Yesterday was Christmas in November. Almost every community had various Christmas markets going on, Harrison Hot Springs had its opening night of Lights on the Lake with entertainment and fireworks and historic Downtown Abbotsford had it's Winter Jubilee, complete with Mr. and Mrs. Santa Claus, and the Grinch. I raced back from Harrison Hot Springs to Abbotsford yesterday afternoon for the opening of the Winter Jubilee at 4 PM so that I could welcome visitors from the stage as president of the Downtown Abbotsford Business Association. The crowd was small, my welcome was brief. Are people afraid of the rain that was predicted, I asked myself. But then the crowd started growing. And growing. Perhaps they delayed to intentionally miss my welcome speech. But then the crowds grew. And grew. And soon the streets were filled with booths, vendors, children's activities, music from various venues, including the main stage, and people. Lots of people. The lineup to see Santa was immense. I considered entering the lineup to once again ask Santa for what I have asked for my entire life . Charm and good looks. But Santa has always failed to deliver and this time the lineup was way too long. And it just seems wrong to sit on Santa's lap at this time of my life. As I left early to head back to an event in the Agassiz area, I walked against the flood of people who were still entering the downtown. In my estimation, the event was a massive success. We provided a Christmas experience to thousands of people in The Abbotsford area and an opportunity to showcase our businesses, both new and old. I have been involved in the downtown Abbotsford Business Association for about 23 years and president for several of those years and I am immensely proud of the professionalism of last nights event. I have only gratitude for our staff, volunteers, sponsors, and businesses that took part. The only downside of the evening was that in order to play my very small role in the Abbotsford event I missed the opening of Lights on the Lake in Harrison, which apparently brought thousands of people, a phenomenal firework show, and the entertainment of such great musicians as Todd Richard and the TR band If only there were two of me . There's a thought that will give my wife nightmares. I have posted before that one of my few extravagances and one that my wife, Pam finds particularly irritating, is my collecting of automobiles, although I sense that the writing is on the wall for at least a couple of our cars, or perhaps me.
Suffice it to say that the vehicles that I drive are ones that I find attractive in an automotive sort of way. I like the style of the vehicles, both front and back. Over the last few years it has become apparent to me that many people like the look of the back end of my vehicles. This morning I needed to take a fast trip from Harrison to Abbotsford and then back to Harrison, my goal being to get back to Harrison in time for the Bands on the Beach festival which includes one of my favorite musicians Harrison local Todd Richard. In honor of his upcoming performance, I headed out of Harrison in the mustang convertible, which has only Todd Richard CDs in it, and they were playing loudly. As I drove towards the freeway, I had a pick up truck behind me, that was highly attracted to the back end of my Mustang, in fact, so attracted that I couldn’t see his headlights at various times. Now I may not be good at intimacy, particularly vehicular intimacy, but a vehicle traveling so close to me on the highway, or the freeway, which has been happening so often lately, causes me great concern. In fact, my usual procedure is to speed up and enter the right hand lane at my first opportunity to let the affectionate follower move on past me. This seems to happen no matter what vehicle I’m driving and it makes me wonder if the drivers, who are usually driving big pick up trucks or SUVs ever took driver training and understand about the time it takes to stop a vehicle if there’s an emergency brake situation. Driving skills seem on the decline, as is general common sense. As I continued my trip towards Abbotsford, I came upon a jeep which had a big banner across the back of it. The air blowing through it made it difficult to see the top, but I did make out that the first word started with an F. The word below it was Trudeau, and there was apparently an upstretched middle finger showing in the middle of the banner. I believe that everyone is entitled to their political views, but the expression and the banner is offensive to most people who were raised in polite families. Don’t misunderstand. I have no problem with someone having that political sentiment. It’s the expression of it in that manner that I find rude. I’m not clear whether the driver thinks that people are going to change their vote, because they are suddenly convinced by his banner, or he just wants to vent and express himself. When I drove by in the convertible (yes, I was speeding when I passed him) I thought of raising my middle finger high in the air, which would not be hidden by the roof of any vehicle to express my view of his upbringing, that he feels that this is a civil way to express an opinion. Then I remembered that I have never given “the finger” to anyone. I was raised that way, and I only have a few more years to keep my record unblemished. I don’t want to disappoint my deceased mother. Incidentally, this is not intended to be a partisan post. I have never voted for Justin Trudeau, or any of his local candidates. My comment is directed at the civility and patience of people in terms of the way they express their views and how they drive. Would their mother approve? Would their driver training instructor? Drive safely (and not too close to the car ahead of you) this week end. And if you are in the Harrison area, come to the village and enjoy Bands on the Beach Happy Thanksgiving. Of course this is a time to express gratitude for family, friends and good health. But also a time to be thankful for living in Canada, where there are no bombs falling from the sky and we are not at risk of imprisonment for what we say, think or wear. And not only am I thankful to live in Canada but I am especially grateful to live in British Columbia, particularly the Fraser Valley. The photos are from Harrison Hot Springs where we are blessed with exceptional natural beauty and a soul inspiring arts and music scene. The unexpected extended summer doesn’t hurt either. Enjoy your day! As we finally enter the lazy, crazy days of summer and try to find time to enjoy the sun and summer activities it sometimes seems that life becomes even busier. Yesterday I raced around with work commitments, a council meeting and finding time to enjoy one of my favourite summertime activities, the Harrison Arts Festival. Last evening we attended poetry and prose readings at the Harrison Corner Cafe. Very impactful readings in a very suitable venue. And a very quiet contrast to the LOUD but enjoyable dance music of two of the three previous nights concerts. A great festival. But even though the readings were quiet and reflective, after a day of racing around trying to make my schedule work to attend the readings, my mind was still racing, even though my body was relatively still. A brief walk after the readings brought me to this view. My favorite view in Harrison is looking up the lake at a sunset while standing in front of the resort. Looking at the sunset over the mountain that usually still has snow on it reminds me of my own (insignificant) place in the universe and puts daily concerns into perspective. It is calming. Last evening looking up Harrison Lake over the lit fountain and up the Lake gave me the same sense of perspective and calm. The buzz of the day was gone. That’s one of the reasons I love Harrison
This is a photo my beautiful wife, Pam, took last night of beautiful Harrison Lake. I have decided to use it as my new profile cover photo. Unfortunately the profile picture of my aged yet airbrushed face blocks the best part of the Harrison sun set. Oh well, not the first time my face has diminished nature’s beauty. A Journal of the Covid 19 year. I have just returned from one of my many daily walks along the the lakeside street of Harrison Hot Springs. It is so surreal to walk along the lake and by empty closed businesses that you usually see bustling with visitors this time of year.
