From the desk of Teresa Jordan – You can learn a lot if you just pay attention. I spent time in my family cemetery this past weekend. One thing about the area where I live is that there are now 12 wind turbines that can be seen from almost any high vantage point for a 30-kilometre radius. I am not necessarily opposed or upset; however, I know that they are a polarizing issue and they do alter the otherwise serene landscapes of the rolling hills of Manvers Township. 

Sitting at the cemetery for the decoration service I looked to the horizon and saw no turbines. I quickly realized it was because the location of my sitting was opportune in placing trees between my line of vision and the wind turbines. I guess this is how it is with a lot of things that are troublesome or polarizing. 

If there is no way to change the outcome or the reality, then all that is left is the serenity to accept things as they are, and the option to find a different spot from which to look. That spot could offer you a different point of view, hide the issue from your sights – or in fact we could move on from wherever we are stuck in accepting a new reality. I think sometimes it is easy to forget our options with a problem that seems as massive as those wind turbines. 

We may get so fixated on the thing that appears to be altering our state of mind through anger or resentment or exhaustion that it slips our mind that we even have options.  And we always do, we can move our focus, we can breathe, we can completely change what we do for living or where we live in order to seek a better view. The power to handle icky landscape is completely about our line of sight.

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From the desk of Teresa Jordan, Executive Director – With springtime in my neighbourhood comes flooding.  The ice in the river stops the melt and rain from properly dispersing and the road and most of my property becomes a lagoon.  The next thing that usually happens is that the daytime warm moves and melts river ice, dispersing some water and then the nighttime freeze up makes a new lower level of ice.  So, all around the river ice is suspended on trees and other objects in layers with no water below it anymore.  Layers of ice floating in air, no longer supported by the flood waters is a somewhat precarious situation.  As you can imagine what happens next is that the ice resting only on its attachment to the trees or shrubs comes crashing down.  The woods are alive with noise and chaos.

All of this reminds me of two things each Spring, the first is that change is messy and never done and the second is that after all that moving water and layers of ice are cleared away the swampy bits can get down to the business of purifying air and water and being home to a million creatures for the sunny summer months. I think for most of us a new idea, a new way of looking at things or a huge decision is also formed in layers. 

At first blush I often feel sure of my next move, then someone or something drains away the water from that plan or attitude and I have to think it all over again, until the first layer crashed down and a new one replaces it.  And after all that new information, and experiences and reinventing, little by little all the mess of my old and new ideas clinging clears away.  Then just like the wetlands, I can go back to doing what I do best or what I try to do well.  That is until some kind of event, article or conversation makes layers crash down all over again. Bring it, the challenge is welcome because on the other side, spring like thinking is waiting. 

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