The best advice I ever came across on the subject of concentration is: Wherever you are, be there.
Jim Rohn
About a week ago I arrived back in Alberta after having spent the past six weeks home in the far east of the western world - as a recent tourism campaign labelled my fair province of Newfoundland and Labrador. The time spent with my family and friends was priceless beyond measure.
Whether it was the pleasant walks with my youngest daughter to the nearby pond to feed the ducks, or the enjoyable games of tennis and darts with my older daughter and son, or the quiet moments with my wife, the days at home were a true delight - but sped by too quickly. Being away from home for extended periods of time does certainly make both the heart grow fonder and the pangs of separation sink deeper.
Knowing that my stay home was going to be fairly brief, I found myself (as you might expect) being a little more cognizant of my surroundings than I would normally be. Each interaction with my family took on a heightened awareness - I really wanted to exact the most benefit out of each experience.
On the evening of the last day I was home, my family and I decided to visit the magnificent venue of Signal Hill in St. John's. The view of the Atlantic Ocean and the harbour of the capital city from that historic landmark is truly breathtaking. While on Signal Hill we took a few moments to visit the gift shop on the first floor of Cabot Tower. The gift shop housed many and varied souvenirs - from pint sized replicas of the colourful Puffin bird to hardcover books containing tales of mystery and intrigue by Newfoundland and Labrador authors.
After taking stock of the many items on display, I decided to purchase a 2010 calendar that depicted exquisitely photographed scenes of my home province. For the month of May on that calendar there is an idyllic picture of my hometown of Placentia, taken from another national historic site, Castle Hill. The photo must have been taken in the early morning because in the foreground there's a light layer of mist or fog that partially envelops the town in the background.
As I write this column, I'm looking at the above picture and my mind is flooded with the following thought. Later in the morning on the day that photo was taken, the porous vapours of fog must have dissipated and given the privileged onlooker a more pristine view of the town of Placentia. That idea reminds me of the thing that often sustains me during the time of absence from my home and family. At the end of my workday, usually when I'm walking alongside the smooth running waters of the Sheep River here in Okotoks, I try to filter out my immediate surroundings and reflect on events and people back home.
As I strolled by the river today, I couldn't help but ponder the summer gone by. It was certainly a summer filled to the brim with precious memories of quality family time and moments where I found myself just pausing (almost holding my breath) to drink in the pleasing panorama of rolling hills and rollicking waves that lap at the inviting shores of Placentia Bay.
I suspect Governor Sir Cavendish Boyle, the author of the provincial anthem of Newfoundland and Labrador, was similarly moved when he composed the Ode to Newfoundland in 1902. The first verse of that famous ode goes like this:
When sunrays crown thy pine-clad hills,
And summer spreads her hand,
When silvern voices tune thy rills,
We love thee, smiling land.
Leonard Quilty is a teacher with the Centre for Learning@Home in Okotoks, Alta. He can be reached by e-mail at lquilty@redeemer.ab.ca
