The Angels on High
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The Angels on High

Hail Brave Hearts

Joy and Peace to all of you on this blessed Christmas Eve.  The Angels on high are with our Lord.  God saves all.

21 Fascinating Facts About Angels in the Bible

It is with great joy that we celebrate this birth.  Joy to all of us, a saviour is born.  Happy days, happy celebrations, happy gift giving and food sharing.  This is a joyous time, filled with fun and good cheer.

The nights are long, the deep chill is here, temperatures drop and wind blows in storms, howling in our ears.  It’s perfect!  That perfect time of the year for decorating our homes in bright lights, finding gifts to give to loved ones so dear and to share with friends and acquaintances as well.  The wallet opens, cash seems abundant, stores offer everything your heart desires.  What could be more special than that fun filled holiday spending.  Spending on gifts, spending on dining, spending on drink, spending on holidays, spend, spend, spend.  The money wheel spins faster and Ho Ho Ho, Santa Clause climbs down your chimney.

Stockings are hung, gifts for Santa, gifts for us.  The retail financial success story made and paid for.  The gift exchange makes us so merry and of course, don’t forget your substantial gifts to the poor,  And while all of this fun and celebration occurs, a child is born.  A child of magnificence, a child of hope, of peace, of goodwill.  A child who will change our lives, not just with a birthday, but with love and forgiveness.  This is the child of the Christmas Story, a story of gifts, of poverty becoming greatness, of a lowly birth becoming a king.  A success story of greatness being born from despair.  The Christian story offers a promise to the world, a promise of hope for all of us, regardless of birth that there will be the opportunity for success.

The celebrations of Christmas unite the community.  Events of caroling, of parades, of Christmas lights, of dinner parties.  Doubts are cast aside, people smile, they hug one another, families unite. The joy of a blessed saviour fills us with hope, charity and community.  Peace amongst us as we enjoy the good company of friends and sometimes strangers.  The season awakens the spirit  of acceptance, of kindness, of  tolerance, of goodwill.  Love eternal.

And then there are Angels.  The heavenly choir makes us sing.  Our voices are lifted in praises for the new born king.  Oh happy day that this Christmas gift was given to us.  Now the teacher teaches us, the student listens.  These lessons learned help and support us during our journey on this planet.  A journey of discovery, of adventure of humanity.  A journey that must be kept worthy, must be kept fulfilling, must be kept in learning.

In the quiet hours of the eve of this great night, comes the greatest gift of love.  Joy to us, there is life. Joy to us, there is Love.

Written by Dr. Louise Elaine Hayes

This Christmas Eve 2025

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Yoho! It’s Awesome!

Hail Brave hearts

A cool mist on a hot day, the temperatures rising, the tumbling cascade from a high altitude source, cools us.  Heat is in the air, even with this early start, the day is warming quickly.  Rivulets from rainfall dampen the path.  The trail is a beauty though, as most of our experiences in this great wild are.

Our fine protected places, the finest in the world.  Stunningly beautiful, the grandeur of high mountains, glacier, waterfalls and wilderness, all protected for us to adventure in.   The world of wilderness, for our bodies, our minds and our souls.  Our eyes are a witness to this spectacular landscape, the great Earth, as always, gifts to us  it’s miracles, far beyond our own limited potential.  Today we access this gift of mountain, rock, glacier, water and moraine, carved by millennia of weather and mountain building.  On yet another fine day of wilderness travel, our hearts and minds are filled with joy.  It’s fabulous!

The steady uphill walk to the rubble above tree line, poses no hardship.  This is the destination which calls us, along with many day hikers and overnight guests, all striving to push those limits of physical fitness to achieve the possible dream.

