There, but for the grace of God...

I hope Pea doesn't forget the importance of true empathy.

I got a new job recently.  It's awesome... but it's also the reason I haven't been able to post as frequently as I used to.  I'm struggling to get into a rhythm and I'm typically pretty tired when I get home... I usually have just enough energy to watch Lost and then hit the sack.

My daily commute is just about the same, but now, instead of spending 3 hours a day sitting in a car, fighting traffic and snarling uncontrollably, I find myself enjoying the suburban commuter train to get to and from work.  I'm actually enjoying something called "books," although I can't yet bring myself to read Twilight in front of complete strangers.

Someday.

After I get off the train, I walk about 15 minutes to get to my office.  It's a busy walk, with hundreds of people walking in the same direction, trying to get to work as fast as possible and out of the cold.

Along my route to the office, I pass at least 6 homeless people.  In the morning, they are usually huddled under a blanket sleeping, trying to fend off the cold and wind.  In the evening, they are often awake, hat-in-hand, asking for whatever change passers-by can spare.

In my ignorance, I have always wondered how someone can end up homeless.  Don't they have families to turn to?  Did they really exhaust every possible avenue of support?

As a result, I have admittedly been selfish and less than empathetic.  I rarely give any of my own money... misguided, I've always assumed they are drug or alcohol addicts and that they essentially brought their fate upon themselves.

The reality, as I am coming to understand it, is that mental illness often plays a big part in the rapid downward spiral that afflicts many homeless people.  Undiagnosed or misdiagnosed patients rarely get the help they need... the mental health system in this country is in complete disrepair and before the individual even realizes they need help, things are often too far gone.

Houses are lost.  Families, who once did everything in their power to provide support, are exhausted and bewildered.  

Homelessness is not the choice.  It is the only choice.

I passed a homeless man the other day and it occurred to me that he was likely, as some point in his life, very similar to me.  He probably held down jobs in the past and had a place to hang his hat.

Regardless of the circumstances that brought him to this place, whether he is addicted or ill, this man's hollow eyes were probably once full of hope and excitement.  His face, now covered in a long black beard, was probably clean shaven and soft at some point.  And I'm sure people looked to him for support and guidance much like Pea looks to me for this same purpose.

It was this last thought that gave me pause.  A wife?  A family?

My life has been forever changed since I met my wife, and since Pea was born.  I simply cannot imagine a scenario where they are not in my life every day.  I can't imagine losing the laughter that fills our home when we play together.  I can't imagine not seeing them in the mornings or kissing them goodnight.

I can't imagine any of this, perhaps, because I don't want to.

My views on this topic are quickly shifting.  I'm beginning to consider the potential back-story that has led homeless people to their current situation, and I'm definitely aware of the blessings I have been afforded in my life.

In small ways, I am beginning to change my behaviour.  I don't avoid eye contact anymore and I am apologetic when I don't have anything to offer them in support.  I'm beginning to realize that whether they are affected by mental health issues or addiction issues, they are still deserving of the simple courtesies that I afford all other people I encounter.

After all, there, but for the grace of God...

I may not know what I want my Pea to become, but I hope she doesn't forget the importance of true empathy.

Mwen regret sa

I hope Pea never fails to understand the true personal meaning of the word 'ruin.' 

I have a TV right above my desk at work, and most of the day we keep it tuned to a local all-news station.  It's on mute, but every now and then I look up to catch a glimpse of the latest current events.

Quite often today, when I glanced up, the news focused on the earthquake that rocked the tiny island nation of Haiti.  Several times, I noticed the headline that accompanied the coverage - Haiti in Ruins.

Haiti in Ruins. 

Think about that for a moment.  Think of all of the other references to the word ruin that you've heard in your life.  Certainly, if you've ever visited Pompeii or Rome, you'll understand that the term ruin has often been associated with centuries-old remnants of natural disasters and tourist attractions.  The ruins in these countries are historical; something you visit, walk through and experience as leisure, with little concern for the causes that led to their existence.

Now, there is an entire nation of people from our time that have lost a large part of their culture, their homes, and most importantly their loved ones.  To them, ruins aren't something you go out of your way to visit and experience... they are, in fact, just the opposite. 

Like most parents, ever since Pea was born I experience this type of current event with an entirely new point of view.  Now, instead of wondering about the material loss and rebuilding that Haitians will face in the months and years to come, I'm absolutely overcome with pain and sadness at the thought of Haitian parents who have lost their children, and Haitian children who are now left orphaned. 

Up until now, I've mainly applied the word ruin to physical objects and material possessions.  It is now abundantly clear to me that lives, in addition to things, can also be battered and ruined. 

In Haiti, and all over the world, there are millions of lives that are now left in ruins.  While we can all see the physical devastation they've experienced, and do our part to help them rise above their predicament, there is little to nothing we can do to help them come through the emotional devastation they've encountered at the loss of their homes, their lives and their loved ones. 