Perhaps because tomorrow would have been my 65th birthday if I had not decided to cancel and delay it for five years because of the virus, or perhaps because of the much greater time that we are all spending in our homes now, I find myself much more reflective and thinking about growing up in Levack, Ontario, a town of 3,100 just a little bigger than Harrison Hot Springs). I hope that being reflective of your past is not a sign of impending death. In any event, my walks today remind me of every Sunday in the small town that I grew up in . At that time there was a provincial statute in Ontario requiring Sunday closure. Although I always recognized the problem with imposing a day of rest based on on one faith on citizens of many faiths and often no faith, I did lament the change in the law allowing Sunday openings. Sunday closures created a day when family members would generally be together, rather than individually racing around to jobs and other commitments like all of the other days of the week. The Covid 19 virus shutdown of most businesses has created that situation every day of the week and reminded me of the closed Sundays of my youth. Don’t misunderstand, I like shopping and being busy on Sundays. The extra day of work has probably improved our collective material wealth. I am a much wealthier consumer because of it. And yet if there is one positive result of this gloomy virus pandemic, it is the forced creation of time for family and reflection. Maybe one day per week of that wouldn’t be so bad. The present pandemic is life changing for all of us, whether it impacts our health, negatively impacts our savings, businesses and income, or just significantly changes our behaviour. I am preparing to conduct my five weekly UFV classes online (I had planned to die or retire before I had to yield to technology in the delivering of my courses). Our law office is operating in a significantly reduced and social distance compliant manner. My family, rather than travelling or skiing at Whistler, is cocooned in the house for spring break and possibly several weeks after. And as I exercised by walking around a near empty Harrison Hot Springs ( in contrast to yesterday’s crowds of people who came to walk along the water) I found myself in numerous conversations with pleasant people that stood a couple of metres away from me.
All of the above is manageable. Life will return to some form of normal and eventually one will recover from the financial impacts on business and savings. Of course inconvenience and business setbacks are minor compared to those who will suffer the more serious health impacts from the virus and I pray for the best for my family and friends and express my hope that all Facebook friends remain safe and healthy. I do want to express my concerns for those suffering the economic impact of the virus. I understand that many people forced by circumstances to close down or severely restrict their businesses are being forced to close their income source, their life’s work and their dreams and that perhaps many of those small businesses will not be able to reopen. I know that many people have already suffered layoffs from their jobs and their will be many more in the near future. With so many people living paycheque to paycheque I know that this income disruption will be devastating to many families. I hope that we as a society can manage as much compassion as possible for the victims of the virus whether it be in their health or their financial security. Having driven early this morning from Harrison Hot Springs to Abbotsford to drop Lauren off for a sleep over I then spent my morning at the Farmer’s Market, the Abbotsford Pride festivities, shopping and then returned to my happy place, Harrison Hot Springs. Our house is half a block from the beach and this is a poor quality photo up the lake from the beach (iPhones take poor photos). I enjoy walking the beach several times a day and at dusk when I look up the lake I see the most awesome sunset behind the layers of mountains that jut into the lake. The view always holds me and causes me to stop and contemplate. It is a “pit stop” on the racetrack of life. The view of the sunset over this piece of creation/nature always helps me put my own life, priorities and concerns in perspective. In short it reminds me of how insignificant they are. It is very focusing. Now I know that the world is filled with awesome pieces of nature that cause introspection and contemplation. I know that there are many such views in BC and Canada.. I know that there are magnificent and contemplation causing views in Northern Ontario. And in Saskatchewan....... wait maybe not Saskatchewan. I got carried away in my hyperbole My point is that such magnificent views allow us perspective and reflection. Tonight my wife Pam is in Kelowna, being about three hours from here. This is her third trip there this week. Her 100 year old grandmother is failing quickly and Pam wants to be there. Some of her functions are down to ten percent. Pam says that during a lucid period earlier in the day her grandmother spoke of people whom she had loved or been loved by during her life. Although not lucid now when she rouses she sees Pam beside her and smiles. Pam can’t leave her on that basis. Perhaps at death we all need the presence of someone who loves us. This is the third time Pam has sat with someone when they passed. She was with her mother and also my mother when she was dying. I am not good at something like that. I am always thinking about what I have to do next and would be rushing the poor departing soul. But Pam is good at this. Perhaps being a loving presence when someone passes is one of the more important roles in our lives. Maybe being such a loving presence is an accomplishment that at the end of our own lives helps justify the oxygen that we consumed during our years of acquiring whatever it is we foolishly focus on acquiring. This business of living and dying is quite complicated. Or maybe not. Maybe it just requires the reflection from looking up at my favourite sunset |
Posts copied from FaceBook.
Archives
January 2024
Categories
All
|