Soaring above us, a lifeline starts.  The precious, most necessary life line of rivers and streams, of mountain glacier, of that source of water that saves us.  The water supply, here as cascading, tumbling, icy cold waterfalls and rivers, which are fed by the melting of glaciers close by.  This is the start of the chain of life, that water brings.   Tiny plants and small shrubs, find life support by the miracle of water, the miracle of life in this high alpine world.  And life brings more life.  Flies and bees, some butterflies and other insects, find food and shelter in this remote terrain.  Wind plays it’s part in moving in weather fronts of rain  and in scattering seed.  The necessary, ongoing circulation of natural elements, which we call nature.

Nature brings us water from the high alpine, it brings us glaciers as a water source.  Nature brings us all weather and restores itself.  Nature gives us this miraculous world, a world for all eyes to see.  Up here is these great mountains, we witness the birth of rivers and streams, caused by melting from several glaciers.  The glaciers being the source of these lifelines.  Freshwater for our consumption, for our use, for the vitality of the forests and the land.

This is a concern to us now.  Where will we be, when the glaciers vanish, when the rivers stop flowing, when the natural faucet turns off and those lifelines disappear.  The fragile life which clings dearly to those lifelines, loose their nourishment and the arid rockpile becomes lifeless again.   The land that we call God’s Land, slips into lifeless death.  Our responsibility soars as we struggle to protect these fragile, remote places, where the world begins.  Our world begins with the basics of life, air to breathe, water to drink.  As water sources dry up, so does our time.  The clock is ticking, our hearts are still beating, heat and fire are bringing us closer to a final loss.  The loss when Nature can no longer restore itself.  Winter is still harsh and cold, but the glaciers reseed at an alarming rate.  The world is too hot.

Science of Glaciers | National Snow and Ice Data Center

The grand beauty of the natural world, give us sights that we all need to see.  Where does it all come from?  Where will we be when it goes?

written by Dr. Louise Elaine Hayes

September 1, 2025

Parks Day July 19, 2025
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Parks Day July 19, 2025

Hail Brave hearts

Come out and celebrate!  Renewal, rebirth, sustainability, recreation, sports, culture, history, wildlife, and of course, those fabulous parks that we all love and crave.  The great outdoors, with it’s most awesome, inspiring gifts.  Life, health, nutrition, wellness, the joy of living.  For those with cravings to climb mountains, hike in the wilderness, paddle rivers and lakes, and generally enjoy the wonderful nature that surrounds us, Parks Canada is your place.  You can visit a historical site and meet a historical person, take a guided hike, view wildlife in it’s natural setting and explore the untamed wilderness of Canada’s finest treasures. Parks is for people, wildlife and rare species.  It’s a showcase of our finest environmental and historical assets.  It’s an achievement that keeps growing as Canadians rush to explore and unwind in the great Canadian outdoors.

The wilderness is awe inspiring.  The grandeur of great mountains,  the shimmering pristine lakes, the bountiful beauty of endless skies and auroras in the air.  magnificent forests and wildlands, with all of their wild inhabitants.  The Parks are a place of wonder, of joy, of captivating beauty and fun for all of us.  This idea has been one of Canada’s finest achievements, from coast to coast.

Celebrate Canada’s Parks Day / National Parks Day – Nature Canada

The hearty homesteader of yore, who brought his family to these fine lands. Lands laden with hunting, fishing, berries to pick, native fauna and flora to digest and to heal wounds with.  Old traditional remedies to cure what ails you. The human history of the area is a fascinating study of the minds and will of these people.  Ancient old settlers willing to carve a niche in the fabric of the land.  Homesteaders scattering themselves throughout large areas of land.  Forts and lighthouses to protect and save us.  These are the historical ones, the unusual ones, who, through dauntless courage, forge a path for the rest of us to follow.

Old Indian trails to mark the way, historical rivers to paddle. These are connections from place to place, explorations for us to find.  The hikes we take, the trails we follow, the paths around the lakes, all take us to endless beauty and the healing of spending time in a natural environment.  The great good earth supports us in so many ways.

