Family Fishing
(Nov 1990)

Musing… to meditate in silence; think deeply; dream…as usual the writing of this column comes slowly and with some difficulty, but I feel it is important for me to put my thoughts down on paper, and this forces me to think deeply about matters that are close to my heart. Still, I try to keep the column short and sweet and without judgement-a tall order.

I do appreciate the stories submitted from practitioners and concerned citizens. Please keep them coming.

The photo on this month’s front cover, “fishing at Kalum Lake,” was taken by one of my favorite photographers, my Mom. When we were young, she liked taking action shots that told a story about homesteading. To be able to fish and hunt was one of the main reasons we moved from the States in 1959, to Rosswood a community of 25 people with 15 kids and 10 adults. Back in 1959 the fish we caught weighed 50 to 60 lbs and often seemed bigger than us. Ten years and many tourists later, the size had quickly dropped. Today, 30 years later, there are few big ones left to catch.

Living in the country, our parents had to think twice about everything they bought, because all remains had to be disposed of, either buried, burnt on our land or fed to the animals or compost heap. I can remember Mom always preferring the large, stainless tins when stocking up on jam, margarine or pickles. etc. The creek was our cooler and these cans came in very handy for many years.

Today we are a convenience-oriented society, with garbage disposal as close as our curb. We tie it up, pay someone to take it away and forget it, but remember, we created it, by demand.

I find it difficult to accept disposable diaper ads. Can these companies really be selling enough diapers to pay for all the expensive TV commercials? Can we really believe that “Coke is it”? I feel sad when I watch documentaries telling us about countries like China and Russia, trying to be like us.

Grass root changes are happening everywhere and it is a delight to be part of them. Just remember, ”Every dollar you spend is a vote for what you believe in.” Get involved, get concerned and then go public. Changing our spending habits now will help the generations to come.