A Life, Lived

Holocaust Remembrance Day

Today the world marks Holocaust Remembrance Day, the anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz Nazi death camp by the Soviet Red Army in 1945.

Some ten days prior to the liberation of Auschwitz, 58,000 inmates were marched away because the Nazis did not want them to fall alive into the hands of the liberators; instead, they had to go on what has become known as the Death Marches. Over half of them would die as a result. They left behind the ashes and bones of over a million human beings, more than 900,000 of them Jews, most of whom died by gassing, and some 7000 sick and dying inmates, including Jewish and Roma children on whom the German doctors had performed murderous medical experiments.

Having visited Auschwitz in a few years back today is even more poignant for me.

This sign is the first thing you pass when you enter the facility.

The Holocaust, which established the standard for absolute evil, is the universal heritage of all civilized people. The Holocaust profoundly affected countries in which Nazi crimes were perpetrated, but also had universal implications and consequences in many other parts of the world. As genocide and atrocity crimes keep occurring across several regions, this has never been so relevant.

Education in Ontario

Travel Tuesdays - Berlin

My Facebook memories (because now that I am over 55 it is the only way I remember anything it seems) have reminded me that I was in Berlin at this time a few years ago.

Here are some shots from that trip . . .

The Perfect Companion

I'll admit that I got quite a chuckle out of this . . .

Travel Tuesdays - Norway

One year ago I was at a conference in Stavanger, Norway. Here are some shots from my visit.

The Human Footprint

There is something to think about in this series of images. I know it is an exaggeration but before you dismiss it for that reason alone open your mind just a titch and think.

Childhood Lessons

Resolutions?

Every year, millions of people make New Year’s resolutions, hoping to spark positive change.

The recurring themes each year include a more active approach to health and fitness, improved finances, and learning new things for personal and professional development. Chances are, more than a couple of the top 10 most common resolutions will look familiar to you:

1. Exercise more
2. Lose weight
3. Get organized
4. Learn a new skill or hobby 
5. Live life to the fullest
6. Save more money / spend less money
7. Quit smoking
8. Spend more time with family and friends
9. Travel more
10. Read more

I think this year I will do something a little different. Rather than list a bunch of things which need to change I will list things I am grateful for . . . the things that are working well (well, relatively well :-) ) in life.

I am grateful that I have a good job that provides me with the income necessary to have a home, a car, food on the table, and the independence to do many of the things I want to do. There are always those dreams that are beyond the means afforded by ANY job but hey, it is good to dream. LOL

I am grateful to live in a democratic country where I can protest things that need to change, where I can vote to change governments that refuse to change, and where I have a level of freedom many in the world lack.

I am grateful for friends who support me and are gentle with me when I am being an ass.

I am grateful that with advancing age I have amassed enough wisdom so that there are fewer and fewer times when I am an ass. :-)

I am most grateful to have an incredible husband who walks with me on every step of our journey.

I am grateful that my mom is still alive and able to add another layer of happiness to our lives.

I am grateful to have witnessed the incredible rise of youth who are perfectly willing and able to speak truth to power. It may be a cliche to say that but there really is no other way to describe what Greta Thunberg, Autumn Peltier, or the Parkland teens are doing. They walk into rooms full of largely older, white men with power and they rip them to shreds for ignoring the various crises facing our world. They are savvy, they are angry, and they aren't taking it any longer.

I'm grateful to be at a point in my life where I can think about retirement and that I have an indexed pension that will allow me to retire and focus on life rather than what I need to do to pay the bills.

I am grateful to live in a country with public health care. Now I haven't been a huge draw on the system up to this point in my life, but I am of an age where that won't be long off. It is comforting that 'can I afford it?' is not one of the health care decisions I need to make.

I am grateful for the gift that is travel. If there is something that opens the mind more to the experiences of others I'm not sure what it is.

I am grateful that I know how to unwind. Throughout my childhood I watched my father suffer from a complete inability to relax. While I have a stressful job and work long hours I also know the things which will feed my soul and help me replenish my energy.

I am grateful for literacy. The ability to read and write enriches my world to such a great extent.

I am grateful to live in a country that has withstood the lure of populism and tribalism . . . don't get me wrong, there are frightening things that we see every day which are a concern, but we have generally not jumped on that bandwagon to the extent that other countries have.

Travel Tuesdays - Rome

Continuing with my December theme of Christmases we've enjoyed on the road . . . here are some shots from the year we were in Rome for Christmas.

Travel Tuesdays - Christmas in Venice

Venice has been in the news a lot  of late as a result of the crippling Aqua Alta.

Happily, when we were there during December we were spared much of what the city is experiencing now.