December 30, 2022

The End - Issue 341

“For last year’s words belong to last year’s language and next year’s words await another voice. And to make an end is to make a beginning.”

— T.S. Eliot

An appropriate quote to close out 2022 as I reflect on the kind of year that it has been.

Like any year, there have been highs and lows, but somehow this year things seem to be more amplified.

The highs, such as where the real estate market went earlier this year, and the lows, where it seems so many more subjects outside of religion and politics have become off limits for civilized discussion.

It’s always been easier to chirp and throw up obstacles and reasons why something won’t work and you don’t have to look far to see this in action. That voice and those actions should remain firmly rooted in 2022 - in the past.

I’m looking forward to the voice of 2023, that it be one of optimism and one that has us working together to create a better future. While I don’t want to come across as looking through rose coloured glasses, I do firmly believe that we are capable of doing great things when we work together.

The early days of the pandemic illustrated that for us. How can we forget about the musicians playing from balconies, or the evening ritual of drumming on pots, or recognizing the work of the first responders during the pandemic? These were moments that brought us together to collectively get through some pretty difficult times.

We are likely going to see some difficult times in the new year. 2022 was about pointing fingers and yelling a lot of accusations. Let’s make 2023 a year where we still point out inequities or when things are wrong, and yet also bring solutions to the table. Our focus should be on solutions, not blaming.

Life can be frustrating at times. It’s how we choose to deal with the frustrations that will make all the difference.

Many of you know that we lost our mother this year to dementia and the long term effects of a stroke. Mom was an accomplished painter and artist. Her works have been featured in a few shows and she even managed to sell a piece or two. Her favourite artists were The Group of Seven and she styled her own work after theirs. She didn’t like abstract or modern art, it just wasn’t her jam.

Her biggest frustration after the stroke and as dementia set in was she couldn’t create in the manner she was accustomed to.

I found the water colour I’ve included in today’s blog while helping my Dad sort through her work and cleaning out her studio. While it might have been done in 2018, I think it is so appropriate to the frustration we’ve all experienced these past few years. She would cringe at the idea of this being published, because it was nowhere near what she had created in the past. That was her biggest frustration, knowing what she was capable of in the past and what circumstances dictate what her abilities became. What I choose to see in this piece is the determination to get on with life and bring value and meaning to those around her.

I know for me, that the frustration and challenges that 2023 may bring will be nothing compared to what she went through and what countless others will experience. My frustrations will be a mere trifle.

So with 2023 on the doorstep, what sort of voice are you choosing to use to create this year’s words and actions?

A happy New Year to you and your family and may 2023 bring out the best in all of us.

Thanks for being part of this journey.

Happy New Year!

Paul

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