Open Minds open Hearts

For my birthday last year my older brother bought me a book. He and I share a gene — we generally don’t like reading; but, every once in a while a book comes out that draws us in.

Murray Sinclair’s book entitled Who We Are is just such a book.

My genuine interest in the indigenous file stems back to my direct personal childhood experience living in a village that included a significant indigenous population. I use that word “include” lightly. They lived there, on the other side of the Canadian Pacific Railway tracks, and only crossed over for provisions in our one grocery store or to attend school if they wanted or  to join in an organized activity in the Community Centre, if permitted. Interactions with the rest of us was rare, selective and often unpleasant — not because of them but because of us. Inclusiveness was not encouraged.

Our British imposed curriculum taught us the British version of historic  truth, and our gullible trusting minds lapped it up. In that statement alone stands the explanation of nearly two centuries of misinformation, stubbornness and guilt, that many continue to spew.

So honourable soft spoken, caring Indigenous leaders like Murray Sinclair, make it their life’s work to turn us back, open our eyes and our minds away from British indoctrination, and focus on helping right a wrong. Baby steps have been made and all hope has not been lost. I feel his optimism and share his optimism and spread his optimism whenever I have a chance.

The book is easy to read. The lines are nearly double spaced making it easier on the eyes of the visually challenged who prefer to read without wearing glasses!

If you need a nudge to shun the stereotypes you have held on to since grade school, this is a good place to start. IT does take a village to right a wrong as huge as this, and each of us has a role to play. 

Open minds create open hearts…we can do this!

BOB DYLAN

Once a Complete Unknown 

A new movie hit the Box Office this week and although I tend to not go to movies, I did get a movie gift card awhile back. When my friend Kerry asked if I was free to check out a new release, I said yes. 

The story of Bob Dylan “A Complete Unknown” was almost like a flashback to my younger dating days of going to a significant number of rock concerts. As a young man he idolized Woody Guthrie who wrote and sang a series of delightful folk songs in the sixties. His work ranged from story telling, to protests to highlighting social injustices. He was an inspiration and an idol to Bob Dylan who set out from his small town to New York to connect with the small club music scene and develop his career.

Bob Dylan was a loner and intellectual, with little patience for conventions, routine and repetition. His lyrics and style  changed the folk wave of the day and incorporated political, social and philosophy influences. He wrote songs with strong messages to make people think and didn’t seek to commercialize his work like others of the time did. To summarize his definition of music style and his frame of mind, I would say he was a counter-culturalist, a revolutionary, very much an individual, a gifted individual who eventually wowed his ever increasing audiences.  His work built a growing following of socially conscientious believers and respectful fans around the world.

The movie brings in familiar names like Joan Baez, Johnny Cash and Pete Seiger who were leaders or stars in the folk and protest movement of the day, destined to change the world. They tried to mold Bob and sway him from diverting too far off their course. But he was restless and ploughed forward with blunt, insightful lyrics, as well as instruments and music that were louder and stronger than anyone could have imagined in those days.

This movie is insightful, intriguing and informative. It has scenes of emotions, mystery, love, conflict, determination, failure and success rolling out the progressive life of a once complete unknown.

 

Hello 2025!

    

     ⭐️ 🤶  🌲 🌴 🔔 ⭐️ 🤶  🌲 🌴 🔔 ⭐️ 🤶  🌲 🌴 🔔 

On this almost eve of December 31, 2024, I feel compelled to reflect …

My 2024 has truly been phenomenal for many reasons, the biggest of which is the professional publication of a collection of my short stories. I took that step with the moral support of others, including my imaginary 20/20 vision personal guide named Tulip who has found her spot on my right shoulder as my fearless motivator. She is the main character in my stories because I wanted to acknowledge her and reward her for handling me, and guiding me, so very well. Notably, I spend no time wondering how many people bought the book or how much my royalty cheque will be. Those things don’t matter to me. I’m happy it’s done; happy it’s in my local libraries for others to enjoy for free; and, happy that a very supportive publisher took it on, made it globally accessible as a hard copy or digital, and did a lot of the promotional work on my behalf. My goal was to challenge myself, get the project done and to stay grounded no matter how it turned out — as such I consider the project completed. 

This past year has also been my seventh year of retirement. I have finally sprung out of, completely out of,  my very unique cocoon life of atypical wonderful, amazing work, work and more work, along with frequent weekend ferry trips to and from. I opened the hatch a few years ago when I was struggling with the transition, and in the past two years I have sprung out to see and feel the light, smell and touch the awaiting roses all around me, and I have allowed them to touch and smell me back. “Wow” …I still say to myself almost daily … “retirement is amazing too”!

Some of the roses would be casual cycling on flatland close to home and afar; aquafit exercises three times a week at the community pool, including summer season in our outdoor pool; travelling to and from Aruba four times a year serving as a Board Member at the Resort where some family members and I own shares; being introduced to ancient Chinese health care practices I had never heard of or knew anything about — Qigong, TaiChi and Reiki, all teaching me about the human body and the role of all of its parts, as well as the role of the sun, moon, Earth and stratosphere in our lives. I’m also learning about the importance of breathing right, and embracing calmness, quiet thinking, careful movements, discipline, feelings and meditation as the backbone of living a stress-free, easy flowing, rhythmic and mentally healthy life. 