The environmental sustainability and ecological integrity of National Parks and provincial parks, help us to understand and appreciate the land of Mother Earth.  Here she imparts a knowledge of her own special ways.  A beautiful scene carved from a wild natural area, preserved forever for the joy of those who travel to it.  A visit to a special, superior place, of raw, rugged beauty for the adventurer in us all.  These are Canadian parklands, a wonder and wealth of natural and cultural beauty.  Rugged forefathers who braved the perils of the land, unbridled pristine wilderness for us to enjoy.  The National Parks are a wonder of natures finest and the brilliance of those who preserve these fine places.

Come and visit.  Celebrate with us.  Parks Day is a joy of celebration for us all.

Parks Day | Alberta Parks

Written by  Dr Louise Hayes

July 18, 2025

Spring is in the Air
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Spring is in the Air

Hail Brave Hearts

It’s that time of year again, when the food supply  comes alive.  The garden and the springtime are almost synonyms.   Cast off your winter coat, indulge in the last of the winter larder, and start your preparation for this years treats.  It’s treats galore!

The infamous dandelion is back in full bloom, covering roadsides, hilltops, lawns and open spaces with bright yellow specs of early spring sunshine.  Pretty and nutritious, this hearty wild edible, is a plant that is either a friend or foe.  To those who think of this as a weed and find it a nuisance, it’s a lot of work to get rid of.  For those of us who indulge in it as a food supply, it’s free salad.  Perspective can be everything.   The larder can be full of sunshine dandelion goodness, if your recipe choice calls for it.  First in the spring, first on the table, the nutritional content is this plant is worth putting on the dietary list.

The beautiful bounty of your garden surpasses the fruit and vegetable plantings.  The edible flowers add a spark of colour and beauty to the garden and some help to deter pesky insects and slugs that  consume your vegetables as fast as you do.  Companion planting has mixed blessings, from deterring destructive insects to the beauty of salads, syrups, jams, baking  and other dietary delights, that pretty flowers enhance.  Choose your garden splendor, there’s time to grow a feast!

15 Different Types of Edible Flowers You Can Grow and Eat

A picture perfect salad, with a dash of rose petal,  tea from your marigolds, syrup of lilac, dainty cupcakes dressed up with violets,  it’s decadent, sweet smelling and creates a unique, inspiring garden and larder which enhances your dining experience all throughout the year.

This garden attracts useful pollinators, bees and butterflies to help the garden grow.  These beneficial insects  promote fruit and vegetable production, helping to give the yield that your hard work deserves.  The organic garden is preferred for this, since healthy insects need to pollinate without pesticides and your body is better able to absorb the nutrition of plants from organic gardens.

Weeds can be a treat.  Chickweed is edible and can be used as a garnish or in your salad.  Lambs quarters has a medicinal value as well.  Just be sure that all of your consumption has a food value and is not poisonous.

So here’s to spring and all of the goodness that it brings.  Good health and good eating to all.

Written by Dr. Louise E Hayes

May 23, 2025

 

 

 

For the Ladies
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For the Ladies

Hail brave hearts

The joy is in the giving, they say, so be the one who brings joy into this world.  Have gratitude for the good in life and strive to make it better.

Hail to the ladies, the homemakers that save us.  The home, the hearth, the comforting indoor space that protects us.  The home, where we share our lives with our families.  This is the best place that the world has to offer,  the home.  The home, where nurturing is, where people care, where our lives are born and cherished,  where we grow and mature.  This is the family place, the special private place for love and laughter, joy and giving.  The world’s safe place.  A place to be safe with a family who knows and cares

There are many aspects to a home, it’s not always a house to live in.  It’s a place of bonding, of sharing, of nurture and care.  It the place that we always remember, for what was so good about it.  The family, the chef, the seamstress, the carpenter, the family man and his wife with all of the children that are gifts to them.  The gift of children, the gift of family, whether the fortunes are high, or not.

Some are saved by having plenty, plenty of spirit, of knowledge, of education, of connections, friends, loved ones and community.  Some are saved by having less, but still the bonds of family, friends, affection, community and sharing.  More of less, whatever it is.  life brings fruits and hammers to all of us.  The resilient rise, the strength of others subsides, but the nucleus of the family and this support, brings strength to those in despair. Gather round, the support is there.  Love and kindness wins.