I'm sure none of you are visiting my personal blog to get the latest information on how to make a difference for Haitians, but I'll provide it here just the same.  Today, the Canadian government announced that it will match donations made by Canadians to any registered charity working to support relief efforts in Haiti, up to $50M. 

It is vitally important that we do what we can, as soon as we can, so that these funds become available as quickly as possible.  There are many charities - the Canadian Red Cross, UNICEF Canada, Médecins Sans Frontières Canada, World Vision and OXFAM Canada to name just a few - that are accepting donations.  You can find an exhaustive list of charities working to support Haiti relief efforts on the CBC's website, here.

We're not all in a position to donate money, and this is understandable.  While I'm not an overly religious fella, might I suggest prayer as a suitable alternative.  After all, there but for the grace of God...

When I got home from work today, Pea got a longer and stronger hug than she's used to... she didn't seem understand why, but she held on tight just the same.  Tonight, I count myself lucky to be able to hold her at all.

A tout ceux et celles qui souffrent tellement depuis le tremblement de terre en Haiti, je n'ai qu'a offrir mes sympathies et mes condoléances.  Mwen regret sa.

 
I may not know what I want my Pea to become, but I hope she never fails to understand the true personal meaning of the word 'ruin.'

Uh Oh...

I hope the planet lasts long enough for Pea to realize her own dreams.

I am not a vocal climate champion.  I'm not the one speaking loudly about what we can do to prevent or reverse global warming, I am not protesting or blocking the Olympic Torch's progress across Canada, and I do not consider myself to be a 'green' guy.

Mind you, I'm not a non-believer either.  I do my part in small ways... recycling, carpooling, etc. because I believe our planet is headed towards significant peril.  But I'm no Greenpeacer, so to speak.

That's a little bit of context for what I am about to say next.

I'm deeply saddened and disappointed that a comprehensive deal wasn't reached during the Copenhagen climate talks of the past two weeks.  Sure, some progress seems to have been made, but the outcome of this Summit is woefully lacking what the world needed from its political leaders at this time.

The main outcome of this Summit, from what I can glean, is that developed nations worked hard to protect their livelihood, generally at the expense of developing nations.  And Canada's failure to influence change and set a strong example is, quite frankly, a national and potentially long-lasting embarrassment.

So significant is our collective failure to agree on a course of action, that I fear this Summit will be marked in Pea's history books as a major turning point in our inability to protect her environmental future.  I honestly believe that we will look back on this one Summit 20 to 30 years from today much the same way we look back on the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand when we study World War I.

The fact is that politics have once again trumped the well-being of mankind.  My only hope is that the so-called deals of Copenhagen will be further strengthened and some significant change will be put in place.

At least the oil sands are safe.

I may not know what I want my Pea to become, but I hope the planet lasts long enough for her to realize her own dreams.

Space... the Final Photo Opportunity

I hope Pea doesn't let a good PR opportunity cloud her judgment.

Forty years ago, the United States of America put a man on the moon. With his famous, albeit redundant words, Neil Armstrong proclaimed "One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind" and instantly made it cool to be a space geek. Grown men wept. School children dreamed of extra-terrestrial futures. Buzz Aldrin cursed his bad luck.

Today, as the world celebrates this major accomplishment in human history, many countries are also announcing their plans for future outer space exploration. Billions of dollars are being spent to research and explore the frontiers of our existence that are yet to be understood, so that we might have a clearer sense of where we are going and where we came from... personally, I'm all for it.

To do its part, the Canadian Space Agency and the Federal government cashed in on the hype of the first moon landing and announced a 'significant' contribution to the globe's space exploration efforts. The total spend? Wait for it... wait for it... an additional $110 million over three years for space robotics and technology.

Step back, Canada.

Granted, I don't know much about this kind of stuff. I'm no astronaut. I don't know what space robotics actually entails, although I do have an iRobot kind of scenario playing out in my head when I think about it.

What I do know is that it costs roughly 5 times that investment to send a television satellite into orbit. And we've gotten pretty good at sending satellites into orbit, so I imagine that's as cheap as it gets.

So I ask: what good is $37 million extra per year really going to do to the Canadian Space Agency?

As a country, we are constantly falling short on our commitment to help fight AIDS in Africa. There's a global climate challenge taking place right now on this planet. Our public transportation programs around the country are in dire need of funding. Every mayor of every city in Canada is claiming they don't have enough to do what Canadians need today. And so on.

So, when it came down to it, we chose to give the Canadian Space Agency what amounts to petty cash to get some good publicity, instead of putting that $110 million dollars to good use.

To infinity and beyond!... on a budget, I guess.

I may not know what I want my Pea to become, but I hope she doesn't let a good PR opportunity cloud her judgment.

From Tehran to Ottawa

I hope Pea doesn't neglect her civic responsibilities.

The mess we are currently seeing in Iran has me reflecting on the importance of democracy - true, transparent democracy - and the hope for a bright and free future for my daughter.

