Hi Friends !
While riding on a train across British Columbia a few days ago, I found a copy of a small local magazine "Northword" and began reading an article "Collage of a Life - building a home from the inside". Normally this article would not have held my attention, but with so much going on in the world right now: people losing their jobs and their homes; forclosures; shrinking retirement income; war; cancer...well, you get the picture...anyway, the article kept my interest. It was a true story about a man who lost his home in a storm and I could relate to that because many years ago I had lost my apartment to a fire...not quite the same, but we both lost all our belongings...a lifetime of memories. Here's some bits and pieces from that article:
Alexander McDonald had rushed home from buying groceries to find the storm raising the tide to where the water moving under the supporting stilts of his house. He only had time to rescue his dog and grab his camera equipment and computer. "For a moment I was conscious of this surreal event, wondering if I should try to videotape it. I realized I would die if I took the time to do this. I ran back to safety and watched as the storm water swallowed my house. The water lifted my house; it shuffled off the stilts and slid out into the bay. It turned 450 degrees by the time the tide went out. I remember the sides falling off, and all that was left was the top peak of the roof".
It really impressed me to hear some of Alexander's current thoughts after going through this ordeal a few years ago:
"There's an old saying: Don't trust anyone who hasn't been broken." "I have been broken, and broken again."
"I believe we are born with a creative voice resounding in our ears. Kids come into the world to remind us of what we have forgotten."
"I'm blessed to be living here in this body, in this house (new house under construction), in this world."
"One must accept the impermanence of life."
"My parents had a very special relationship...they were an inspiration. When I cared for my mother as she was dying, I learned a lot about the relationship between my mother a father. They shared a special love for each other, a love that was built from the inside. They overlooked the outward aging of their bodies and were devoted to what was on the inside."
Alexander McDonald is a man I personally would like to meet. He certainly impressed me by what he had to say. I apologize for the choppy, short report, but if you are interested in reading the article in it's entirety and seeing a few photos, go to: www.northword.ca Hopefully you can find it there.
HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL OF YOU !!! Personally, I cannot remember ever being so excited to start a "new" year ! I sincerely hope all of you had a wonderful Holiday Season. Aloha ! Don
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