Today is Canada Day in this country. I honour and pay respect to the privilege and reality that I live on unceded aboriginal land, meaning that Aboriginal Title has neither been surrendered nor acquired by the government (Crown) and that our national anthem notes “our home and native land.”
Canada became a self-governing Dominion on July 1, 1867. That’s only 156 years ago. We are a very young country.
The First Nations people have been here for over 15,000 years. Our history with the People of the Land was not good long ago. It is not good now, as many in our land continue to reel at discoveries of unmarked graves of children on properties of former Residential Schools, and the ongoing reality of missing and murdered indigenous women continues to appall.
But there is hope in the gentle word “Mamawi” which is Cree for “All together” – a word which holds a hope that reconciliation can happen and that this country *can* heal. It will take intention. It will take time. It will take sacrifice. It will take work. But it is possible.
As we move into the next year of the history of this country of Canada, may we work to more fully respect the traditions of the First People of this land. May we honour their love of and care for the land, waters around it, the animals and life that live on our land and in the waters around. May we stop pointing fingers and recognize our role in the sense of helplessness, anger and fear by colonization and racism. May we find healing ways to acknowledge the hurt in our country’s history. And may we express gratitude for the good that is here. For there is good here.
Happy Canada Day, my friends. May it be a peaceful and safe day, mindful of our many blessings.
************** OUR NATIONAL ANTHEM: We are a bilingual country.
OUR NATIONAL ANTHEM IN ENGLISH “O Canada! Our home and native land! True patriot love in all of us command. With glowing hearts we see thee rise, The True North strong and free! From far and wide, O Canada, we stand on guard for thee. God keep our land glorious and free! O Canada, we stand on guard for thee. O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.
OUR NATIONAL ANTHEM IN FRENCH Ô Canada! Terre de nos aïeux, Ton front est ceint de fleurons glorieux! Car ton bras sait porter l’épée, Il sait porter la croix! Ton histoire est une épopée Des plus brillants exploits. Et ta valeur, de foi trempée, Protégera nos foyers et nos droits. Protégera nos foyers et nos droits.
OUR NATIONAL ANTHEM’S BILINGUAL VERSION O Canada! Our home and native land! True patriot love in all of us command, Car ton bras sait porter l’épée, Il sait porter la croix! Ton histoire est une épopée Des plus brillants exploits, God keep our land glorious and free! O Canada, we stand on guard for thee. O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.
My birthday was yesterday and it was one of those landmark birthdays. One of those “Oh my gosh how did I get here?” birthdays. One of those “I’ve outlived my parents and my siblings!” birthdays. One of those “I’m holding fast to Mark Twain’s words: ‘Age is a matter of mind. If you don’t mind, it doesn’t matter” birthdays. One of those “It does matter because it’s a reminder that I’m not getting any younger” birthdays. And at the same time, it’s also a reminder, as Debbie Reynolds sang in the musical “The Unsinkable Molly Brown” (https://genius.com/Debbie-reynolds-i-aint-down-yet-lyrics) that “I Ain’t Done Yet!” In other words, I’m still here which tells me there are things I have yet to do.
Birthdays rate quite high on the stress-test (which counts ‘distress’ and ‘eustress’) which is often surprising for many people. Birthdays can be HIGH’S: big celebration and they can be LOW’S: the stress of birthday prep; the stress of ‘to get a gift or not’ and if so, ‘what’ gift; the stress of past birthdays that were anything but happy.
I’m someone who asks questions. Then I reflect on my own questions. And when I do, I often come up with more questions because I believe that human beings are meant to bring meaning to life and that in asking questions, in reflecting, we come to know ourselves better, hopefully discover ways we can be better human beings and come closer to understanding the meaning of life for ourselves.
I think that there is ‘meaning’ connected with our birthday. If so, what does your birthday mean for you now? Think back – what did your birthday mean to you when you were five? Remember Danny Kaye singing “I’m five. I’m five. I’m a big boy now, I’m five!”https://www.letssingit.com/danny-kaye-lyrics-i-m-five-gl27rzc) or Barbra Streisand’s “I’m five. I’m five. I’m a big girl now, I’m five!” (https://genius.com/Barbra-streisand-im-five-lyrics)
What did your birthday mean when you were 13 – becoming a teenager? What about 18 / 21 – becoming an adult? What about turning 50 – half a century? What about turning 65 – retirement age? What about the decades / half-decades which follow: 70, 75, 80, 85, 90, 95, 100+?
I’ve discovered, to my surprise, that my birthdays at each of the above stages had a different meaning to me. This year, one of those decade/half-decade years, has a new meaning. And so I will be doing some self-reflection on the aging process, answer the above questions for myself, and set a goal for the coming year / coming half-decade: a goal that is achievable. At the end of the year/half-decade, I’ll reflect on how that goal was achieved.
