Life-Love 43: Finding a Kindred Spirit

It is difficult to connect with others in our noisy society. It can be so hard to pierce through the cacophony that we sometimes end up relying on media images, or the images constructed by others to help us with our decisions. The problem is that these sorts of guides are not real – they …

Life-Love 42: Being surprised by a hint of perfume

Growing up French Canadian, and spending a lot of time in France meant paying attention to the finer things in life. Personal grooming, stylish attire and thoughtfully chosen adornment define much of the French child’s world where he or she is taught to discern: elegant from mundane, vulgar from exquisite and appropriate from awkward. I …

Life Love 41: An Autumn’s run in the woods

Autumn has always been my favourite season. It has always signaled new beginnings for me – perhaps because I am a university professor and I love the return of the students, the pageant of learning that unfolds around me at McMaster in September and October. I do think that it’s more than that, though – …

Life Love 40: The excitement of political action

It is so easy to feel disconnected. It’s simple to think that we are powerless in front of those who run the world, making it turn more quickly or slow it down to suit their purposes. It’s easy to slink off into a cynical corner to shut our eyes and fall into the sleep of …

Life-Love 39: Receiving a friendly note of support

Our days are so very full of worry and concern. We worry about our work, our friends, even our own level of fatigue. Our minds crackle with the static of constant concern and often we feel a electric jolt of anxiety at something that we forgot or that has just popped up. Perhaps it was …

Life-Love 36: Bookstore afternoons

C.S. Lewis once said: “We read to know that we are not alone.” I love bookstores – the smell of books and coffee, a chubby, old cat lying langourously on a shelf, surveying the proceedings. I love the thoughtful look on people’s faces as they browse the shelves, letting their eyes drift across the colourful …

Life-Love 35: Waking up to a sparkling harbour view

I love seaside hotels. There is no happier paradise for me than an elegant hotel in a beautiful setting, but my favourites are always grand hotels by the sea – either a room overlooking the open blue vastness stretching out to the infinite horizon, or a window that lets you watch a harbour awaken in …

Life-Love 34: A superb serving of fries

You love French fries, but they are often so badly prepared: soggy, oily, doughy… the list of fry-crimes is long. Because of this, you often hesitate when you order something like a burger – do risk the fries or go with the safe cover of the green salad. Today, however, though you get a tip …