Memories are made of this 1

 As we think about good-news stories, it's important to remember that the stories from our past both the good and the bad are often tales woven from stories told by others and our own recollections, which can be inaccurate or colored by time. It doesn’t justify or excuse anything you do now. If it did, we’d all blame our current snack habits on that one time in kindergarten when someone took the last cookie. So, childhood memories—those delightful, occasionally cringe-worthy flashes of the past, as reliable as a game of broken telephone. 

Now, before I was six, my memories were hand-me-downs from family lore—mom, dad, uncles, and aunts filling in the gaps of my selective memory. They’re my memories now, but let’s be real: I didn’t personally RSVP to that birthday party I allegedly cried at. That story’s all theirs.

What I do "remember" (with a generous dose of revisionist history) is playing with my brothers in some small Kootenay Valley town. I didn’t like school, so I skipped it. Now, some might say I "failed" grade one, but I prefer to think of it as an exercise in self-directed education. You can call it marching to the beat of my own drum. A drum that was apparently playing hide-and-seek in the woods while everyone else was learning how to read. This, of course, led to a restart in school when we moved to Vancouver Island. Some might call it failing grade one, but I prefer to think I was just marching to the tune of my own drums.

From age six to ten, we lived in an Auto Court, a motel with long-term rentals, where the annual flooding of the nearby river was a highlight of my year. I loved it when the river flooded every year. It was like having front-row seats in nature's waterpark. I started delivering papers in grade three and remember that long bike ride down narrow rural roads, though I was occasionally rescued by my dad when I got spooked by herds of free-roaming horses. Nothing says "character building" like your dad having to rescue you from what can only be described as a real-life reenactment of The Stampede. It took me about three decades to realize why horses freaked me out and could stop me in my tracks.

By grade four, we moved again. This time to a much smaller, tight-knit rural community where the population was about 40 kids in grades 1 to 6. It was like being the new fish in a tiny, well-established pond. If you've ever moved into a small town, you know how this goes: everyone knows their place in the pecking order and new people? Bottom of the food chain. I spent a year proving I was tough enough to climb that social ladder. Some learned to make friends. I took the "friendship with benefits" approach—the benefit being not getting pushed into the mud. It was a tough first year, but I learned that making friends was far more enjoyable than fighting. The next couple of years were pretty smooth. I was a big fish in my tiny pond by grade six, even managing my first band. We played one show at school before breaking up due to creative differences. (Translation: we were 12, and someone got bored.)

In grade six, we took an IQ test that determined our class placements in Junior High. This test was designed to sort us for Junior High. So, on the first day of junior high our names were called out in mysterious order. Spoiler alert: they were called  by descending IQ score. I was in the second group called, which was a small victory until I realized all my friends were in the last group. Brilliant.

So, grade seven began with me in a new, much bigger school—alone in my class, with none of my old crew. This new school was a big change, where toughness gave way to intelligence and popularity as the metrics for success, and I was still operating under the "fight your way up" rulebook. Turns out, popularity is a whole different kind of battle. I was shy around girls and not very chatty with the guys, so I found my niche in the Drama class, hanging out with the troublemakers. We had our fun – staple gun fights in the cafeteria and crawling through crawl spaces making animal noises below different classrooms around the school. In grade 9 on Guy Fawkes Night, my friends and I made some fireworks (homemade, naturally) and were promptly ambushed by some other guys on our bikes. After a dramatic escape (cue slow-motion action movie sequence), I broke every finger in my hands, which was fortunate, considering the school strap session involving a spitball fight, the next week. My saving grace? My bandaged hands spared me from punishment. Silver linings, folks.

Vive la difference

Based on a piece by Dave Barry

 One of the most overlooked yet fascinating distinctions in the world is the difference between men and women. At first glance, it might seem like we’re quite similar—after all, we share the same basic anatomy. But once you dig a little deeper, you begin to notice that men and women think and feel in remarkably different ways. This story illustrates those differences so clearly that you’ll never forget it.

Imagine a guy named Fred who’s interested in a woman named Martha. He asks her out to a movie, and she says yes. They have a great time. A few days later, they go out to dinner and enjoy themselves again. They start seeing each other regularly, and before long, they’re no longer dating anyone else.

