Articles — New Articles(19)

Ever since I was a small child, I have loved music!  My dad had a beautiful bass voice and sang not only in the church choir and the barbershop chorus but also in the car and around home.  We always knew he was in the area because we could hear his cheery whistling as he came up the walk or worked in the yard.

Dad came from a family who loved music.  Most of us played the piano and there was never a family gathering when we didn’t end the evening with a good old fashioned singsong.  And each song usually ended in laugher.   Such good fun!

One of the things that I was NOT looking forward to during my move to Calgary was driving in the big city.   You see, Medicine Hat spoiled me by the fact that I could go pretty well anywhere in ten minutes without facing several lanes of speeding traffic. So, after a couple of days in my new condo I was invited for an evening at the home of my daughter in Okotoks.  Could I manage that?   It might seem like a very trivial concern to the seasoned Calgarian but for me, it was a serious adventure. There were several things...

When I moved to Medicine Hat twenty-five years ago, I had no idea that I would love this city so much.   Over the years, I have been able to build good relationships with wonderful people and build a business.   My first two residential purchases ever were made here.   How I have loved the view of the river from my condo and the fact that I could travel to pretty much any destination in ten minutes.  I usually describe Medicine Hat to others as “It’s just a big town”. I never ever considered that I would leave Medicine Hat, but sometimes...

I have learned that no matter where we go in the world, Canadians are welcomed.   We have a good reputation of being kind, honest, and peace-loving.   In fact, there is a silly joke about how Canadians are so nice that we apologize even when it isn’t our fault! Unfortunately, I have noticed that the pandemic has created fear and confusion which frequently threatens our unity.  Family members are upset with each other when they don’t share the same opinions.   People out in the public are being stared at or shouted down by complete strangers.  Even our leaders and health officials...

There are some things in life that we just don’t want to know or talk about but burying our heads in the sand doesn’t solve the issues. In fact, ignoring difficult situations just allows them to grow and our inaction actually cast us into the role of being an accessory. Today I am writing about a very difficult subject – missing children and human trafficking.  According to statistics published by the Missing Children’s Database, approximately 50,000 children go missing in Canada each year.   Some are found and some return home on their own.  Not all of them were trafficked.  Public...

 Often clients recommend books that they have enjoyed or learned from.  It is interesting when I find myself reading several in a row with a similar theme.   This has been the case over the past few weeks.    The last four that I read are all so interesting as they tell the tales of individuals who did extremely well in their professional lives and terribly in their personal lives: David Nino Rodrigez wrote “When the Lights Go Out – From Survivor to Champion”.   He is a former heavyweight boxer with a record of 36-0 who was headed for the title...

Well, we are in pandemic lockdown again but that doesn’t change the dates on the calendar.   No matter what happens, one of the favourite holidays, May long weekend with soon be here. Many people look forward to this date for a number of reasons.   Which one would apply to you?” CAMPING – When the weather is nice it is fun to head for a vacation spot with family and gear.   Perhaps a boat, kayak or bikes will add fun to the few days away from home.   And of course, there will be barbecue foods and marshmallows to roast. ROYAL FAMILY...

Most people like superheroes and one of the most popular is Spiderman. This month I have been thinking about the tagline for this cartoon character spiderman that states “With great power comes great responsibility”.   What an idea to ponder! Now that we are in even more restrictions due to the pandemic threat than in the past few weeks, all of us in society have more responsibilities to fulfill.   Political and health officials are responsible to decide when and how to limit interaction between individuals while, at the same time, weighting how the economy and mental health of their citizens will...

When I was a child we would wear an artificial carnation to church on Mother’s Day.  Red or pink meant that one’s mother was alive whereas white indicated that the person’s mother had passed. Since then, I have been thinking about how many different kinds of mothers we recognize in society: Birth mother – The woman who conceived and gave birth to you. Adoptive mother – The person who legally or formally took on the caregiving responsibilities for you. Social mother – A woman who informally took on the role of a parent by your choice, by hers or by...

