Surviving a Canadian Winter

This is not a post on 'how to survive a Canadian winter', as in how to survive the elements....just to give you that initial head's up!

It is actually been quite beautiful these last few days...and you can tell the weather is a nice -20 with the whir sounds of snowmobiles.

Back to surviving the elements...My husband tells me we could write a book about the interesting visitors we have in our little church from time to time...travelers with stories...journeying folks that come for one morning or a month and then on to their next destination. Recently, we had Aaron from North Carolina - I don't know his last name...Came on a Sunday this winter - It must have been the coldest day of the year...in his skimpy-army-looking parka. 'Said he was heading to Cranberry Portage to 'live off the land'. Not much or ANY agricultural land up there...but maybe he plans to clear some Boreal forest.

 

As folks lingered over their after-church coffees, and began to dwindle, the young looking Aaron shared with us his experience sleeping out doors and how he would do it...It must have been -40 at least that blowing dry cold day. I pressed some cash into my husband's hand and said, please give him this...We kicked our selves for not having him over for a full hot meal and sent him on his way with a Canadian Goose Parka we had in storage...wherever he is, prayers are going up for him.

Lesson learned....live love.

I regret, that I thought, maybe, he was too shady a character to have in my home for a meal. 

 People are important...what a beautiful world this would be if every decision we made was about releasing love and not self-preservation. In stories, the ones who choose to preserve themselves, over releasing love or generosity end up being the character of the coward.

{a son's current passion, Young Man's Handybook}

Warmly, (pun intended)

Patty-Jean