Dylan Yoder
Columnist
Look, life is stressful. With the number of things we fill our lives with every day, it can be somewhat overwhelming. Day in, day out we hear tell of innumerable bad things that have happened. Regardless of what bad news you receive, we must also remember that there are good things that happen in this world. They happen all around us, all the time. Laughter, smiles, and so many other good things are ever-present, but go unnoticed by the majority of people. With that being said, let’s take a look at a few examples of good news in our communities and our world.
Starting of course with the fact that Thanksgiving is just around the corner. Honestly, this year took me completely by surprise. I woke up one morning, looked at my calendar and it just happened to say November on it. Confusion aside, I can not mention how much I’m looking forward to the Thanksgiving season this year. I understand that sometimes family can be a bit much. Politics at the dinner table and whatnot. But when you look across that wooden table to see a massive bowl of mashed potatoes and gravy, my goodness, there’s nothing quite like it. Now, I realize potatoes may not be everyone’s favorite. But they most definitely should be. Food preferences aside, make sure to take some time this Thanksgiving to embody the spirit of the holiday. Thankfulness, for the good in your life. Sometimes it can be hard to see, but it’s there.
In world news, well, there’s a lot that’s happening. Be that as it may, let’s take a look at our friendly northern neighbors to see what they’re up to. In northern Ontario, the First Nation people have recently built a 300-kilowatt solar station on their land. The station will generate money, jobs, and energy for the community surrounding the Fort Severin area. It will also make travel to and from the area significantly less troublesome. The 480-mile trip to the area was only accessible by diesel trucks or gas-consuming vehicles beforehand, but with this latest edition, its estimated fuel consumption will reduce by around 400,000 liters per year. The station was constructed by Chief Burke who said “If you want something for your community, you got to go and get it.” A sentiment that I’m sure many of us in our community can appreciate.
With the height of COVID came travel bans and other restrictions on where we could go. The UK has since lifted many of its restrictions and the travel hopes of Americans are significantly better across the board. But that’s not the only good news for travelers in the UK. As many of us know, the UK has many churches, and old, unused buildings in general. Wonderful pieces of architecture that go wholly unused for too long. Well, not any longer, many historic churches are becoming places to “champ,” or in American dialect: camping in churches. For relatively cheap, people now rent out old unused historic sites to spend a relaxing weekend. I don’t know about you but I for one am booking my ticket to the UK as I write this letter. I couldn’t imagine anything better than walking through a dark, abandoned cathedral, as the tall stained-glass windows cast multicolored sunlight on the long-forgotten pulpit.
With all that being said, I sincerely hope that this year has been kind to you, and if it hasn’t I’m sincerely sorry to hear that. There are good things in this world. Things that are worth hanging around for. Finally, have a good day y’all.
