bringing in produce from the garden, emptying flower pots and raking leaves are melancholy reminders to enjoy those last few days of beautiful weather before winter winds start to blow. 

 My vision of autumn is one of my dad raking leaves and stopping to lean on his rake to tell me how this is his favourite season. That picture of him is ingrained in mind forever.  He loved fall.  He enjoyed the change in weather from the hot days of summer to the crisp, clean air of autumn. Perhaps fall was the only season he really could take the time to enjoy.  As a farmer, spring was busy with calving and seeding, summer with all the demanding work of farming, fall with its tension-filled days of harvesting, and winters meant cold days of feeding cattle and getting things ready for spring.  Once harvest was completed, he had time to enjoy nature and to appreciate fall days.

 My dad died in fall. Today is the anniversary of his death. The day of his funeral, my older sister and I commented to each other how fitting it was his life ended in the season he loved.  As we buried him, red and gold leaves flew, and the air was crisp and clean.  Harvest was done.  Dad’s work was completed. 

Over the years since he passed away, autumn is the time of year I feel closest to Dad and when my memories of him are the strongest. As I rake leaves, clean flower beds and bring in the garden, my mind races back over the many fall seasons I enjoyed with him.  Without fail, every year when red and golden leaves blow across the yard and the air turns cool, in my mind’s eye I see Dad, leaning on his shovel wearing that old flannel-lined denim jacket, telling me that fall is his favourite time of year.  Having special memories for special seasons . . . it's a good thing!

An Angel In Our City

I attended a very special ceremony last week.  The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Award was presented to Prince Albert’s only recipient,  Marie Mathers-Ross.  This award is being presented to deserving people across Canada to mark the 60th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth’s reign. 

I have known Marie for approximately ten years and she has never ceased to amaze me with her generosity and commitment to helping others.  She has resided in Prince Albert since 1966.  Since then, many organizations and individuals in Prince Albert, and indeed, across Saskatchewan, have benefited from Marie’s extensive leadership skills, expertise and enthusiasm.   Marie continually gives of herself to her community. She volunteers a great deal of time and puts tremendous effort into everything she does. 

She works diligently with the Royal Canadian Legion, the Federal Prison Officers’ Club of Saskatchewan and the Federal Superannuates Association of Prince Albert and District.  She does so because she believes it is extremely important to honour those who have worked and sacrificed to permit us to have the quality of life we now enjoy.   Marie has also worked extensively with the St. John Ambulance and the Provincial Emergency Measures Organization.

Marie has always been a strong advocate for newcomers to our city.  She is fluent in English, French, German and Yiddish, which is beneficial when working with families who have chosen to make Prince Albert their home.  These skills and talents are also put to good use as a member of the Prince Albert Multicultural Association, the Prince Albert Housing Authority and the Welcome Wagon in facilitating their integration into our community.

Marie’s sharing heart, compassionate soul and commitment to the most vulnerable in our community has led her to work with the Prince Albert Food Bank, the Downtown Improvement Association and the Prince Albert Council of Women. Marie was very involved with Girl Guides and the Boy Scouts of Canada for over forty years.  She assumed many roles in the scouting movement. 

Marie has received many awards in recognition of her outstanding contributions throughout her lifetime.  She has been the recipient of the scout’s movement’s Good Service to Scouting and Medal of Merit.  She was honoured with the Saskatchewan Volunteer Medal.  The Prince Albert YWCA’s Women of Distinction honoured her with the Lifetime Achievement Award.  She has received the Council of Women’s Certificate of Recognition of Women Leaders in Prince Albert.  As well, she has received the Saskatchewan Centennial Medal.

Throughout all of these years of service to her community, Marie was a wife and a mother of a large family. 

 The last few years have seen Marie struggle with health issues and surgeries, but still she continues to give of herself.  I have seen her come home from Saskatoon after a medical procedure and, rather than rest, head off to one of her many meetings.  She books her meetings and hours of volunteerism around her doctor appointments. 

As I watched Marie, her tiny frame sitting on the huge official chair at City Hall, it struck me again how one person can make a difference in the world.  I admire her strength in the face of the many struggles she has dealt with and her commitment to her community.  She understands how the actions of one person can change the life of another. 

Congratulations, Marie, on this well-deserved recognition.  You are truly an angel and we in Prince Albert are fortunate to have you working for us.  Special people receiving well-deserved recognition . . .  it's a good thing!

Labour Day

As we enjoy the extra day off this long week-end, I think it is important to remember the reason we observe Labour Day.  In Canada, we have celebrated Labour Day since the 1880’s and we have observed it on the first Monday in September since then.   This is a time to remember the sacrifices and vision of those who came before us and fought for many of the benefits we now take for granted – things like a forty-hour week, an eight-hour day,  sick leave and maternity leave. 

The labour unions were the first to advocate the “eight-hour movenment” – eight hours for work, eight hours for recreation and eight hours for rest.   Because of the efforts in this regard of the Toronto Trades Asssembly, made up of twenty-seven unions, our first Prime Minister, Sir John A. Macdonald, repealed anti-union laws and the first Trade Union Act was passed in 1873. 

Labour Day is very important to union members all over the world and is celebrated world-wide, although not all on the same day.  The majority of countries who celebrate Labour Day site  its origin as the fight for the eight-hour day and also celebrate all the other benefits gained over the years after that.  We now enjoy good working conditons and fair wages which contribute to a better way of life for all of us.

Even those who are not members of a union should appreciate the actions of organized labour that have led to all of us being treated fairly and with respect in the work place.  It was because of the pressure excerted by the members of organized unions that even non-unionized work places began to offer eight-hour days and forty-hour weeks.  We now enjoy many other benefits, no matter where we work and no matter if we are affliated with a union or not.

Many people see the Labour Day week-end as the end of summer and the start of the new school year.  People who have cabins at the lake often close down their summer place on this week-end.  And of course, in Saskatchewan, we cheer on our Riders in the annual Labour Day Classic against the Blue Bombers.  Parents often use this week-end to spend leisurely quality time with their children before the mad rush of school and extra-curricular events and sports begin.  Whatever your plans are for this week-end, I hope you enjoy it and have a wonderful time.  I also hope you take a moment to reflect on the reason we celebrate this week-end and to appreciate the lifestyle we enjoy because of it.