On Account of Darkness: shining light on race and sport

 

“I have come full circle to stumble onto some of the indigenous ideals: Diversity matters. And everything in the universe is connected—between the forests and the prairies, the land and the water, the sky and the soil, the spirits and the living, the people and all other creatures.” Suzanne Simard

  Fleeing persecution in Slovakia, Ian Kennedy’s maternal grandparents migrated to Canada soon after World War II. Katie and John were poor and unable to speak English; they worked any job they could to eke out a living. A shack that later became a one-car garage was their home. They were ridiculed for wearing the same clothes every day.

  Canada had been presented to them as a place of inclusion, equity and plurality. His grandparents settled in Chatham, three hours southwest from Toronto.  As time went by, they purchased land, territory that white settlers had stolen from Indigenous people. Katie and John toiled away everyday to grow crops that would help them pay their mortgage.

  His grandparents passed on to Ian a love for stories, and they inspired him to appreciate the stories of people who did not look or sound like him.

 

   After reporting local sports news for more than a decade, Ian Kennedy came across the story of Chatham Coloured All-Stars Baseball Team, and this led him to learn about athletes he had never heard about before.

 When he met Dorothy Wright-Wallace, the president of the Chatham- Kent Black History Society, she told him about her brother, Eddie Wright, a famous hockey player and coach. Through her compelling stories, she brought Eddie back to life.

 Dorothy was seventy-eight years old when Ian had his first conversation with her; he shares that moment of deep emotional connection, for he could sense in her the essence of a person who had struggled and loved deeply.

   Ian Kennedy interviewed dozens of athletes, coaches, their families and friends; his undertaking materialized into a unique book: On Account of Darkness, a compilation of stories where the voices of Black, Indigenous and Japanese Canadian families share experiences that have been relegated and ignored for so long.

 

Despite the connection of Chatham-Kent with the Underground Railroad and Uncle Tom’s Cabin, the pervasive influence of racial discrimination has affected the lives of many people. These stories are a testimony to the repercussions of ingrained gender and racial discrimination. The voices of these people unearth the truth that remains hidden under a façade of pride built upon the celebration of the Underground Railroad. It is what Ian Kennedy describes as the paradox of Canadian identity: “celebrating our history as heroes of the Underground Railroad while ignoring the century of racism that followed.”

  Contrary to popular belief, most of the people who volunteered to help set slaves free as part of the Underground Railroad were people of color who had been slaves themselves, and, once liberated, they risked their own lives and freedom for the freedom of others. Harriet Tubman's and Josiah Henson’s heroic actions are emblematic of what the struggle for freedom means, even though school curricula do not pay enough attention to them.

 Ian Kennedy points out these blind spots in his education when he writes, “Our teachers never spoke of Black history. They did not mention Uncle Tom’s Cabin or the Underground Railroad, even though the school was less than fifteen minutes from the historic site.”

  The information about Josiah Henson’s life as a slave inspired Harriet Beecher Stowe to write and publish her novel Uncle Tom’s Cabin in 1852.

 Josiah Henson was a community leader and a “conductor” of the Underground Railroad. He was born into slavery in Maryland. He and his family endured years of cruel abusive treatment. In 1830 Josiah, his wife, and two of his kids walked more than 600 miles to reach Canada. However,  he repeatedly returned to the United States to help guide 118 slaves to freedom, and he founded the Dawn settlement near Dresden in Canada. This settlement where the community was able to thrive was described as an “oasis of freedom” for people of color; it encompassed land for agriculture, a school and a church.

     As a child and a teenager, Ian Kennedy encountered attitudes and words that referred to Indigenous people as inferior people, and their mistreatment was normalized and accepted.

 “I grew up learning jokes about Indigenous people. Teachers, coaches and friends used a myriad of slurs to say that Indigenous people could not support their families, were drunk, could not be trusted and were liable to steal or burn cars.” Indigenous people were marginalized and labeled as “lazy.”

 Some of the stories in this book brought tears to my eyes; they also made me feel angry, but it is a necessary read to raise awareness on how issues of race and gender discrimination continue to persist today, not only in terms of inequities, but also in the proliferation of hate crimes, kidnappings and disappearances of indigenous women, police brutality and other matters of unfair treatment that are often ignored.

