Monday, December 9, 2013

Nelson Mandela died this week



Nelson Mandela died this week.  He was born one year before dad was.  He was imprisoned in 1962, when I was in grade 12, before JFK was assassinated.  He was not released until 1989, when Jay was 8 years old.  He spent 27 years as a prisoner of the S. African apartheid government.  All the years that I went to university, traveled in Europe and N. Africa, returned to Thunder Bay and university, met Jim, married him, taught, we built our first home and had Jay, who lived for ¼ of his life, Nelson Mandela was in jail on Robben Island and then on the mainland.  He came out after all this time, the whole center of my life, with his resolve that his people should live as equals in a free democratic country undiminished and with his vitality that had once vented itself in violence miraculously still strong but now directed toward reconciliation. What a rare human being.  No wonder the world is mourning his passing and celebrating his achievement.  We might not look upon his like again; we can only hope that some of us who follow will carry on small parts of the great burden of humanity, justice and good humor that he bore so bravely.

It’s cold here, but we skied today.  As usual, it was wonderful to be out in the cathedral of tall snow-cloaked spruce.  It was perhaps -12 but with no wind, so by keeping moving, we were never cold.  I’m trying to ski whenever possible between baking and preparing for Christmas in Victoria.  Since I first posted this it has warmed up and I have skied a few times again in the glorious landscape of Sovereign and Silver Star.  I will go up once more on Sunday and then begin final packing for the trip to Victoria.  Mom and Dad phoned on Friday to say that the now traditional BIG BOX from Jay in Korea had arrived.  We are all excited about this Christmas in spite of or perhaps because of the fact that it might be our last one together in mom and dad's place.  We will see what 2014 presents us with, but they are both increasingly frail and are now considering a move to a nursing home.  

Yesterday's trail at Silver Star

Another scene from Silver Star

The peace that passeth understanding

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