What Matters to You – Life as a Country Song

This past week has been a good one, and honestly on the drive up here to the Mayerthorpe office today the radio was on, and I thought to myself: our life out here in God’s country really is a country song.  Not the twangy, old “my dog ran away, I’m wallowing in self-pity, and I stubbed my toe” kind of song, but the other kind.

The kind of song where yes, things were good, then there was trouble, and that was tough.  The kind of song where the friend, the neighbour, or even the good Lord above opened the clouds a little, to give us a sign, that if we hung in there, the struggle would be worth it.  The kind of song where it talks about the love lost, but the lasting one that instead was found.  The one where you don’t envy the material things but appreciate the morals and the real things that matter at the end of the day. And yes, a few songs with those unanswered prayers. 

The kind of song where you remember your past: the good, the bad, and yes, the ugly.  You don’t shy away from what went wrong, so you can make sure that next time you get it right.  The song where good conquers over evil, even if it wasn’t easy.   When sometimes the most unlikely characters step forward from our midst and become the people that we rally behind.  The song where we do the right things because it’s the right thing to do.

Although I had to say goodbye to a great friend and mentor last weekend, I did get a chance to catch up with a great many more that came together for that celebration of life.  I was asked by my friend’s wife to say a few words, and it was not as an MLA, but just plain old me.  I had the chance to talk about how this gent and I became friends on a job site above the tree line in the middle of nowhere on a project site constructing what would become Canada’s first Diamond Mine.  I shared stories about him that were unique to my interactions, but at the same time had a common theme with others who knew him as well.  They too had stories that seemed to naturally flow into what could have been (well, in my mind at least) a very good, upbeat country song.

I’ve met so many people in our area over the last 3 years as the MLA that lead, and have led, such interesting lives.  The interactions with each other, the connections with this place, with the land, with the ongoing development, and with the stewardship of the region is nothing short of inspiring.  I know that there are several history books that have been done over the years on the area, and far too many of us have not fully read or appreciate the work that went into them, as they record our history.  The real challenge I feel over the last while has been to keep some of that history alive, and to learn from it. 

The “Good Old Days” are a matter of perspective.  Every period in our history has had challenging times, some worse than others, but there was something that kept the people going, that led to the better days, which paved the way to where we are at right now. 

Sincerely,

Shane Getson