 I was shocked and horrified to learn about residential schools for Indigenous people, where children were abused, tortured, traumatized for life and even killed (I am sharing a recent article on this in my list of references). The children were forced to attend these schools against their parents wishes. If the parents refused to "give" their kids, they were jailed. 

 

Even though the book focuses mainly on the lives of athletes, sports are interlaced with politics and society in a way that makes the narrative riveting and relevant to every aspect of our modern societies.

  There are many fascinating facts to learn about, and I will highlight just a few. I did not know anything about the spiritual meaning of Lacrosse and its indigenous roots. Lacrosse was a spiritual practice played for healing, and it was often used as a peaceful means of resolving social disputes. In the hands of Euro-Canadians, however, its true meaning was erased, and Lacrosse was turned into a simple form of entertainment.

 I was also intrigued and inspired by the life of Mary Ann Shadd (1823-1893) who opened an integrated school in Windsor in 1851, following the example of The Buxton Mission School in the Elgin Settlement, which people of all races attended due to its remarkable quality of education. The Elgin settlement continues to exist today with a thriving community.

 

When Mary Ann Shadd was denied funding for her school because she refused segregation, she became the first Black woman to publish a newspaper. She was also the first Black woman to obtain a law degree in 1883 at Howard University. The women in the Shadd family have also been remarkable in breaking barriers and creating opportunities for marginalized women in sports.

On Account of Darkness will be released in May 2022 by Tidewater Press.

 I received a copy of the book to write a review.

 

Feel free to check the relevant references I put together to learn more about the topics mentioned in the post:

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/canada-residential-schools-unmarked-graves-indigenous-children-60-minutes-2022-02-06/

https://womenofthewhitebuffalo.com/about/

https://www.aljazeera.com/features/longform/2021/11/29/hunted-how-indigenous-women-are-disappearing-in-canada

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/jan/26/nearly-100-potential-human-burials-discovered-british-columbia-school-indigenous-people

https://www.womenshistory.org/education-resources/biographies/harriet-tubman

https://vitacollections.ca/ckmuseums/620/exhibit/2

https://oregoncapitalchronicle.com/briefs/survey-finds-many-asian-oregonians-experience-hate-crimes-harassment-that-go-unreported/

https://www.nationalgeographic.org/encyclopedia/underground-railroad/

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/minnesota-finds-minneapolis-police-engaged-pattern-racial-discriminati-rcna26308

 

Gorillas in the Mist by Dian Fossey

 

Seven weeks ago I promised I would write about the book Gorillas in the Mist by  Dian Fossey. After my post on Unforgotten, I was curious to learn more.

 As you may remember from my post, Dian Fossey worked as an occupational therapist at a Children’s Hospital in Louisville, Kentucky, where she is still remembered for her kindness and the excellent care she provided to children with polio. In 1967 she embarked on a new life to research gorillas in Africa.

 

  Gorillas in the Mist elucidates her fifteen years of scientific observations of various mountain gorilla families across three generations in the rain forests of the volcanic Virunga Mountains shared by Zaire, Rwanda and Uganda. Her meticulous work is clearly reflected in her writing. There are many interesting aspects to highlight about her book.

 I was enthralled by the way she describes each individual gorilla. Her descriptions show that each gorilla is a unique individual with personal motivations, talents and personality. Their families and social bonds are defended fiercely. Her research indicates that poachers and human encroachment affect the gorillas’ behaviors and interactions.

  Dian Fossey started her research living in a simple tent amid the forest in Congo. Her strong work ethic and her zeal for understanding and protecting gorillas shine on every page. Her curious mind and impassioned spirit are forces of inspiration. 

 Both National Geographic and the Leakey Foundation provided funding and support for her research.

 Due to persecutions and war Dian moved to Rwanda, where she later settled in a small cabin. As time went by, her team grew, and she relied on the collaboration of other people to help her save the gorillas from the attacks of poachers. It was fascinating to read about how different people adapted-- or not-- to the high standards she expected of them when they agreed to join her team.

  Dr. Dian Fossey constantly struggled to defend the gorillas from the senseless cruelty of the poachers, who hid traps in the forests. Her team had to search for the traps to save the gorillas’ lives. Besides, Dian Fossey protected the lives of other creatures—not just gorillas.