HOME | quiltsofvalour

a quilt is a warm hug

To those of us from the support side, the family connections are needed.  It’s the times of trouble that cause the most stress and the connection to key elements in life is necessary to bolster the strength needed to surpass the pain.  Small acts of kindness are sometimes the greatest gift of all.  A warm hug, a friendly conversation, an invitation to join, a plan for relief.  The task may seem too challenging, but there are those who care.  The family is the first and last resort in healing.

In our direst hour, strength is in our loved ones.

So disaster strikes and healing begins, first at home, then in community.  Those who know will come forward with care, compassion and sometimes affection.  Love grows and miracles emerge.  The home is growing, it’s becoming a neighbourhood, of friends, connections, work force and people.  God’s family are emerging.  God’s family are contacting, connecting,  reaching, touching, sharing, caring, warming the heart and the soul.  This is community. where all of us live.  A place to call home, a community to belong to. A sense of fellowship and a safe haven from the world’s difficult times.

Rejoice in good fortune, it comes and it goes.  Mourn in despair, but gather your courage.  The winds of time blow warm and cold.  This is just what life is.  Be strong, be courageous,  love and be loved.  The world will miss your participation.

Written by Dr. Louise E Hayes

April 16.2025

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International Day of Happiness, March 20

Good Day Brave Hearts

Have you smiled today?  Are you enjoying yourself?  Is this a good day for you?  Maybe it’s a great day for you.  A day of Sharing and Caring.  A day of happiness.

International Day of Happiness | United Nations

What does happiness mean to you?  Is it a warm hug?  A kiss from your dog?  Fellowship with loved ones or friends?  There are so many ways to enjoy your life, from the sports arenas to colouring books, reading your favourite authors, to exploring the land, gardening, crafts, singing and praising, sharing and caring.  The world needs your fine mind and your pursuits of achievement.  Happiness is part of your achievements.  Its a goal to set, to find ways to enjoy your life, in a healthy, safe and law abiding manner.  It strengthens the community, builds ties with others and creates networks of like minded  people to help you with your pursuits.

There’s a strength in being happy.

Happiness: What It Really Means and How to Find It

Happy people live longer,  have more meaningful relationships and give more community support.  There’s real value in social support, engaging with others and trying to solve issues of hardship.  There’s also real value in play.  The chance to stretch your legs, play a game and just enjoy the fun of life.  Having fun and spending time with people who you enjoy is a fulfilling past time.  It’s also very important to your life, to nurture your sense of well being.  Positive interactions with others, doing things that make you happy, helping someone else, provides positive interactions and positive reinforcement.

There is much to be gained in making contributions to your community.  Some contributions are time, some are goods, some are expertise and volunteering, some is financial, but whatever it is, the overall contributions, helps to take care of another.

Gratitude is an important factor in happiness and happiness improves overall health and well being.  It’s important to be happy and to pursue goals which help to improve happiness.  This helps with personal relationships, work force relationships and general public contacts.  Gratitude comes with sharing and caring.  It has a relationship. It’s the joy of giving and the joy of receiving.

So happiness is a means to an end and finding happiness in your life is a life long pursuit.  It’s so important, that the pursuit of happiness is included in the American Declaration of Independence and listed as an unalienable right, rather than a pursuit, or a quest.  People have the right to be happy.  People have the right to enjoy themselves, to have fun, to engage in healthy social pursuits.  People have the right to live a good life.  A good life comes with a good community, with fellowship and friends, with enjoyable social and recreational pursuits.  It’s being able to participate in the things that you enjoy.  They say that the good things in life are free, but you have to make those good things occur.  Family, friends, supportive people in your life, these will help to make you happy and happiness can come without financial burden.  It’s the gifts of sharing and caring that help to ease hunger, give shelter, clothing and supplies and make a happier world for those in need.

Happiness is for all of us.

