16 Days of Activism: Defined

Many are not aware of what these 16 days represent, so I felt it necessary to explain. The 16 days start on November 25th, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, through to December 10, Human Rights Day. The 16 days call for solidarity to end violence against women and girls everywhere. It’s about time the Ontario government recognized gender-based violence as an epidemic.

16 Days of Activism: Montreal Massacre

In Honour of Alzheimer’s Month 3

Being a caregiver to someone inflicted with Alzheimer’s Disease can be all consuming. Hopefully this might help…

Remembering Mom Part 3 – How to Help Your Dementia Loved One

Canada More Proud Than Ever!

As the world learns how strong and free Canada truly is, its people rejuvenate national pride. Social media is flooded with proclamations of how adults demonstrate strength, clarity, consideration, inclusivity, and poise in citizenship, leadership, and relationship-building. We’re taking the higher road.

An example is this week’s move to by the Canadian Government to halt the Digital Services Tax, which taxed all tech companies, not merely American ones, in order to resume trade negotiations and bring Donald Trump’s administration back to the negotiating table. While some Canadians were livid, many political reporters explained that in lengthy, all-encompassing negotiations, ‘give and take’ along the way is required to eventually be successful. The bottom line is it’s a strategic play. South of the border, though, Karoline Leavvitt announced that Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney “caved” with a smirk on her face. (Someone needs to slap that girl!) Of course the Trump team would brag about this as a win. We’re taking the higher road.

In rebuttal to Trump’s quips about making Canada the 51st State, Mike Myers, Canadian comedian and icon, appeared on SNL wearing a ‘Canada is Not for Sale’ t-shirt suddenly motioned and mouthed “Elbows Up”…a brilliant act inspired by the memory of hockey great Gordie Howe that instigated a national movement. Canadians are not offensive, but will react in defense. We’re taking the higher road.

Today is Canada Day, the national celebration of the 158th anniversary of our confederation. We are a sovereign country, part of the British Commonwealth, and despite some groups who threaten to separate, mostly united in our quest to remain the True North Strong and Free. We have an abundance of natural resources, creative people who are willing to work hard, free health care, minimal gun violence. In past we have relied upon the U.S. for military defense. Now we’re building up our own. In past many of our trading has been North/South. Now it’s East/West and across the seas. In past we’ve purchasing arbitrarily regardless of where it was manufactured. Now most Canadians are vehemently reading labels, researching and sourcing products made in Canada or anywhere but the United States. We’re taking the higher road.

We’re not saying we are better. We still love everyone. We don’t have a need to slander others. We apologize when we’re wrong. We’re trying to reconcile with those we’ve damaged. We understand we live on native land. We admit our weaknesses and the wrongs of our forefathers. We are taking the higher road.

With great pride, I say

Happy Canada Day!

What Keeps Us Young

I live on a street of small houses mostly built 75 to 100 years ago. Its residents are eclectic: seniors who’ve lived here for ages, young families who’ve purchased their ‘starter homes’, and because we live near a university, transient students in rental homes. There are often curb conversations about how busy the younger folk are. Occasionally we seniors chime in with what we handled (just as much, if not more) at their age, but most often we just listen and empathize.

I can remember when I was in my thirties and my Dad would telephone every Friday evening shortly after 6 o’clock (because that’s when the rates went down) to update us on what was new with him and my mother. I distinctly recall one that went something like this, “Well, nothing much is new here. The TV repair man came on Wednesday.” We were in fits of laughter. Can you imagine living a life where the most important news is that the TV repair man came?

Many of the seniors on our street are like my parents. With the exception of grocery shopping and garden tending, they literally sit in their houses all day long and watch TV. Many of them don’t cook – they either order out or snack. They don’t belong to any clubs. My husband and I shake our heads and just don’t understand it.

We think we’re busier than most people our age. My husband gets up every morning and goes to the river to talk to the fishermen and, in nice weather, spends most of his day outside with our dog and the vegetable garden. I go to yoga twice a week, try to go swimming once a week, walk the dog daily and sometimes join my better half outside. And, we’ve been involved small local issues such as going to council meetings for things that others complain about but do nothing.

I think we’re more social too. We’re one of the few older couples that socialize with the younger ones. This morning, for example, the young couple two doors down brought their two-year-old over to visit in our yard. They stayed for about 90 minutes and it was a joyful start to a Sunday. A child’s laughter is one of the best sounds on earth and this kid is always smiling and laughing. The father (he turned 32 yesterday) asked me this morning if Henry (age 75, he and his wife live 4 doors down) was okay because he hadn’t seen him in months. I replied, “Ya, he’s fine. He was out mowing his lawn a few days ago.”

That’s what initiated this blog. It hit me that other than the widow across the street (who is much like us) we don’t see the people our age out and about. It’s like they retired and gave up. What a shame.

Perspective

So, what got me thinking about perspective? While sitting at my computer one day last week, the background TV was on an episode of Life After People on Story Television and they were specifically discussing what would happen to Detroit’s buildings 40 years after a population disappearance. They kept mentioning how the harsh weather extremes would affect the buildings. Now I live in Canada directly across the river in Windsor. I guess if one lives in the United States, Detroit’s weather might be considered harsh. But in Canada, we think of Windsor weather as being mild. We’re basically the southernmost area of Canada. Canadians retire here because of the wonderful weather. It’s all a matter of perspective.

A homeless person might see someone with a small house and a job as rich; whereas a corporate mogul with a large home might see that same person as poor. It’s all a matter of perspective.

We have a little 12 pound dog, to whom we give elk antlers to chew on rather than bones. They are his treasure that he constantly moves around the house to new hiding spot under throw pillows, behind various things, or in amongst the shoes in a closet.

The other day he left it in plain view on a chair in a bedroom.

We laughed at his choice…until we realized what he would see from his point of view.

It’s all a matter of perspective.

If Putin could see the Ukraine from the viewpoint of a Ukrainian parent who’s lost their son/daughter, perhaps he would stop his horrific war. If Netanyahu could see the Gaza Strip from the eyes of an injured child in a hospital with no supplies, perhaps he might change his actions. If Trump could…well, never mind. I don’t think he has an ounce of empathy to see anything differently. If a person cannot see a different perspective, their understanding of a particular issue is limited and therefore incomplete.

Many years ago I had the great fortune to attend a two-day seminar given by world-renowned strategic thinking expert, Edward de Bono. His concepts are simple, but you could hear a pin drop for two days straight because the ideas and explanations that came out of his mouth were nothing short of brilliant. The man who created the term ‘lateral thinking’ told us stories of how inventions often occurred from error, and the error caused the inventor to think “what if?”, or look at the problem from a different perspective. Edward de Bono led large corporations and government agencies through perilous events and wrote 85 books – the most popular of which is Six Thinking Hats. The concept is simple enough for children to use and yet captivating enough for adults. It’s easy to remember. Each hat has a different colour, representing different perspectives. I highly recommend Six Thinking Hats and his other books.

Sadly, Dr. de Bono passed away a few years ago. Nevertheless his ideas are relevant today, if only people were aware. It’s all a matter of perspective.