 In some ways her book reminds me of The Elephant Whisperer by Lawrence Anthony, which I wrote about in 2015, but Gorillas in the Mist contains unique scientific data that were obtained after years of intense research. It also includes an appendix with additional information about gorilla food types, parasitology reports, gorilla vocalizations and autopsies.

   Dr Fossey’s book was first published in 1983. Thanks to her work, mountain gorillas continue to exist today. Yet they are critically endangered.

  In 1985 Dr. Fossey was murdered. The primary suspect of her murder is the person who was convicted of being one of the masterminds of the 1994 genocide in Rwanda.(Strangely enough, he was later set free). Not surprisingly, the evidence at the crime scene of her killing was distorted and erased. Innocent people were blamed for Dr. Fossey’s murder, and their lives were ruined. Feel free to check the wonderful documentary made by National Geographic on this issue; I’m sharing the link to it at the bottom of this post.

 The man who ordered the killing of Dr. Fossey is still free. You can read about this disturbing situation here. However, the hate of the man responsible for this atrocity was not able to extinguish the light of Dian Fossey's indomitable spirit, because her legacy continues to live on in the resilient team of trackers who work tirelessly to protect and support gorillas and their natural habitats.

 Let’s not forget that those forests are not only the home of the gorillas. The rich ecosystems that belong to these forests are also vital to the survival of humanity. 

You can learn more about the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund here.

 

If you enjoyed this post, feel free to check my writing on the following books:

Reflections of Eden by Birute Galdikas

The Wisdom of Wolves by Jim and Jamie Dutcher

The documentary "Secrets in the Mist" was made by  National Geographic, and here's a link to it:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oh_oDr8vg-Y

 

The Wind through the Trees at Night

 

“Always remember your voice is a powerful weapon and should be used to uplift the powerless; fight injustice, and bring people of all backgrounds together.”

William Wright, Jr.

 Painting emotional landscapes through struggles and hardships, William Wright molded a collection of poems that weave words into a fascinating literary tapestry. His poetry sparks the imagination and explores the labyrinths that lead to resilience.

Finally free from the nightmare

Each shade and sound

Reverberates

Like a new found chorus.

Waking up

Thrilled to march

For the very first time

On the other side of fear

Into the large hearts of kin.

 He blends nature with feelings and emotions, creating a space to find solace and peace amid the chaos. Some of his poems remind me of the writing style of poets like Juan Ramon Gimenez and Julia de Burgos.

   In the essence of his poetical quest, he creates inner worlds, which sometimes coalesce with the places that always stay with him.

 It’s where we never grew old

Ashem or dull

Our secreted space

In the galaxy’s spiral

 

When our words were alive

And the outer world sighed

When our joyful cries

Filled the soul of Savannah

 

We live forever in the bloom of her wild colors

In the boiling pulse

Of her seaborne song

 

William Wright,Jr. is a poet from Southeast San Diego, California. His previous published poetry books are The Slums of Nightfall (2016) and The Rhythms of the Eternal Uprising (2017). His poems have also appeared in poetry anthologies and magazines. The Wind through the Trees at Night is currently available for free online on lulu.com.

   

 It has been devastating to see the loss of life and the destruction that the Russian military is causing in Ukraine. On February 24 Vladimir Putin attacked Ukraine, a democratic free country. The Russian invasion of Ukraine is illegal, cruel and irrational. Millions of Ukrainians had to flee from their homes.

I am providing a link where you can find organizations that supply humanitarian aid to the people of Ukraine.

https://www.cnbc.com/2022/03/09/heres-a-list-of-top-rated-charities-to-help-the-ukraine-relief-effort.html

 

  I want to say thank you to the journalists who risk their lives every day to report the atrocities that Vladimir Putin’s soldiers are causing in Ukraine.  

 The Russian military has been attacking hospitals, schools, apartments, homes, shelters. Their goal is clearly to kill as many Ukrainian people as they can.

 Human Rights Watch is an international organization documenting the war crimes taking place in Ukraine. People in Ukraine have been tortured and killed in their basements by Russian soldiers. Ukrainian women are raped and killed in front of their children.