The first time that Mother’s Day was officially celebrated was on May 10, 1908 at St. Andrew’s Methodist Church in Grafton, West Virgina, USA.   The originator who established it was Anna Jarvis who had admired the work of her own mother and, after her death wanted to make a special tribute to her.  During the service she distributed 500 carnations to women in the church as this had been the favourite flower of her mother. In 1912 Anna trademarked the phrases “Second Sunday in May” “Mother’s Day”.   That year she also created the Mother’s Day International Association. President Woodrow Wilson...

Think about driving down the highway.   You are going the speed limit but all of a sudden, unexpectantly there is a red light right ahead of you.   You hit the brakes and think “Wow.  I didn’t know I was going so fast. Life can be like that.   In fact, we have allowed society to ingrain the motto of the Olympic Games into our heads and we think that we need to be “Higher, faster, stronger”. Higher – Many people enter or stay in career that they don’t like just because they think that it is important to have a large...

I am often surprised by the way that people confuse the words faith and hope.    They don’t understand that although there is a little overlap in their meanings, they are actually very different in their application and the results that they garner. Let’s examine these two commonly used words. Hope is a wish or desire.   Think of the child who, with fingers crossed, hopes that she will get a pony for Christmas.   No matter how badly she wants this, she does not have the ability to make it happen or realistic expectation that the pony will arrive. Often in life,...

The past few weeks I have taken great joy in the fact that I can open my bedroom window and patio door!  There’s nothing like the wonderful breeze that floats into my condo bringing with it the change of seasons. I hear the chirping of baby birds and the sound of boats attempting their first journey on the river.  The soft voices and laughter of individuals who are out for a walk float into the room. Someone is creating an amazing smell on their barbecue and I try to guess who the chef is and what is the menu. I...

Over the years I have worked with many couples and family members who were struggling in their relationships.   Unfortunately, they usually did not come for help until their issues were very ingrained and the hurts were deep.   Some expressed frustration with the fact that promises had been repeatedly made but these weren’t followed by change.  Others stated that nothing was ever resolved, and the problems were just ignored or buried. Making long-term change does not happen easily or quickly.  We don’t get into trouble quickly and therefore shouldn’t expect to get out of it quickly. Here are some steps that...

Well, we are entering Easter week – a time when Christians throughout the world celebrate!   But there are many different perspectives and practices for those who claim to be Christian. Here are some of versions that I have heard when individuals were asked if there is a God in their life: Absolutely not! Some people believe that all we have is today and there is no afterlife.   Responsibility for one’s success and failures therefore lie within each person who makes choices and then, when it is time to die, they just go to sleep. I have the denomination of my...

In 1933 Irving Berlin wrote and published the song “Easter Parade”.   Fifteen years later Judy Garland starred in a movie of the same name.   The themes of these involved dressing up in a fancy frilled bonnet and being part of a procession in the streets to celebrate! I remember in my childhood how spring, Easter and bonnets were all tied together.   Church was a very important part of every week as this is where we had rummage sales, CGIT, choir practice, cooking lessons and a number of other community activities in addition to Sunday School and church services. Many of...

I remember hearing a story about a woman who went to the butcher to buy meat.   She asked him for a ten-pound roast but added that she wanted a couple of inches to be cut off one end.   When the butcher questioned her about why she wanted this, she replied “I don’t know.  That’s what my mother always asked for”.   Curiosity drove her to ask her mother about why she ordered meat like this.   The mother replied “I don’t know.  That’s just what my mother did”.   Finally, the two went to grandma to ask why she would order a ten-pound...

I find it interesting to listen to people who are sad, afraid and immobilized because they have heard something that is sketchy which they believe is the truth.  Often the source was unreliable or was just spouting off ideas that had no realistic basis.   Yet, despite the fact that the message was faulty, the individuals who hear it feel victimized and in crisis. Before you allow yourself to fall into a slump consider the following: You have the power to choose what you believe. Adopting or rejecting news is something that you can decide to do at a personal level....

When I was a child we always talked about March as coming in like a lion and going out like a lamb.  Since then, there has been a great deal of controversy about weather patterns and some rather strange events. Recently, Texas experienced a horrible snowstorm that was unusual for them.   Because they were “off the grid” and had invested in solar panels and wind turbines, they were in trouble!   The solar panels were covered with piles or snow and the blades on windmills were frozen.   The fact that electricity was out for many hours and houses weren’t insulated to...