Happy International Happiness Day

written by Dr. Louise E Hayes

March 19, 2025

 

 

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The Dietary Goodness of Life

Hail Brave Hearts

Happy New Year to all of you.

The feastings of the holiday season has passed and the riches of the gourmet world have been exchanged in holiday recipes, old family favourites, neighbourhood parties and community gatherings.  The sweet and savoury delights to the palate as more and more food circulates with Christmas sharing.  More parties, more alcohol, more food consumption.  More, more and more.  No starvation here.  The requirement to give gifts to the poor, to feed the less fortunate and to stock the food banks, is a necessary part of the holiday season.  Give these gifts throughout the year and add an extra bonus at Christmas time.

Our taste buds revel in the food we consume.  So good to eat, so aromatic to smell, we drool  We’re ready to dine before dinner comes out of the oven.  Delightful Christmas with all of its goodwill, good cheer and seasons greetings.  Dine, consume, share, feed yourselves, feed your neighbours, feed the  poor.

Now its the New Year, with all of the responsibility of loosing those unwanted, unhealthy holiday pounds, unwanted excess inches, bulges and fats.  How on earth do we eat so much?

Those taste buds of ours are part of a nasty body battle,  What’s so good to eat, might be absolutely the worst diet for your fine body. Your fine, trim, well-musceled body, has been besieged by an onslaught of dietary delight.  So much so, that now, the gym calls, with an insistence to save yourself.  Heed the call, or your taste buds win and your mind accepts just a few more pounds, just another cookie at lunch, just another gourmet treat, which supports excess body weight and accelerates aging.  Your fine body must win the fight against those taste buds.  This is a fight that you must win.  It’s the fight of your life.  A fight for your survival as your fine body needs a proper diet for life support.  Those taste buds are tricksters, who play a game, which sometimes completely contradicts the needs of the body and the needs of the body come first. Excess pounds puts strain on the heart and joints ache from the weight.

Canada’s Food Guide

The dietary delight of a good diet and good exercise improves us.  Our bodies respond with flexibility, stamina, endurance, strength, youth, higher energy levels and overall wellness.  A good diet improves skin, hair, eyes, nails and muscles.  Now those sought after recreational activities can be a part of daily life, even if it’s just a walk in the park.  The challenge of controlling those taste buds, is to control that extra unwanted weight.  Chocolate drips with gooey goodness, but it’s not. Icing sugar, refined sugars and candies add up to a calorie count of excess goodness that only the taste buds enjoy.  Your teeth scream and the dentist earns a living as doctors bills and dental appointments rise beyond your pocket book.  The cheaper side of life could be the healthier way to live.  A walk in the park is free, candy cost money.

Of course, the choice is yours, but the recommendations of Canada’s Food Guide provide for a healthy diet with no sugars.  This is the recommendation for us, by our health experts.

Live long and healthy lives, oh Canada.  Praises to your good health.

written by Dr. Louise Elaine Hayes

January 26, 2025

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A Child Arrives

Hail Brave Hearts

Praises!  The blessings of this holiday season abound.  Friends and family, acquaintances and colleagues, all are united in the spirit of holiday giving and sharing.  Joy to all of us during this happy and generous time.  Joy to all of us, all throughout the year.

It is with joy that we surround ourselves with the festive season.  The lights, the trees, the singing, sharing, praises to one another and to the joy of humankind.  Gifts from God.  Love eternal.  Love and kindness.  Oh Holy One.  Love from most high.  All Heavens and Earth rejoice.  Praises to the Lord, our King.

During these cold winter days, when the wind blows from the North, where Santa fills his sleigh and the elves prepare the parcels of toys and movies and delights galore.  Reindeer in harnesses to fly in the sky.  Myth and fantasy to light up your life.  Stockings by the fire with the world all aglow.  This is when the Holy family travel.  That long and difficult journey over many days, with child.