How can anybody stay silent or support Vladimir Putin?

Beware of Putin’s apologists, supporters and admirers. They are dangerous to humanity and to the entire planet.

 This week Dmitry Muratov, Russian Nobel Peace Prize winner, who intends to auction off his medal to support Ukrainian refugees, was attacked with red paint in Russia. Thousands of people in Russia have been arrested for simply expressing their opposition to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

  I urge you to use your voice to fight against the censorship and the lies orchestrated by the Russian government to attack Ukraine. Speak up against the atrocities caused by Vladimir Putin in Ukraine. Those atrocities are acts of terrorism. People are dying every day because of Putin’s abuse of power. (Please, bear in mind that this is not a political matter. It is about basic human dignity).

Use your unique voice to spread the truth.

 The truth matters.

 The truth will win in the end.

 https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/apr/08/journalist-expose-russia-atrocities-ukraine

https://www.cnn.com/2022/04/07/europe/ukraine-mother-shot-russian-forces-bucha-intl-cmd/index.html

https://www.insider.com/youtube-suspended-the-account-of-a-chinese-vlogger-wang-jixian-2022-4

https://www.reporternews.com/story/opinion/contributors/2022/04/13/russian-soldiers-war-crimes-ukraine-bellingcat/7304843001/

https://www.businessinsider.com/russia-ukraine-putin-economic-adviser-halt-war-months-andrei-illarionov-2022-4

Life Went on Anyway by Oleg Sentsov

 

  Ukrainian filmmaker Oleg Sentsov was born in Simferopol, Crimea. He is also a dramatist, a writer and an activist. In May 2014, under Vladimir Putin’s Orwellian regime, he was arrested in Crimea due to false accusations. The FSB (Russian Secret Services) persecuted dissidents; the Kremlin hates opponents of the Russian Propaganda.

   Oleg Sentsov opposed the Russian invasion of Eastern Ukraine and his only “crime” was to bring food and supplies to the Ukrainian soldiers trapped in Crimean bases, but the FSB accused him of being a terrorist. He was beaten, tortured, suffocated and forced to confess, but he never gave in. Oleg Sentsov stood by his principles. He was sentenced to 20 years in prison in Russia.

  Oleg Sentsov became a symbol of the Russian’s state disregard for human dignity and basic human rights. International Human Rights organizations condemned his imprisonment and considered it a way of the Russian Government to quash dissent.

  In 2018 Oleg Sentsov went on a hunger strike for 145 days to advocate for the release of 70 Ukrainian political prisoners in Russia. This was an incredible act of courage. As a consequence of this, he lost 66 pounds, but he was also awarded the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought by the European Parliament. Thankfully, he was released in September 2019.

  Oleg Sentsov’s Life Went on Anyway, translated by Uillean Blacker, shares life vignettes of his childhood and youth. His writing style is honest and straightforward.  He does not sugarcoat his experiences, but neither does he dwell on them with pessimism.

  His life stories may have carved the path of his activism in his adult years. They sound simple. Yet you may find yourself reflecting on them after you finish the read.

   Life Went on Anyway is not about Sentsov’s activism, even though the translator provides an introduction and a background to help us understand the political situation.

  Sentsov introduces himself by explaining that he had a happy childhood, and he did if you consider the love of his family and his dog, and the community of friends in his neighborhood, where he played outdoors until it got dark. However, his childhood years also had a sad side, which may have molded the fabric of his current resilience.

  His attitude toward school was ambiguous. “I liked school, but not for long. I liked studying, but not necessarily going to school. The Soviet education broke me down with its routine, its rote learning, its ponderous lessons as thick as tar. I liked gymnastics, woodwork and metalwork, and the breaks, when you at least had some kind of freedom.”

  He also loved literature and history. However, his teachers did not welcome his inquisitive nature. The teachers sent him out of the class often for asking too many questions that nobody else asked.

 “I spent half of my literature and history classes in the corridor.” He had the highest grades and wrote remarkable essays, which the teachers liked to read aloud, but the other students were not impressed.

