Politics can make me crazy so I like to take time out to remember what is important. In this case, it's Canada. Yesterday was Canada Day and to mark the occasion, I uploaded the first batch of photos taken across the country and across the decades. You can see them here. I've lived in British Columbia, Alberta (including a town straddling the border of Saskatchewan), Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, and now call Nova Scotia home. Every part of our nation is filled with beauty and places that inspire the spirit.
Today, I celebrate a morning along the shores of Lake Nipigon. The day promised to be hot but it was still very early and the heat had not yet overtaken the coolness of dawn. With the obligatory Tim Horton's coffee in hand, I made my way through the tall grass down to the rocky shore, arousing clouds of sleepy mosquitoes that were immediately drawn to the warmth of my coffee. Snapping the lid shut, I set it down on an adjoining rock and was left in relative peace to enjoy the sounds of nature awakening to a new day.
Everything was bathed in soft light and tinted with rose, aqua, and violet. The water was like glass, disturbed only by an occasional jumping fish. There were no cars or other human sounds. The air was fresh and scented with wet foliage, damp earth, and lake water. I took a couple of photos, but mostly I just sat there living the moment. It occurred to me that my presence here was part of a much larger circle. Things that seem important in the city have no meaning here. This is real. This is life. This is the Canada I love.
Within this peace, I find my home. To try and build upon perfection would only hide the beauty, like a talent hidden or a life unlived. In this moment, I am here forever as are you when you chance upon this place, this moment, this life. Sharing this home is what makes us family and respecting this home nurtures all mankind.
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