January 2012 Newsletter
Happy New Year! It is my wish that 2012 will be the best year ever. We are blessed here in Alberta with peace and prosperity that allows us as Albertans many opportunities.
November and December are such a good time of the year. I really enjoy all the functions and celebrations that take place. For me it starts off with Remembrance Day where we as Canadians can be proud and grateful for all the great men and women who put their lives on the line to preserve our freedoms. I had the opportunity to commemorate Kristallnacht and watch the movie, “Heart of Auschwitz”, an amazing story of survival and miracles.
While in Edmonton I participated in the commemoration of Holodamar, a manmade famine in the Ukraine, and once again met with survivors of that horrific event. For me it is critical that we teach our children about these atrocities and sufferings so that they might know, remember and hopefully never allow this kind of history to repeat.
I was able to attend many school Christmas programs, the nativity at Heritage Park as well the lighting of the Menorah at City Hall. We have many reasons to celebrate, to remember and to share our experiences and learning. The food at these events is always wonderful and I cannot help but think about these recipes, carefully developed and handed down from one generation to the next, each one unique.
When we stop to look at the big picture, “the rest of the world”, we really do live in a land of peace and plenty. For some, it has been good for so long that we forget to be grateful. We forget that being healthy and having a home with more than adequate food and clothing is not a blessing enjoyed by many people.
What is the recipe for the good life? Can we preserve it? Or is the good life just a cycle like the seasons? Must we go through times of turmoil? I truly believe that through diligence on our part we can and will make a major difference for our children, as our parents and grandparents did for us. We are all part of the recipe of life. Is our contribution going to enhance a good recipe or detract from it?
Together we can make 2012 the best ever. We need to evaluate our needs and prioritize how we spend our time and money. We need to make sure we are putting more into our life, family and community than we are taking out. We should not ask government or others to do for us what we should be doing for ourselves.
I look forward to serving you to the best of my abilities in 2012.
Together we do better.