 Starting in fourth grade, he became an outcast among his peers. The other students mocked him and ridiculed him regularly, and nobody stood up for him. He endured five years of humiliation in school, fighting the bullies and defending himself however he could. He never told his mother about this, but she could sense something, and she suggested that he could change schools. (This never happened, however, and the bullying lasted five years).

  “In class, in the corridor, in the changing-room, in the sports hall, in the canteen, in the toilet, in the park behind the school, everywhere. Five years of hell.”

    Life went on, and the bullying eventually stopped. In his book Oleg gives advice to his younger self…and I will let you search for his wise advice when you get to read his book.

  Another past event that may have left a deep imprint in him happened in a hospital. When Oleg was thirteen he had a tonsillectomy. During his hospital stay he witnessed how a boy mocked a child with Down syndrome. Oleg observed what happened and was silent about it then, but the scene stayed with him. Oleg never forgot how a child with Down syndrome had been humiliated.

 All these experiences may have shaped the activist he is today.

 Oleg Sentsov is now fighting in Ukraine against the Russian invasion.

 Wherever he is, I hope he is safe. I also look forward to watching his films and to reading more of his works.

 Sentsov’s works include two books of short stories, several scripts, plays, essays, and films. In 2016 he was awarded the Taras Shevchenko National Prize of Ukraine, the country’s highest honor for artistic achievement. In 2017 he received the PEN/Barbey Freedom to write award.

 To end this post I will share some informative thought-provoking articles:

 https://theconversation.com/putins-brazen-manipulation-of-language-is-a-perfect-example-of-orwellian-doublespeak-178865

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-60891801

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/mar/29/online-abuse-lawsuits-gendered-personal-attacks

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/vladimir-putins-rewriting-of-history-draws-on-a-long-tradition-of-soviet-myth-making-180979724/ 

Till next time.

 

 

The Wisdom of Wolves by Jim and Jamie Dutcher

 

 “Each and every wolf has a story to share. Can we be trusted to listen?”

 Marc Bekoff

 Every member of a pack of wolves is valued by the others and recognized as a unique individual who makes a special contribution to the group. Their bonds are deep.  Jim and Jamie Dutcher spent six years living in a tent beside a pack of wolves by the Sawtooth Mountains of Idaho. The Wisdom of Wolves shares their knowledge and experience of living side by side with the Sawtooth pack of wolves, taking us into an emotional journey of countless surprises.

 Jim and Jamie Dutcher describe the wolves’ compassionate nature; they admire their curious courageous spirit. Wolves care well for the most vulnerable in the pack, and they do what it takes to keep everybody safe.  Jim and Jamie examined their relationships and paid special attention to the ways wolves communicate. They also learned how wolves keep each other in check to maintain harmony in the group.

  The authors give each wolf a name and describe their fascinating personalities. Besides, they explain how wolves interact with other species.

  When a person kills an old wolf, the survival of the group as a whole is threatened because old wolves have invaluable knowledge and experience that help the pack. Furthermore, the loss of any member of the group causes deep pain among the wolves. The Wisdom of Wolves elucidates how they grieve.

  The book was published by National Geographic. Both Jim and Jamie Dutcher raise public awareness about the true nature of wolves by writing books, making documentaries and giving talks in educational settings.

 

 The authors debunk the myth of the so-called lone wolf: “We often hear the term of the ‘lone wolf’ in reference to a person who acts alone, cares for no one, and craves no companionship. Sadly, like so many negative things falsely connected to wolves, the term has now come to mean a loner who wishes to do us harm. Such a state is an aberration among humans, and it’s equally rare among wolves.”

  It is important to clarify the concept to avoid misunderstandings and confusion. The truth is that a lone wolf in nature is a temporary phenomenon. Biologists call him a disperser. In reality “the lone wolf in nature is a wolf in its third year or so who has decided to leave its birth pack and strike out in search of new territory and a mate. What does a lone wolf want? It wants to stop being a lone wolf. It wants togetherness, to be part of something bigger.” It is not the aberration that the misused term alludes to.

  The term “lone wolf” should not be used to describe people that have no compassion and empathy for others because it perpetuates an attitude of ignorance toward wolves. It tarnishes the reputation of wolves and is dangerous. Another relevant fact to highlight here is that when the ecosystems where wolves thrive are respected, wolves don’t attack cattle.

