November has a mixed feeling. For us living in the foothills, fall’s hasty retreat gives way to winter a little too soon. But as the snow settles in the mountains, their evident beauty is magnificent.
In this month we can anticipate the festivities and markets that many of our communities host.
It is an opportunity to support our local artisans and encourage them to continue their creative efforts. The items we purchase from them feel more valuable as you know the effort that they’ve put into their craft.
Before the Christmas festivities and planning, the month starts with the sombre tone of Remembrance Day. We stop and remember the sacrifices of men and women who battled against tyranny and injustice. Giving up so much in order that those who come after them would enjoy life and the freedoms we often take for granted.
As I’ve written before, Remembrance Day takes a special tone for our family as my wife’s grandfather was part of the Dieppe Raid and then a POW for the remainder of the Second World War. Had he not survived, Heather’s mother would not have been born. We were recently going through some of his artifacts. Reading how he was treated as a POW, it’s truly a miracle he survived. Their final march (named the Death March) from Stettin, Poland to where they were rescued by the Americans in the Black Forest Mountains saw over 85% of the prisoners pass away. He was one of the 15% who survived.
We live in a precarious time where tensions between nations are at an all time high. Most of us won’t be able to influence the course of international affairs. However, we can influence the local community making it a better place to live. Here are three questions you could ask yourself:
1) How will you support the local businesses?
2) If you have disagreement, is it worth breaking relationships what can you do to help resolve it?
3) How can you serve those around you?
If we’re a tyrant, our community will give way to a tyrant. If we value the well-being of our neighbour, tyranny won’t have a foothold.
I hope you can take the time to appreciate what’s been entrusted to us by the sacrifice of those who’ve gone before.
From my family to yours,
Lowell Harder