Friendships continue to be important and many of mine have been lifelong; they, and new ones, continue to blossom. A lot of those longtime friends live far away now and we don’t get the same quality time we used to cherish;  but, we all do our best to keep the light on and feel the warmth. New relationships are blooming too and those start with a flicker of mutual interest and then intrigue, followed by other puzzle pieces to see if we are a good fit. A couple have not been good, and I confidently walked away. Others seem to have potential, and I embrace them.

The family remains strong and supportive of each other, mostly through social media and phone calls. We are sort of spread apart and all over the globe, and it’s tough to get together. The yearly highlight has become a summer reunion of the siblings for sure, and sometimes others, up at my sister and brother in law’s lakeside property in Cariboo country — a five hour drive away.

What’s important is always at the forefront of my mind. I still enjoy having a lot of interests because I still enjoy having a lot of different things to do. The difference is that unlike before retiring,  I don’t have to do a lot of external things all day long. I no longer have the stresses of other people’s expectations and demands, and being completely on top of all things related to News, events, issues, spin and urgencies all of the time. 

I now enjoy enjoying TIME …time with me and with others; time with Tulip and with Nature; time for fresh air, freshly picked fruits, and freshly baked creations. Time for cycling, aquafitting, friendships, thinking, relaxing, writing stories and poems, dinner parties, homeownership tasks, helping with social and community services and events;  and, travelling. TIME — I am loving time. I’m no longer feeling busy but, rather, feeling evenly paced with one rotation of the wheel at a time, moving forward and in no particular hurry.

This is starting to sound like the movie title “It’s a Wonderful Life” … although not the same storyline. Regardless, I am embracing the title and declaring it an appropriate ending to this year end reflection — and, a possible segue to what’s ahead. 

I wish a Happy New Year for you and for our world as well!

          ⭐️ 🤶  🌲 🌴 🔔 ⭐️ 🤶  🌲 🌴 🔔 ⭐️ 🤶  🌲 🌴 🔔 

ALL THE

BEST TO

YOU in

2025!

BREAKING TRADITION

 

 Sharing the Bread

I woke up this morning reflecting on a lot of things including the completion of two weeks of Christmas cheer with family and friends in person or with the help of technology. My spirits are high and my heart is dancing because I have finally found my comfort zone within or around the stresses of the season. Sometimes you just have to take matters into your own hands to pave the way.

It’s kind of a metaphor of making bread. Earlier this year, my sister-in-law gave me a recipe and encouraged me to try a “no knead, no fuss” artisan bread recipe. I was reluctant to try It because I simply could not imagine that becoming a good bread. I had previously made bread on occasion when I could set an entire day aside to complete the mixing, risings, kneading stages, and then waiting for the oven to do its thing.

So earlier in the year I gave in to my curiosity. It truly was amazing … so easy, so quick, so delicious. I started with making just plain bread, then a cheese loaf, an Italian spice loaf, a pumpkin seed loaf and this Christmas season — Christmas Eve midafternoon, I prepared a roasted sunflower seed loaf. No fuss, no hassle, no stress.

The basic recipe has three ingredients and since I am known for altering, enhancing, enriching and modifying recipes, I now add one more flavourful thing. You spend five minutes to mix everything together with your clean bare hands or a mixing machine. Put it in a bowl. Cover with plastic wrap, let it sit on a counter for 18-24 hours, transfer it into a Dutch oven pot and into the oven it goes. Christmas morning we had fresh homemade roasted sunflower seed bread, topped with sharp (belegen) Gouda cheese. I felt like I’d died and gone to heaven!

If you would like the recipe, please message me … there’s nothing like taking matters into your own hands, modifying tradition and proudly sharing new approaches to achieving both culinary and life goals! Bon appétit. 😋 

GASSHO

Hands Up in Peace

 Gassho is a Japanese word meaning “bringing two hands together”. This poem (sonnet)was inspired by the growing impact of negativity, be it on the News or human attitudes… my hope is to see the hands of adversaries connect in 2025 in peace. ☮️

Gassho Hello!

Grief and sadness in our world

A never-ending dead-end swirl

Hatred, anger, fear and gloom

Revolve around our sun and moon

Creating catastrophic narratives

Spewing venom like laxatives

Neither sensitive nor positive

But becoming somewhat normative

Be it local or more widespread 

Towed by ropes or simply threads 

Hope that human benevolence 

Can benefit Earth’s inheritance

For our world, and some lives too,

  need a refresh and better News!

Antoinetta DeWit

December 2024

ENCHANTED CHRISTMAS CONCERT

 Enchanting Christmas Concert  

This week I attended the “Enchanted Winter: A Journey Beyond The Classics” at a church assembly room walking distance from home. I was there to support three fellow aquafitters who are members of the Maple Ridge Choral Society. 

