Navigating A World Upside Down

Holidays can be a hectic time with lots of celebrations and excitement. And for some, they can be fraught with conflict and/or illness. I hope yours was calm and nourishing.

We had a wonderful Christmas and New Year’s with our two daughters and their families. That’s our younger daughter waving in the background of this photo, taken after a family brunch. I was thinking of inserting a family photo here (including all three adult grandchildren), but in this age of social media and AI, I would want to ensure I had everyone’s approval before posting.

So wishing you all a Happy New Year, one of wonder and good health!

Much has been written and joked about, when it comes to families getting together to celebrate any event. As a Canadian, I’ve heard many stories about American Thanksgiving, and the dreaded uncle who shares his unasked for political views. I also see conflict daily on X, the social media platform that seems to thrive on people throwing barbs at complete strangers.

Perhaps our family experience over the holidays will help you with any future ones you might have down the road.

We were blessed as a family to go through two weeks of get togethers with only a little drama. There was one event that had to do with some important papers, but after some angst, it got resolved.

What was especially satisfying and comforting was the fact we were able to have many meaningful talks without venturing into the challenging topics of religion and politics. That was truly amazing as we’ve had times when we’ve argued over our differences. We’ve had tears and raised voices, but there was none of that this time.

Our adult grandchildren have strong opinions of their own, like their parents and grandparents. This is understandable, as we are all passionate, caring, and creative souls and yet, this holiday time, we understood that venturing into any discussion on what political party we support, the current situation in Gaza and Israel, the ongoing war in Ukraine, or the state of Indigenous relations in Canada could be troublesome.

You see, our understanding of all these topics depends a lot on what we read, who we follow in the news, who we talk to, various podcasts we listen to, and what we read or see on social media.

We avoided any arguments by putting out a message ahead of time: “no politics please.”

I am so thankful we had the grace and wisdom to manage this time without conflict. The world is upside down and there is much to quarrel about, as evidenced by the talk on social media and on TV. I’m afraid that 2026 looks like more of the same. It was so wonderful to have a break from all that is out of our control. It made for a much more relaxing and fun holiday time with family.

I write about how to avoid conflict in our relationships in Along Came A Gardener. It’s what I discussed when I ran stress management workshops for Teamsters, lawyers, and chartered accountants. The need to manage what we can control and leave what we can’t is also what I brought up in my private practice with bank employees, teachers, and others who sought my help. In my book, readers will find many helpful hints through real life examples on how to manage stress and other problems that weigh us down and defeat us.

Wih peace precarious in the Middle East and peace elusive in Ukraine, the world is on shaky ground. Add to that, the upheaval in Venezuela, with the arrest of Maduro, and more threats from an American president who continues to shock the world. He’s alienated his allies and continues to divide his own country with his rude and often abusive remarks.

I stay informed, but I try not to fret about what I can do little about. We elect people to represent our needs and interests. Therefore, I vote for who I think is most aligned with my beliefs. It’s the best I can do when it comes to world events.

I do write Canadian politicians (local, provincial, and federal) from time to time about matters that concern my family and community. Recently, I wrote my prime minister, the premier of British Columbia, and the provincial environmental minister about an ancient cedar tree that was cut down for lumber on Vancouver Island where I live. I’m not out marching for Climate Action, but I support the cause and believe there is much we can do to halt the warming of our planet.

For more on the story see this video showing before and after by Joshua Wright.

An unconscionable act and a stupid one. Trees clean the air we breathe, help other plants survive, provide a home and shelter for insects and birds, give us shade, help with rain production, and inspire us with their beauty.

Politicians of all stripes should read The Hidden Life of Trees to appreciate what trees give us all.

Robert and I began watching The American Revolution, the documentary series by Kenneth Burns aired on PBS. I was struck by the leadership of Thomas Jefferson, one of the founding fathers and the 3rd president of the USA. Here are a couple of his famous quotes that seem to speak about America’s halls of power today.

“Timid men prefer the calm of despotism to the tempestuous sea of liberty.”

“When the representative body have lost the confidence of their constituents when they have notoriously made sale of their most valuable rights when they have assumed to themselves powers which the people never put into their hands, then indeed their continuing in office becomes dangerous to the state.”

Speaking of ‘dangerous to the state’, I bought Mary L. Trump’s book Who Could Ever Love You, the story of what she went through in her family, influenced heavily by her grandfather’s '“relentless drive for money and power.” Ms. Trump is the president’s niece. She’s also a psychologist who once said her uncle was the most dangerous man on the planet. Now that we seem to be heading to a new world order, one where NATO is shaken up, and no one trusts anyone…I’m hoping and praying there is some correction in this direction soon.

For more on what shaped the president’s personality, the film The Apprentice is well worth watching. This noteworthy film with stellar performances shows how the president’s father and the lawyer Roy Cohn influenced his behaviour.

The other book I ordered and plan to read soon is My Time With Heroes by Darrell McKay, a Vancouver Island author. It’s his story of what he went through and what he learned while supplying humanitarian aid to Ukraine.

And what I’m reading now is Pilgrim at Tinker Creek, a delightful and astonishing book by Anne Dillard. I can see why she won the Pulitzer Prize for it. The prose is full of poetic phrasing that dips and turns as Dillard describes what she sees and thinks about the creek she visits, the mountains nearby, the insects, birds and other animals that populate this landscape. She surprises the reader with every sentence and paragraph. It’s a slow read, because there is so much to digest, even though she writes about a location she is fond of visiting over and over again. It’s a book—if I have time—I’d love to read again and again.

I’m happy to report that I’m back to working on my new novel. My writers’ critique group is meeting in a week’s time and I hope to submit another chapter for their comments. I’m so thankful I’m in a group of well-established writers. We not only critique one another’s work, but we also support each other as we navigate the challenging but creative waters of the book world.

And I’m proofreading A House Full of Strangers, my collection of short stories, one last time. Though it’s been professionally edited and revised and then reviewed again by some expert eyes, I’m going through it again before having it formatted for publishing. I hope to have it in readers’ hands by June. It’ll be available soon for pre-orders on Amazon.

Set in the 1940s and 1950s in Winnipeg, Manitoba, A House Full of Strangers is a collection of fictional short stories based on true tales about Ukrainian immigrants, their families and those who rented rooms from them.

The house on the book cover is the rooming house I lived in from the time I was 8 until I got married at 19. I can’t wait to see this book published.

I’m an optimist by nature. It’s nature, my family, and my good friends that bring me the most joy and keep me grounded. Though the world may be feeling upside down at the moment, we can feel hopeful. There are so many good people and good acts happening around the globe. Enjoy the small moments. Exercise, eat well, socialize, visit nature. This too shall pass. Like Annie says, “The sun will come out tomorrow.”