   During the fourth year of their project, Jim and Jamie encountered all kinds of threats. They received anonymous letters in their mailbox asking them “to get rid of those wolves or we will." Authorities put pressure on them to make sure they would move out of their wolf camp. They were persecuted in different ways.

 “Somebody posted signs near our camp warning us to be gone or ‘wind up in the Custer County jail.’ Even a former governor weighted in, saying our project was nothing more than ‘wolf propaganda’ and should not be allowed to exist. Jamie and I were painfully aware that we were responsible for the lives of these wolves, but our ability to keep them safe seemed increasingly beyond our control.”

  In view of the stress they faced, Jim went out for a walk to sort things out. During his walk, the leader of the pack, Kamots, stayed close to him. He would disappear into the trees, and then he would emerge again, trotting and exploring the territory, until something amazing happened.

 As Jim sat and talked to himself, wondering what to do, Kamots approached him.

 “In a gesture I’d never seen before, he raised his paw up to me. I put out my hand and pressed it against his paw, and we sat there like that for a minute in silence. I felt as though he was assuring me that if we held up our end, he would hold up his. We should continue to deal with the human world, and in his calm, strong, confident way, he would keep his pack stable and safe. He was that kind of leader.”

 

The wolves gave Jim and Jamie a very special gift: the gift of trust between species, and through this gift they learned a lot about life, love, and compassion. You can visit their website to learn more about their work:

If you enjoyed this post, you will probably welcome my writing on these books:

Second Nature: The Inner Lives of Animals

Untamed

Unforgotten

Notes from the Pen: A Collection of Essays, Poems and Thoughts from Prison

 

“Mistakes have the power to turn you into something better than you were before.” Anonymous

  The seeds of change are inside every person. The willpower to change, grow, thrive and blossom is a personal choice.

   I used to be baffled whenever I heard somebody say that “people don’t change,” but then I understood that those who make such comments are projecting their own self-imposed limitations and insecurities onto others.

   Notes from The Pen, by Jacob Keiter, is a collection of essays and poems about the days of his life in prison. He wrote most of these essays while he was in Schuylkill Federal Correction Institution in Pennsylvania. Drugs and alcohol had led him to make bad choices that landed him in jail. The circumstances of his arrest are described in the book.

   His arrest was a turning point in his life; he committed to become the best person he could possibly be. Amid the despair of the situation he found himself in, he drew strength and hope from his wife’s love, and both turned to their faith to move forward.

 “As I sat in a jail cell I began to reflect on the decisions I made that led to the situation at hand. After my mind was fully cleared from the drugs I was finally ready to let that lifestyle go. After a few weeks of sitting in a cell I was granted pre-trial bail to attend a therapeutic community. Immediately after I completed the program I was indicted by the federal government.”

 On January 18, 2018 he had to self-surrender into prison. It was one of the toughest days of his life:

 “As my wife drove me to the facility, we held hands the entire car ride, not wanting to let go of the present in fear of what the future may hold.”

 It was interesting to read about the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the prison system. Jacob was thankful for the fact that he was offered the vaccine soon enough, but he was also shocked to learn that many inmates refused to get vaccinated; they did not trust the vaccine. Conspiracy theories spread like wildfire in the prison setting.  Eager to follow the CDC guidelines, Jacob was disappointed that others did not care to take the necessary precautions, risking the health of others.

  Jacob cultivated various talents during his stay in prison. Unlike other inmates who spent time watching TV, he preferred to write regularly and he endeavored to strengthen his emotional, mental, physical and spiritual health. In doing so, he supported others as well.

   In his book he mentions that there is a kind of established racial segregation in the way inmates are expected to interact with each other, and I feel he could have elaborated further on this issue to delve into the repercussions of this.

   Jacob worked for an electronics recycling factory 40 hours a week. There is a special program that allows inmates to develop work skills for successful re-entry, and he excelled at it. Even though he only earned 1.15 dollars per hour, he valued the experience and expertise he gained from it.

  What makes his style of writing so compelling and engaging is his honesty. I think this story will inspire others to make good choices to rebuild their lives. Every reader, regardless of their situation, will feel the warmth of hope in the message he offers.