It occurs to me that while we may feel democracy is a right in this country, a little over 9 years ago most Americans likely felt the exact same way. 'Rigged elections are something you only see in the movies and in third world countries', they might have said, in their own American twang. Well, tell Al Gore that elections can't be stolen in the industrialized west.

And now, seeing hundreds upon hundreds of Iranian citizens taking to the streets in protest of what they feel is not the true outcome of their election naturally leads me to wonder what lies in store for Pea.

Will she have to endure questionable results in a Canadian struggle for power? If so, will she march on the streets of Ottawa in defense of her rights?

I certainly hope neither of these two situations come to fruition. But if they do, I hope my Pea will speak up if she feels she has been cheated. After all, her right to protest is as much a centrepiece of democracy as her right to vote.

But most of all, I hope she votes in the first place. This is a right her great grandfather fought for and risked his life to protect. Voting is the least we can offer him, and his counterparts, in return.

I may not know what I want my Pea to become, but I hope she doesn't neglect her civic responsibilities.

The Danger of Discourse

I hope Pea doesn't simply walk away from differing opinions. 

Please note: this blog is about to get political!

So, the Conservative government decided not to let British MP George Galloway into the country because he is a threat to national security.  Seems a little ridiculous to think that an elected official from a democratic ally would be considered a threat to national security, especially when the ol' US of A let's him in, but should we really be surprised that the Conservatives and Stephen Harper have taken this stand?

Remember, Stephen Harper is the same leader that silenced nearly all of his own MP's shortly after taking office.  

(I wonder what the first few caucus meetings were like in the early days of the first Conservative minority... Ok gang, way to go with a hard fought win in the election!  We aren't at the majority we wanted, but we're closer than ever.  Now, I'm going to need everyone to listen carefully here. Now that you are an elected official chosen democratically to speak on behalf of the people of Canada, I'm going to need you all to shut your mouths.  That's right people, I'm talking a wholesale ban that prevents each of you from speaking to the media.  What's that Peter?  Yes, even Cabinet Ministers.  Why?    Oh, don't worry, I have my reasons.)

If he doesn't want his own colleagues talking, why would we think that he would welcome the opinions of foreigners with controversial views on world politics?

Please don't get me wrong.  I am not in favour of what Mr. Galloway has to say.  The fact is I don't know nearly enough about his views to make an informed decision one way or the other.  My point is that I should have the right to hear his opinion and make up my own mind. I don't need Big Harper telling me what to think, or in this case, not think.  

It is the discourse Galloway's controversial point of view creates that is necessary to better understand both sides of the issue. The Conservatives appears to want none of that discourse. Well, I know that at least 600 people, who attended Mr. Galloway's speaking engagement via video-conference tonight, and the hundreds more that will attend in various Canadian cities this week, will agree that discourse is important even when the person talking has a different opinion from yours.  

Look, for all we know, Mr. Galloway is a raving lunatic with a horribly skewed view of the world. Shouldn't we be allowed to make that determination ourselves?  I guess Canadians just can't be trusted to make up their own minds.  

I may not know what I want my Pea to become, but I hope she doesn't simply walk away from differing opinions.

A lot to learn from Barack

I hope my Pea doesn't get caught up in rhetoric.

President Barack Obama made a quip on Jay Leno last night that has caused quite a stir. He likened his bowling skills to those of a Special Olympian, meaning to say he isn't a great bowler.  

Personally, I think the PC Revolution has gone way too far. The late George Carlin had it right - it isn't the words we use that matter, it is the context in which we use them that is important. 

President Obama's comments were humorous, yet quite insensitive, because the context was insensitive.  His context was that Special Olympians can't possibly be good bowlers, which is far from the truth - they are, after all, Olympians. 

Let's consider a few other examples of the PC world Pea will be living in:

• There are no losers anymore. Everyone gets praise for participating.
• We don't fail at work. We miss an opportunity, or we need development.
• If you are a pale man of Scottish descent, you aren't pasty, you are pigmentally challenged.

To paraphrase Dave Chappelle, let's keep it real people.  At times, Pea will lose.  She will fail.  And thanks to her father's genetics, she will likely be considered pasty.  I refuse to avoid these words around her.

When she loses, I won't sugarcoat it.  When she fails, I will help her see the value in that failure.  I will help her understand that 'losing' and 'failure' aren't bad words unless the context they are used in is bad.  And in explaining this context, I hope she might also learn the benefits of losing and failing in building character and resiliency.  I hope that she will not fear words of any kind; rather, that she will be weary of their context.

I may not know what I want my Pea to become, but I hope she does not get caught up in rhetoric.   

P.S.- President Obama's comments came a little over a week before the Special Olympics embarks on a campaign to eradicate the use of what they call the R-word - retard. Coincidence?  See tomorrow's blog entry on conspiracy theories in the US political system.

P.P.S. - Ok, tomorrow's entry really won't have anything to do with conspiracy theories. Psyche!

P.P.P.S. - I haven't used the P.S., P.P.S., P.P.P.S. structure since grade school!  What a trip!