Mid-Winter's Tale

The beginning of February comes in like a lamb. After a week long deep freeze of minus 40-50 degrees celcius, we're back into a decent, balmy kind of winter...more of -20 or so. It feels great to walk outside into air that isn't so tight and thick it might suffocate, or ground and every outdoor thing so rock hard it feels it might simply crack and disintegrate.

Our little world here in Saskatchewan did feel it might 'crack and disintegrate' on hearing the news about two little cherub-faced girls who died in the cold during our deep freeze. Their story broke our hearts and inflamed our indignation...but mostly, it broke our hearts.

Last night though, on CBC news, there was an interview with the grand-mother Pearl from Quill Lake, Sk. After days of hearing from reserve councillors and others who were saying the government needed to do something, and that this was the effects of white man's ways, she said something to the effect that this tragedy "...is our problem and our responsibility". Not a popular stance, and coming from the most unlikely place. This is a courageous grandmother. Her few words spark a new flame of hope and puts a balm on a cold, broken crack in the hearts of Saskatchewan and even Canadian residents. Blessings to her and her family as they recover and heal from the after-effects of this tragedy. With her backbone and clarity of mind, there is plenty of hope for a better future for all.