The last time I did this on my ‘half-decade birthday,’ my husband had recently died. I was facing an unknown future without him. My goal was two-pronged: breathe and heal. Through the initial grieving, my mantra focused on my breathing, remembering Dame Julian of Norwich’s words “All shall be well. All shall be well. And all manner of thing shall be well” which helped me focus when I didn’t think I could breathe with all of the things that had to be done. Then came the healing – gently stepping into the world as a widow. It is not easy. It takes work.
And yesterday, I arrived at another landmark birthday. What will the next half-decade / decade bring? What will I learn? How many other half-decade / decade birthdays will I have? And how will I mark them?
And those are not just my questions. They can be yours too: what will your next half-decade / decade bring? What will you learn? How many other half-decade / decade birthdays will you have? How will you mark them?
Whatever the answers, may each of us be mindful that each birthday is gift … another day to celebrate being alive; another day to contribute to the world; another day to give thanks and be grateful for at least one thing. Let’s not squander our birthdays; let’s not take our birthdays for granted; let’s not regret our birthdays. Let’s celebrate them! The alternative is … well, who wants to think about not having another birthday?
I believe that birthdays remind us that we are ‘works in progress’ rather than ‘completed’ lives. So, may we celebrate the progress we have made and anticipate the progress we have yet to make.
Around the world, fires burn, water rises, tempers flare, workers strike, untruths abound, fear permeates, AI threatens and the war in Ukraine continues.
I discovered the Photofunia App and played with it a bit … placing a watercolour piece I created for the people of Ukraine, surrounded by images of hope – for them and the rest of the world.
May the symbolism of the egg, green leaves and daffodils open hearts and minds to the possibility of life … new life … without forest fires, floods, anger, strikes, lies, fear, threat, war.
Let it go. Let it be. Acceptance. Not fear. Let it be.
Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez wrote the music/lyrics to the ‘Let It Go’ theme song in Disney’s ‘Frozen’ and said that anyone who’s carrying a secret shame that gets so heavy they can’t carry it anymore, is identifying with the idea of “shedding and starting anew.”
If carrying a secret shame that gets heavy If carrying a memory that gets heavy If carrying an anger that gets heavy If carrying a resentment that gets heavy If carrying a regret that gets heavy If carrying a fear that preoccupies and gets heavy If carrying a decision that gets heavy If carrying a burden of any kind that gets heavy Let it go.
Let it be Acceptance. Not fear.
Let it be.
And if it’s difficult – or impossible – to let it go to let it be may professional help be found to guide you to healing, health, wholeness and a place where you can truly Let It Be(e).
Sneaky Saturday! But then again, it seems that with each passing year, the days seem to pass more quickly.
Before I know it … a week has gone by … it’s a month later … another year has passed and the hair has more grey/white, the wrinkles seem to have increased, the tummy padding more evident and the body a bit more achy.
Yes, *Sneaky Saturday* you do sneak up. But I’m not complaining. Far from it! I’m just wondering … what kind of Saturday will you be … Sneaky – Silly – Sacred – Salient – Salubrious – Serendipitous – Stimulating – Serene – Sassy – Sanative – Sparkling – Sensational – Stellar – Sublime – Something else?
There is something about this little place, close by where I live, that draws me several times a year, bringing a sense of peace and joy.
Is it the water? the sunstreaks? the sky? the newly mowed grass? the ducks on the water? the quiet? the fresh air? the building? the nearby flowers? the combination?
That sense of peace and joy = contentment and while it’s not always easy to define or explain, I know it when I experience it.
This night, I pray for contentment for those who are troubled, those who are in pain, those who are grieving, those who are frightened, those who worry. May gentle contentment be with them this night.
A little frivolity is needed in these oh-so-difficult times.
So how about …
… a whimsical tree … dancing lollipops … an enquiring bird … three sort-of-owls trying to discern what the blazes is going on in the world these days … and flowers, bright flowers of hope, popping out – from behind the tree – on top of the tree – on the side of the tree – inside the tree – emerging from the bottom of the trunk of the tree?