The cold blast of winter, reminds us to think of others.  Gifts of warm clothing and blankets to the shelters, the thrift shops and the churches.  Gifts to food banks, charities and the poor.  Gifts to family and friends.  The gift of a child.  Gift giving and singing, all praises to our King, a gift as well, a gift from God.

Oh that the world is so cold and downtrodden.  Of that the world is blessed with a savior.  Oh that this great planet is unique, with life, with living, with joy and giving.  Oh that holy night, when the angels sing.  Blessed are we to share this great Earth.  Blessed are we to rejoice in God’s world.  All heaven and Earth rejoice.

The animals are quiet as the child lies sleeping.  The angels sing and a star shines bright.  This bright beacon from heaven guides the Maji from afar.  Oh holy night, we will all be blessed.

There are many stories to tell of Christmas, of how this holiday season comes to pass,  of saints in our midst who follow a path of  direction, discerned from teachings of wondrous works and guidance.   The miracle of birth, the joy of the child.  Happy are we to be a part of the celebration.

A Look at Popular Christmas Traditions Around the World

Jingle bells, Christmas parades, candy, baking and special recipes.  A joy of a holiday all throughout the world. As the season fills with gladness, sharing and community gatherings,  the special sounds of the season, fill the air.  The Angels sing.  The Christmas Choir is exuberant.  Joy.

The Best Old Christmas Songs with Fireplace 🎅🏼 2 Hours Best Classic Christmas Hits, Original

On this very Holy day, of Christmas, may your world be filled with joy and laughter.  Praises to you, all of you for the blessed gift of this genius child.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

written by Dr.  Louise Elaine Hayes

December 18, 2024

 

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Rebuilding

Hail Brave Hearts

Long days of travel, uncertainty, but awe for this fine country and the beautiful people who inhabit this special place. An unusual turmoil of reckless abandon, as the world turns in an uproarious manner.  Escape, run for your live, the wildfire has destroyed my home and a third of the townsite with it.

The adventure of relocating has had its moments, some superb, some a concern, some planned, some chaotic, we’ve landed now, all is well   The sightseeing tour around the province, visiting and housesitting has been a joy.  The planned trips and spontaneous gatherings have been a special time of hope and recovery.  Emergency services have been a delight to work with and relief and recovery are saving us.  A new home for me, in a community close by, filled with friendly, caring people, who are helping.  Adjust, learn, recovery is a process, now to rebuild.

My home was a 1928 old home is Jasper, with some classic historical features, typical of the time.  The grounds were landscaped with berry bushes and fruit bearing trees, perfect for my organic juices and liqueurs.  They’ve also  provided some herbal cures and  I’ve sought the ones that saved my knees, saved my eyesight and put fresh organic nutrition into my body.  This and vitamins have been keeping me disease free and my immune system resilient.  I was ingesting a lot of organic juice.  The edible flowers were on the plate as well.  The yard had it’s delights.

So now is the time, for the long process of rebuild.  The house will go up relatively quickly.  The same footprint with the same house plans make the rebuild more simple.   The itemized list of contents is a challenge, but the debris removal is straight forward.  Some things are manageable, some things are difficult, not all is lost, focus on the gain.

Relaxing Snowfall Nighttime Jazz Instrumental Music – Exquisite Piano Jazz in Winter for Deep Sleep

It’s essential to keep your mind out of that dark place.  The cursed place that consumes your mental health and causes despair.  That place, that dark and deadly place, that will ruin everything, if it takes control.  Focus, remain intact, pursue the positive result, nurture and care.   Your mind is your strongest ally, keep it well, remain sane, as hard as this is, it will pass.  The world will correct itself, as time and healing pass, as community and sharing take hold, as love and kindness comforts.  Avoid that dangerous place that needs to be medicated, enjoy your life.  Embrace the smiling community and give thanks for the opportunity to share the world with new friends and experiences.  This is your life, joy to you.

The pleasure of the holiday season is upon us.  It resonates with goodwill, joy to all of us, love one another.  The lights, the song, the sharing and caring, good cooking, gifts, bright lights and happiness.  This is the Christmas season, with all of it’s warmth and beauty.  The winter world comes alive and festivities abound.