Then, one evening while driving home, Martha suddenly realizes something and says aloud, “Do you know that tonight marks exactly six months since we started seeing each other?”

Silence fills the car.

To Martha, the silence is deafening. She starts to worry: Is he upset that I mentioned it? Maybe he feels trapped in this relationship, or perhaps he thinks I’m pressuring him into something he’s not ready for.

Meanwhile, Fred is thinking: Wow, six months already.

Martha, now even more anxious, thinks: But wait, am I really sure I want this relationship to continue? Sometimes I wish I had more space to figure out what I truly want. Where is this going? Are we heading toward marriage? Children? A lifetime together? Am I ready for that? Do I even know this guy?

And Fred? He’s thinking: Let’s see, that means we started dating in February, right after I got the car serviced. I wonder if I’m due for an oil change.

Martha’s mind races: He’s upset. I can tell. Maybe he wants more from this relationship, more commitment, but he’s afraid I don’t feel the same way. Maybe he’s sensed my hesitation before I even realized it myself.

Fred is still lost in thought: I should have the transmission checked again. It’s not shifting smoothly, and I don’t care what those mechanics say—it’s definitely not the weather causing it. It’s 87 degrees outside, for crying out loud.

Martha, feeling increasingly guilty, thinks: He’s angry, and I can’t blame him. I’ve put him through so much, and I’m still not sure how I feel.

Fred, still thinking about his car, realizes: They’ll probably tell me the warranty’s expired. Those scumbags.

Martha, nearly in tears, thinks: Maybe I’m being unrealistic, waiting for a knight in shining armor when I’m sitting right next to a good man. A man who cares about me, and who I care about too. And now I’m hurting him with my silly, romantic fantasies.

Fred is now thinking: Warranty? I’ll show them a warranty…

“Fred,” Martha says softly.

“What?” Fred replies, startled.

“Please don’t torture yourself like this,” Martha says, her eyes filling with tears. “I never should have…I just feel so…” She breaks down, sobbing.

“What?” says Fred, completely bewildered.

“I’m such a fool,” Martha cries. “I know there’s no knight in shining armor. I know that. It’s silly. There’s no knight, and there’s no horse.”

“No horse?” Fred echoes, confused.

“You must think I’m such an idiot,” Martha says.

“No!” Fred quickly replies, glad to finally know the right answer.

“I just need some time,” Martha says, her voice trembling.

Fred, thinking as fast as he can, comes up with what he hopes is a safe response. “Yes,” he says.

Martha, deeply moved, touches his hand. “Oh, Fred, do you really feel that way?” she asks.

“What way?” Fred asks, bewildered.

“About time,” Martha says.

“Oh,” Fred replies. “Yes.” Martha turns to look at him, her eyes searching his, and Fred becomes increasingly nervous about what she might say next—especially if it involves a horse. Finally, she speaks.

“Thank you, Fred,” she says.

“Thank you,” Fred replies.

Fred takes Martha home, and while she lies in bed that night, a conflicted, tortured soul, crying until dawn, Fred gets back to his place, grabs a bag of Doritos, and settles in to watch a rerun of a college basketball game between two South Dakota junior colleges he’s never heard of. A small voice in the back of his mind tells him something significant happened in the car, but he’s pretty sure he’ll never figure out what, so he decides it’s best not to think about it.

The next day, Martha will call her closest friend, or maybe two, and they’ll talk about the situation for hours. They’ll analyze every word, every gesture, every nuance, considering all the possible meanings and implications. They’ll continue discussing it for weeks, maybe even months, without ever reaching a definite conclusion, but never losing interest.

Meanwhile, Fred, while playing racquetball one day with a mutual friend of his and Martha’s, will pause just before serving, frown, and ask, “Hey, Norm, did Martha ever own a horse?”

And that, folks, is the difference between men and women.

Feel-good stories.

I like reading the feel-good stories that circulate on the social media that read. These stories often evoke strong positive emotions such as joy, gratitude, and hope. These emotions counterbalance the negative news and stress that we face if we read the news. Stories of kindness, generosity, and overcoming adversity create a sense of uplift and inspire me to feel better about our world.