The flowers, the hope – always there – even though it might be difficult to see, experience, acknowledge some days.
the night is dark and brings fear as the coughing begins as breathing is difficult as the pain won’t subside as the nightmares won’t leave as negativity, political haranguing permeate social media disguising hope
the night is quiet eerily quiet as people wait for the next explosion as medications take effect as the darkness enfolds
we must breathe breathe for ourselves breathe for those who cannot breathe we must remember remember the quietness of God’s peace for ourselves remember the quietness of the Holy One’s love for others remember that when the night is dark in one place in the world the night is light in another place in the world remember that when the night seems hopeless in one place hope is somewhere prayeris always being offered somewhere communion is always being offered somewhere
may we hold the light for those who cannot breathe this night may we say a prayer for those who cannot sleep this night may we hold hope for those who cannot hope this night
there are signs of light for us we might be signs of light for others even though the night is dark
The prayer on this photo (taken at Yellow Point Lodge on Vancouver Island) is from the New Zealand Book of Prayer: “The night is dark. Let our fears and darkness of the world and of our lives, res.t this night in God. The night is quiet. Let the quietness of God’s peace enfold us all.”
Friends have been diagnosed with cancer and they are dealing with the “c” news in a variety of ways.
Some are angry and are raging. Some are asking the “why me” question. Some are trying to understand the diagnosis because there is no genetic history in their family, because they have been active all their life and eaten healthy food and do what they can to keep stress as minimal as possible. Some are confused and bewildered. They don’t know what to do next. They feel helpless and some even feel hopeless.
The “c” diagnosis is a terror to hear, but when it meets people who face the terror and don’t bury their feelings, it discovers it is meeting a very strong Force – a unified force of good, positivity, hope and of love.
They are not alone.
That unified Force has many supporters, prayer warriors, hope-believers, energy-surrounders, love-givers around the world. You may know some of those people. There are others you may not. Some of those people may know you. Some of them may not. None of that matters because the energy and love of that Force is not dependent on “knowing” one another. Compassion is from the heart and we don’t need to “know” someone personally to feel compassion, express love, believe in hope.
If the “c” word has become part of your life, you know that there are days that are miserable and unless someone has walked in your exact path (which isn’t possible because every cancer is different as is every treatment), they can’t relate from an intellectual perspective. But they can relate from a heart-perspective.
Lean on the love and energy of that unified Force and feel the encouragement, love and hope coming your way.
Because, whether or not you can feel or sense it, it is there
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ As usual, you are welcome to share.
It was a Wednesday morning. Nothing unusual was happening in the classroom where I was teaching a class of high school students. Nothing unusual, except they were more attentive than usual. But, something was different. I couldn’t put my finger on it. Then a bell rang. Not the usual “time for the class to end” bell, but a different bell. Somehow the students knew what it meant. They slowly got out of their seats and headed in single file to the door, quietly. “Miss,” one of the students said, “We’ll be back once we’ve been to the chapel and had the ashes put on our foreheads.”
Just then the Principal came into the classroom and ushered the students out – apologizing that she’d not advised me about the interruption ahead of time. “The students will be back in the classroom in about half an hour” she said. And with that, she and the students left the classroom.
Three months earlier, I had turned twenty. This was my first teaching position. I was in a private school – a Roman Catholic school. At that time, my knowledge of Christianity, let alone Roman Catholicism, was limited. Very limited. Though I had been raised in a loving home, I had not been baptized nor exposed to a church that included rituals anywhere close to “Ashes on foreheads.” All of it was so new to me.
The school was quiet. No one was in the corridors. The only sound I heard came from the Chapel – quiet music, muted voices. When the students returned to the classroom, their foreheads had a black substance smudged on it. They were sombre, quiet. Something about them was different. But again, I couldn’t quite figure it out.
When I asked them to tell me what had happened in the Chapel, the students seemed to take delight in being my teacher! “Today is the day when we tell God we are very sorry for the times we’ve moved away and that we want to be better people.” But, I wondered, why the public display of the cross on their foreheads? “Ah, Miss, that reminds us that we’re all human and that we began as dust and will end as dust.”
Sounded to me like an ugly threat – “You’re going to die!” Well, I knew that one day I would die, but why would anyone want to go to church to be reminded, every year, that “from dust you have come; to dust you will go”? It seemed incredibly maudlin to me.
After school that day, I encountered Harry, one of the high school students I tutored. He was one of the few non-Christians at the private Roman Catholic school he attended and so was exempt from Chapel. But there he was, with a smudged sign of the cross on his forehead. He told me that his friends said they were going to receive the imposition of ashes and invited him along. He went, not because he wanted to, but because his friends had invited him and besides, he was curious about it all.
When he received the ashes on his forehead, he said that he felt that something had changed. He shared these words which he wrote in his journal … “As I received the ashes, all at once I realized in a whole new way, that it’s really true – “we are dust and we will return to dust when we diet.” He realized at that moment that life is transitory … and that he wouldn’t live forever.