   The four years he spent in jail were not easy, but they became the foundation of his wisdom and resilience. From the vicissitudes of prison life, he forged a new path, one that would enable him to become the best version of himself. 

   Throughout his ordeal Jacob always counted on his wife's love and steady support.

    At the time of his release his words convey how his appreciation for freedom had acquired a new dimension:

 “I will no longer take for granted the little things that make up my daily life. I will appreciate every second spent with my wife. I will cuddle my rabbit until she has had enough and kicks away from me, and I will soak up the fresh air around me. I have a newly found high appreciation and a new personal meaning for the word ‘freedom’. As of today, everything I’ve been preparing for officially begins. I can finally be the friend, brother, son and husband that those who love me deserve for me to be.”

  Jacob Keiter writes regularly for his local newspaper, The Sun. His writing has also been published in American Bee Journal, Referee Magazine, Graterfriends, and Prisoner Express. His book Notes from The Pen was released in January 2022.

 

Upstream: in the Alaska Wilderness by Eric Wade

 

Boreal forests have always been intriguing to me.

 

 In Upstream, Eric Wade and his wife of 44 years, who is a talented photographer, welcome us into their life in a cabin on a river, amid birches and willow trees, where they share reflections, adventures and observations about the plants and animals in the area.

 Eric Wade paints vivid pictures with words, capturing the touch of the seasons. The simplicity of his days summons up memories, and encourages him to appreciate those memories through the lens of experience and wisdom.

   He expresses a certain ambivalence regarding the aging process. He ponders over his health issues, which he attributes to aging, and acknowledges the limitations that these ailments impose on his body and mind, but he also affirms that aging does not fade the zest for accomplishing one’s goals. He cites various examples of people who made significant accomplishments in their senior years. Nola Ochs graduated from Fort Hayes State University in 2007 at the age of 95 with a degree in general studies; Lew Hollander, an ironman who competed in triathlons in his eighties; Peter Roget published his famous thesaurus at age 73. Grandma Moses began painting in her seventies. She died at age 101 after painting more than fifteen hundred masterpieces. I am adding Nikki Kenward to his list: she became a trapeze artist in her sixties… and the list goes on if we care to research this.

  Eric Wade and these people inspire us to cultivate tenacity and perseverance in every aspect of our lives.

 

 Eric Wade’s life experience regales us with musings and introspection, engaging our senses and restoring hope despite the obstacles and difficulties we may have to contend with. He ventures to contemplate life from a new dimension of curious humility: “Lots of decisions are influenced by the myopic views we hold because we seldom venture from our daily line. We don’t know where we are or who we are and, ultimately, we end with regrets. Perhaps that’s why we don’t like one another. How can we like what we don't know? If I don’t know about you, why should I ever care about you? If I don’t know about the wilderness, why should I care about it? If I don’t know about the short lives of food I eat—plant or animal—why should I give it a second thought?”

 

  His inquisitive nature and his humble attitude inspire us to become curious about the natural world: “This large birch enjoyed a view of the entire homestead. What messages was it sending and receiving? I know I don’t have the capacity to learn what goes on in the natural world, certainly not. Aldo Leopold put it this way ‘Only the mountain has lived long enough to listen objectively to the howl of the wolf.’ Perhaps I could work a lot harder.”

 

 I don’t agree with him when he associates beauty with deception. The purpose of thorns in roses is not to cause deception. The way I see it, every rose, no matter how beautiful, has the right to defend herself. By the same token, owls do what they need to do to survive, and nobody should blame them for this.

 Upstream was published by Shanti Arts Press.

The photographs for this post were kindly provided by Eric Wade.

 Eric Wade is a writer, teacher, musician, naturalist and outdoorsman. He is also the author of Cabin: an Alaska Wilderness Dream. He earned a bachelors in English education at Southern Oregon University and a masters in Journalism from the University of Oregon. He served as a public-school teacher, principal and director of non-profit corporations for more than forty years.

 

  If you want to do something healthy and fun to support refugees from Ukraine, check out this. I learned about this idea from Love is Stronger blog.

 Kudos to Marina Ovsyannikova for her bravery and courage to speak up against the atrocities that dictator Vladimir Putin is causing in Ukraine.

 Thank you for reading this blog.

 Till next time.