Reflecting on simpler times
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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 25/03/2022 (437 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
A Simpler Time
So how are you doing? Are times tough? You bet they are. One of the toughest years for weather in Winnipeg… this winter…two years of dealing with a pandemic…and now a war in Ukraine that threatens peace everywhere.
As I write this, I am looking out the window at huge snow banks. It reminds me of my childhood in St. Vital. Anyone remember the amount of snow in 1966 after the big storm in March? When I was a youngster (I mean actually young, not just feeling young-at-heart) many city roads were lined with ditches. As the snow melted, the ditches would fill with water and you could put a small twig or a match in the water and watch it float away. I recall placing two matches in the water and betting on which one would win a race. I would follow my match sticks for quite a distance, sometimes getting wet in the process. More than once I found my rubber boots filled with water. Mom was not too impressed but even that feels like a peaceful memory now.
We didn’t have to deal with a pandemic back then but my bout with mononucleosis was no fun. As pandemic restrictions loosen, here’s hoping the number of cases does not rise significantly. There is no doubt wearing masks helped slow the spread of the virus, as masks would with any respiratory ailment. With nicer weather we are outside more, so that could help.
Most of us know someone of Ukrainian descent and it is hard to watch what is happening there. My heart goes out to all Ukrainians. It should make us all feel grateful that we live in one of the best countries on earth. We have freedom that was earned for us in part by a previous generation. My dad landed on D-Day and experienced war at its worst. If he were still with us, he would be really upset over Ukraine. Partly in his honour, I am upset enough for the both of us. We may not be able to stop what is happening but there are things we can do, such as donate to help the millions of displaced people.
I was looking back at one of the books I have written, Making Contact, How to Connect With People, to see what pearls of wisdom I could come up with for today. While there are new challenges these days, people are fundamentally the same. They want to be heard. If we adhere to the basics…active listening, respect, and maintaining a positive environment, we should be on solid ground.
Try to remember that the snow is melting, baseball season is right around the corner, and with some luck the pandemic is going to take a backseat in our lives.
And we can all hope that the war in Ukraine will soon come to an end.
John Hindle
Community Correspondent — St. Vital
John Hindle is a community correspondent for St. Vital. Email him at john@johnhindle.com