Feel-good stories create a sense of community and shared experience. They spark conversations, encourage empathy, and foster connections among those who might feel isolated. The comments and sharing of these stories create a ripple effect, where more people are inspired and share their own positive experiences.

I belong to several groups, and I find that I stop reading them from time to time because they become saturated with negative content. Feel-good stories provide a counterbalance and maintain a balanced perspective while reinforcing the idea that there is still a lot of good in the world.

Hearing about acts of kindness, resilience, and human decency can encourage people to engage in similar positive behaviours. For example, a story about a stranger helping someone in need might motivate others to perform acts of kindness themselves.

Feel-good stories can prompt users to reflect on their own lives and experiences. This reflection can deepen empathy and encourage us to appreciate the good in our own lives. Positive stories have a high potential to go viral, that is partly due to their emotional appeal and the desire to share uplifting content. When a story resonates with many people, it can spread quickly across social media platforms, reaching a wider audience and amplifying its impact. Overall, feel-good stories cater to our desire for optimism and connection, which is why I enjoy reading them

Are you ready for Halloween?

Halloween is coming up fast. It has roots in the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain but has undergone significant transformations over the centuries. Originally a religious celebration marking the transition from summer to winter and the blurring of boundaries between the living and the dead, Halloween has evolved into a largely secular and commercial holiday in the United States and Canada. It is also gaining popularity in other countries such as Australia.

The commercialization of Halloween has played a crucial role in its growing popularity as retailers capitalize on the holiday. Starting in early October or in late September, they offer a wide range of themed products, from costumes and decorations to specialty foods and beverages. This push makes Halloween more accessible and appealing to a broader audience, turning it into the second-largest retail holiday, after Christmas.

Halloween serves as a unique opportunity for social interaction and community building. The holiday when I was growing up was for kids to go  trick-or-treating, attending parties, and participating in other communal celebrations. Today, Halloween is for the entire family, the neighbours use the evening to take the children out, and at the end of the trick-or-treating, the adults gather to share stories and to light fireworks. This social aspect is important  in an era where many people feel increasingly isolated due to the rise of digital communication and urbanization. Halloween provides a chance for people to reconnect with their communities and experience a sense of belonging and shared joy.

Halloween offers a unique outlet for self-expression and escapism. The holiday allows individuals to shed their everyday identities and adopt new personas through costumes and role-playing. This freedom to express oneself in creative and often fantastical ways taps into the human desire for play and imagination, providing a welcome relief from the routines of daily life.

Also, the spooky and supernatural themes of Halloween, provide a controlled environment in which people can confront and manage their fears. This can be seen as a form of catharsis, where the experience of fear in a safe and predictable setting can be therapeutic and even enjoyable.

The media and popular culture have significantly contributed to the growing popularity of Halloween. Movies, television shows, and literature like Harry Potter, Twilight, and Marvel have inspired a wide range of costumes and decorations, making Halloween more appealing to fans.

Social media platforms like TikTok, Pinterest, and Instagram provide users with endless inspiration for costumes, decorations, and other Halloween-related activities. The ability to share and discover new ideas online has created a viral effect, where the excitement and creativity surrounding Halloween are amplified and spread rapidly.

There is a notable generational gap in the enthusiasm for Halloween, with Millennials and Gen Z adults showing greater enthusiasm for the holiday compared to Boomers. This demographic shift indicates that younger people are more inclined to celebrate Halloween, possibly due to its association with fun, creativity, and social interaction. As these younger generations have grown and have families of their own, they are continuing to expand the traditions and celebrations associated with Halloween.

Halloween's emphasis on pleasure and enjoyment allows people to engage in activities that bring them joy, whether it's dressing up in costumes, consuming festive foods, or participating in spooky events. The holiday allows individuals to explore different identities and express themselves in ways that might not be possible in their everyday lives. This aligns with the idea of the freedom to choose one's own path and create one's own meaning. Halloween reinforces the importance of community and social bonding. It is a time when people come together, often engaging in rituals and traditions that strengthen social bonds and a sense of shared culture.

The growing popularity of Halloween reflects a broader societal trend towards commercialization, social interaction, self-expression, and the pursuit of pleasure and community.