I found an ideal spot to get a good panoramic view of the performance and as I opened the programme, I turned back to the title page mentioning ‘beyond classics’. This was to be an out of the box concert with a repertoire of songs away from our western comfort zone of traditional Christmas musical experiences. I never imagined witnessing such boldness in a church building at Christmas time. 

Frank Zieginson, the Artistic Director, teaches a refreshed, passionate and versatile approach to musical and choral performance. He has become a trailblazer in his field and attracted a diverse audience from all walks of life, ages, genders and backgrounds, for his specially selected singers — also of all walks of life, ages, genders and backgrounds.

This Journey, as he defines his program, takes the audience on a wander and wonder road through the glory of the season, with a broadened international and historical perspective and appreciation of the essence of Christmas. The messages are vibrant and rich, from slightly the same Western narrative to slightly different, and also to very different;  yet — still lively, respectful and interesting. 

 

Everyone of the more than 175 guests was completely mesmerized, quiet and attentive. I watched them as they were listening to the 70 member choir. I watched them when they were listening to the smaller group of Chamber singers as well as the soloists and talented pianists. 

I could see the audience mindfully taking it all in quietly and attentively.  Their eyes were fixed on the choir and the choir master; their ears were taking it all in, and all the while their brains were being exercised and enlightened. 

The program of 18 pieces was all very intriguing, with an intellectual twist, as we all walked away realizing traditions for one may not be the traditions of all, definitely making this a ‘journey beyond’ what we were used to hearing in a Western Christmas concert.

We definitely all witnessed excellence in music and singing, and were introduced to an international repertoire beyond our own traditional ‘box’, right here in our community of Maple Ridge. It truly was an amazing performance — both enchanting and educational, leaving us with a refreshed or enhanced appreciation of the essence of the Season, and how it is musically celebrated here and elsewhere.

DECK THOSE HALLS!

 THOSE HALLS HAVE SECRETS!

I know I said I was putting my pen down for a bit of time off from writing, and just getting out to enjoy life without thinking too much. When interesting and intriguing things are happening all around, it’s just to darn hard to sit back from what I love to do most.

So today I attended a free Christmas Choir concert at the local Maple Ridge Library, to enjoy the SILVERTONES — a group of Ridge Meadows seniors who love to sing. I arrived just in time to get a very cozy, padded chair with armrests and a swivel. I brought my own Earl Grey teabag and found a room where hot water was awaiting in the kettle. I had the song sheet in hand and I was all set for the event.

The choir leader introduced each familiar song with a bit of history and explanation. Many had origins stemming back to the 16th Century and up to our 19th Century. Most (but not all) were embraced as lovely lullaby type songs, with a nice jingle to emulate the spirit of the Christmas season.

Ironically, and even to my surprize, some of our familiar favourites are actually metaphors of secret, and then verboten, parlour-style behaviours —in other words: naughty metaphors, hiding the actual behaviours behind choral lines like FaLALALALA. Of course, my innocent self had no idea, until today!

Back in the earlier centuries, and up to not that long ago, it was unheard of for certain types of interhuman behaviour to be talked about, written about or demonstrated in public. To avoid prosecution and humiliation, the experiences within parlours only happened within a closed society, and any reference to the moral-less people, unethical or perverted  establishments or perverse activities were only carefully whispered or expressed metaphorically to keep them going with vim and vigour. If authorities were ever called into those parlours, they could not decipher the suggestive messaging or prove any wrongdoing, so they just walked away.

The song tunes, however, were catchy and simple, and easy for groups of happy men and women to sing along, lifting their spirits, setting aside their troubles or taking a break from the realities of life, by indulging in acting out the secret messaging in ways that were impossible elsewhere.

So there I was, dressed for the respectable occasion and ready to be at my best behaviour, to get into the spirit of the season. Out of respect for the season, however, and for the love of singing century old seasonal tunes — tunes that likely make God cringe and shrivel every year — I have come to finally realise why some of those familiar  tunes are never actually sung in devout Christian places of worship.

As the choir master stipulated, some of the tunes are just happy sounding lyrics and others are “special”, reflecting the secret behaviour of the times that needed to be wisely camouflaged in a very strict, religion driven society.  With that in mind, go have a look at the lyrics of Deck The Halls and ask yourself “what halls?” “decked with what?” “What apparel?” “what is blazing?” “What could strike the harp mean or what is merry measure?” “What does ‘heedless of the wind and weather’ mean and when are people heedless?” It’s all quite intriguing and ingenious code writing of those lyricists of the days of yore! But, shhhhh, keep it to yourselves. This is not the time!

Okay, I will stop now and leave the analysis on a To Do list for 2025! The learning curve never ends. I’m smiling and the next Christmas tune I hear will be an interesting cerebral challenge I will embrace with vim and vigour.

Welcome to an endless wonderland! Ho Ho Ho