In Christian churches around the world, people gather to receive the ashes on their forehead and hear the words “Dust thou art and to dust thou shalt return” on what is known as Ash Wednesday – the first day of the Season of Lent.Those words are certainly no one’s favourite words, but they represent a truth of which is important to remember from time to time – our own mortality. Sadly, September 11th did that. Tragically, January 6th, did that. People realized their own mortality.
Ash Wednesday is a sober reminder that we are mortal – not immortal. Acknowledging our humanity, our vulnerability, our mortality, helps us to live more fully. One way to do that, is to receive the imposition of ashes on our foreheads. That ritual is simply an outward symbol of what is hoped would happen internally and a commitment to be the best we can be.
Do we need to be a Christian to do that? No. Do we need to have experienced an Ash Wednesday service before? No. Do we need to be connected to a church to do that? No. All we need to do is accept our mortality, allow the ashes to be a sign that we recognize that our mortal life is a gift, and commit ourselves with the help of the Holy One, to use the rest of our mortal life to the very best of our ability.
Interestingly, the imposition of ashes, is not just a Christian tradition. It was an ancient Jewish tradition and was a public sign of an individual’s repentance. By the seventh century, the Christian church adopted it as part of the Church’s Lenten preparation before the Season of Easter.
Even during COVID, when churches were not open or people were reluctant to be among others during a pandemic, people found ways to receive the imposition of ashes. Churches became wonderfully creative!
Some supplied ashes for individuals/families so that they could sprinkle the ashes into the palm of their own or a family member’s hand and apply it themselves. Some encouraged the use of a cotton Qtip which could be dipped into the ashes and placed on the forehead that way. Other congregations gave members dirt, seed and water instead of ashes, acknowledging that from the dust of the world, new hope springs.
Other churches encouraged people to mark their hearts with the sign of a heart or the Cross as an outward and visible sign of their intention to turn their heart over to God and experience God’s unconditional love and forgiveness in a new way, saying the words “Dust I am and to dust I shall return.”
Many foreheads around the world are marking the beginning of the Season of Lent as people hear the words with those words.
I cannot stop thinking of the people in Ukraine, a year later, still living in terror as explosions deafen; food shortages become critical; the cold and snow gnaw at bodies; visible exhaustion on the faces of young and old alike; fear is a reality. Ukrainians are continuing to live the reality of Ash Wednesday’s reminder of human mortality, every day.
Children who survive this assault by Russia on their country, will have bitter memories of childhood as their reality in their adult years – just as it was for those children who survived the Holodomor of 1932-22 and are now seniors in this present struggle.
The Holodmor – did you learn about the Holodomor (translation: ‘death by hunger’ – a famine engineered by the Soviet Union under Joseph Stalin) in school? I didn’t. According to the 2010 findings of the Court of Appeal of Kyiv, there were losses due to famine around ten million people – and not just famine, but cannibalism for which, according to the Harriman Review, over 2500 people were convicted. As explosions hit, life is being lived in underground shelters, food and medication shortages escalate, and remembrances of the Ukrainian revolution, and terror grows that the Holodomor will once again be forced upon them by Russia.
The Holodomor made the desire for independence from Russia, a “need” … much more than a “want” … a life-long “need.” So it is not surprising that Ukrainians are fighting – again. Defending their country – standing firm for one another. Resilient in the face of terror and threat of reprisal, they are led by a courageous man, President Zelinskyy, his wife and his Cabinet members and the brave women and men who valiantly fight for and stand up for democracy.
In this country, Canada, there is a very large Ukrainian population as many Ukrainians arrived as refugees after the Holodomor so it is not surprising that Canada has stood with Ukraine for decades. On September 21, 2014, a statue entitled “Bitter Memories of Childhood” was unveiled outside the Manitoba Legislative Building in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, to memorialize the Holodomor was erected and there are similar statues in other parts of Canada.
“Dust thou art and to dust thou shalt return” is a reverberating reality in Ukraine and in the hearts of many around the world who ache for Ukrainians.
May no one ever take the precious gift of life for granted. May we uphold all who work and fight for freedom and democracy. If you observe the Season of Lent with the imposition of ashes, may gratitude be yours for the life you experience.
This prayer which I’ve adapted from the Alternate Lord’s Prayer found in A New Zealand Prayer Book might be of help as you think of Ukrainians today and in the coming days and of ourselves.
“Eternal Spirit, Earth-maker, Pain-bearer, Life-giver, Source of all that is and that shall be … in times of temptation and test, strengthen them and us; from trials too great to endure, spare them and us; from the grip of all that is evil, free them and us.” Amen. So be it. Amen.
Whatever way each of us chooses to observe Ash Wednesday, may we enter with reverence, humility and gratitude.