Lucky are we to be the recipients of Christmas carols and holiday parades, holiday fun and holiday cheer, make this season sought after all throughout the year.  Fortunate are we to be fed, sheltered, clothed and warm.  To be befriended and accepted into a new world of strangers, who are now our companions and our lifeline.  Fortunate are we, since regardless of disaster, there’s still so much life to be lived.

Praises mankind and joy to the world.

Written by Dr. Louise Elaine Hayes

December 7, 2024

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Run For It

Hail Brave Hearts

It’s fire season.

Smoke is in the air, fire is advancing igniting the wilderness with it’s hot, choking blaze.  The unreal madness is occurring.  Run!  Run! Run for your lives!  All of you, be it human or wild, domestic or livestock, run for it, before you perish.

The wilderness has exploded into flames.  Temperatures steadily at plus 30 degrees for days, have filled our summer with awesome hiking in spectacular terrain,  soothing dips in pristine lakes along trails less travelled, delectable eats and treats in a quaint town where chefs compete for the most tasteful, gourmet menus.  The smug thrill of a privilege of spending so much time, life and living in an iconic UNESCO site.  Now to perish under the blaze of a sickening fireball, tossing itself around, burning here and there, destroying the spectacular national park and the homes of so many of us, that cherish the ground we walk on.

Here is God, in this immensely magnificent place.  A place of unrivalled beauty.  A place where wilderness, meets town, for about a kilometer, then forest and mountain consumes the landscape again.  The townsite of Jasper is just a small scratch in the surface of a national park, with roaring rivers, thundering waterfalls, iconic peaks and historic places.  The names of old voyageurs, fur traders and adventurers, mountain climbers and community builders, fill books, archives, photo collections and our history.  Not just the history of this place, but the history of building a great nation, from woodlands, to village, from creeks to waterways.   Heritage rivers, scenic drives, national railways.  The heart of explorers for over a hundred years, beats in the trees, the paths we walk on, the lakes we throng to in summer and winter and the river, the heritage river, a lifeline of adventure, connectivity and trade.

Now we escape, from the land that we love, to another situation of desperation and need.  Gone are the community dinners, the discounts, the hugs on the street.  We hug each other in different locations now, not just as a greeting, but now in a desperation.  You’re still with me.  We’re still alive.  The community is gone, but the community of nurture and care still holds us, feeds us, clothes us and keeps us.  Displaced persons that we are, some of us homeless, all of us ousted,  looking for a generous, compassionate, kind community to accept us.

Lavishly, we are welcomed in Valemount, a mountain community close at hand in a neighbouring province, British Columbia.  Although the struggles of wildfire dominate this land as well, we know these people.  They are our neighbours, our workforce, our retirees, our family and our friends.  The partying starts.  Relief is close at hand.  Comfort and congeniality supports us.  We are saved.  Saved by the common sense of a small, quiet community much like ourselves, with so much in common with us, that we just fit.  We fit in with the hospitality, the adventure, the sport.  We fit in with the character of the people.  They are like us, and we are grateful for their companionship and beauty, for a place to stay, a meal to eat and a crowd for conversation with.  We survive as evacuees in warm houses, hot meals and kind friendships.  Hugs.

Jasper wildfire: Examining the damage and promises to rebuild (youtube.com)

On the other side of the boarder, in Alberta, the evacuees fare just as well.

As heart wrenching and dreadful as our world has become, we are saved.  Saved by kind, supportive communities, saved by government initiates, saved by disaster relief.

Now we wait in anticipation of the return to our home.  Be it standing, or destroyed, it’s still our home.  As a community, we rebuild.

We thank God that we’re alive and praise the community that we once had, the land that we once occupied, the people who we live with.  As far flung as we are, in different places and spaces in the country now, we are still a community.  A strong people, who will build again.

written by Dr.  Louise Hayes

August 5, 2024