What Matters and Why It Is Important: Relationships (Part 3)
Most of us are glad to have seen 2021 fade into history. It was certainly filled with many disappointments, frustrations and discouragement, not to mention deep sorrow and grief for our family, as well as for many others.
Our bad year ended in yet more sorrow as we suffered the tragic loss of my dear mentor and friend, the iconic and legendary Ted Byfield. Adding this loss to the litany of deaths and other sorrows that occurred in 2021 led me to seriously reconsider what life and death are all about.
Imagine for a minute being on your deathbed, knowing you are about to depart from this world. Assuming your mind is clear enough to reflect on your life, what do you think will be on your mind? Let me share what I believe will be on most minds at this juncture between life and death. Continue reading “What Matters and Why It Is Important: Relationships (Part 3)”
One Byfield Legacy: Relationships (Part 2)
Last time, I announced the passing of Edward Bartlett Byfield. Ted was a journalist at heart, but he was also a teacher, a historian and a political pundit responsible for coining the phrase “the west wants in”. This became the rallying cry of the western-based Reform movement which eventually led to Stephen Harper’s nine years as Prime Minister of Canada.
I knew of Ted for years as an incredible writer and the architect behind the twelve-volume “Alberta History” and “Christian History” projects. I was a financial supporter of both projects and remain the proud owner of both original sets. I can still remember the excitement I experienced receiving each new volume in the mail. It took me over twenty years to get both sets, one book at a time.
Due to my long-standing support of both projects, Ted came to visit me about fifteen year ago with the intention of squeezing a bit more out of me to facilitate the distribution of the Christian History Project. What started as a fundraising mission resulted in us becoming good friends, a friendship for which I am eternally grateful.
Continue reading “One Byfield Legacy: Relationships (Part 2)”
Ted Byfield is Gone: Relationships (Part 1)
I may have completed the last blog a bit early! It was entitled Goodbye 2021 and was a review of how awful 2021 was for many of us, particularly Faye and me. I assumed the remaining two weeks of 2021 would be less disappointing, but that was not the case.
2021 ended with yet another school-related issue that required a great deal of diplomacy, negotiation and contending with the bureaucratic jungle of the Department of Education. Not that any one person can be blamed, but it can be very difficult to get people to think outside of the established status quo. Somewhere along the line there must have been a memo prohibiting people from challenging the narrative, but I must have missed that one!
Then, as we neared Christmas Day, I received more disappointing info about a very dear friend, followed a few days later with news of his passing. The iconic, legendary Ted Byfield died on December 23 at the age of 93.
Continue reading “Ted Byfield is Gone: Relationships (Part 1)”