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How to have a truly happy new year.

For the first time in years, I don’t remember my New Year’s resolution from January. Usually, I write it down in my journal or on a note I stick to my mirror. There’s been many of those dog-eared sticky notes from years past. The year of contentment. Speaking life. We passed pancakes across the breakfast table on January 1st this year. “What do you want from 2018?” I can’t remember my answer. I know what I didn’t want though. I didn’t want to walk into her office and share the parts of my life I’m inclined to hide. I didn’t want to Facetime her the day after she delivered her baby that never breathed. I didn’t want to spend four months wondering how I’d walk into her house on Christmas day and see her empty chair. I didn’t want to go on another first date that led nowhere. We sit across from each other in a little coffee shop in Colorado, picking at a charcuterie board. “When I think about all of the things I have left to go through,” her voice cracks....
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Red Poppies

It's Remembrance Day and the poppies stick into their hearts on the left side, blood red. I think about the soldiers' bodies scattered across the beaches, the tide covering young, old, married, single, black and white faces, dark watercolours. I contrast that with the manicured faces on the sidewalk, walking peacefully to their next class. When we've never seen the coffin, never read the last letter or never kissed them for the last time, we don't understand the price of freedom.

I am grateful for the soldiers who still give their lives for our freedom this very hour; there are men and women who bravely sacrifice today. But, for those of us who sit behind our screens only making bold statements if it's on the face of cyber-space where no one can touch us, are we sure that we have true courage? If the turmoil of the world reaches Canada's prairies, mountains and coasts again, will the men fold up their designer clothes and take a bullet for the weak? Will the women be willing to sit quietly at home, bravely facing the unknown and whispering prayers? So maybe I'm old-fashioned or maybe they had it right back then and we get it a little more wrong all the time. 

This is the message: As the world turns crazy, will you stop hiding behind your big plastic sign with the peace symbol and do what needs to be done to bring back the peace? Will you spread your body over your wounded friend and catch the pieces of shrapnel? Will you lay down your life for your great-grandchildren's freedom? 

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