Digressions

—by D’reen by Doreen Uren Simmons

Hi dear people: I’m writing this on a beautiful sunny day in the third week of November and the leaves are still on the trees in our backyard, lifting our spirits with their beautiful colour. It’s hard not to appreciate some of the beauty of climate change. Mea culpa.

I actually HAVE some news for you in this issue. Wait for it. Last week I entered my 90th year! Yep. Sounds much more elegant than saying, yeah I’m 89. I’m pretty tired of my eighties. I asked my family to ignore me and wait until the actual 90th birthday, but of course, wasn’t entirely successful. In fact, our home looks like a flower shop, which is lovely, and we’re still eating goodies from Country Produce. It was a very nice day…and week.

Thoughts on entering the 90th year? Well…gratitude of course. Many adventures, good and bad, but the key is survival, which produces optimism, which is essential to a happy life. Thanks to genes and family and friends, I know I’m a very lucky person. 

And perhaps a bit of reflection. I feel great sadness for our friends and neighbours to the south. They are definitely going to experience the consequences of their choices, and they won’t be good. The early ‘cabinet’ choices have already shown that. One can only pray that they will stay strong and resist whenever possible and keep faith. They do have some elections every two years and that will be their chance to protest. Fingers crossed. 

And now we approach that complicated season: joyous and cold, giving and getting, soulful and rueful, white and…? In spite of my salute to sun and colour at the beginning of this column I do secretly count on Orillia to provide that really beautiful white stuff to decorate the barren trees and make the children truly happy. This ole lady will celebrate with the kids, if briefly.

Merry Christmas and much love to you all!