My Boggled Mind

It isn’t a secret that I’m not particularly enamored of politics, in particular politicians.  I know of very few that I like or trust, not that I spend much of my time in the company of  elected officials, but I’ve come across enough to form an opinion.

For this reason I was not even remotely surprised that Courtice resident Marie Visser has made her move to climb to the next rung in her political career;  School Board Trustee. (more…)

I’ve “stickied” the post above this to the front page because this is when I first ‘officially’ heard that Marie Visser intended to run for School Board Trustee for the Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board.  I commented on it then and now that she has officially thrown her name into the pot and is an official candidate I am going to reiterate that I would not want Marie Visser to be a school board trustee.

From what I can gather, the job of school board trustee is to be the voice of the students and families at the school board.  In order to do that a person would have to have the ability to put their own personal feelings and views aside, and present the views of the group they are representing.

I don’t think Marie is capable of that in matters that are important to her.  The post above is a text book example.  As a representative of the Dr. G.J. MacGillivray Public School Council, Marie’s job as the MacGillivray School Council Regional Representative  was to go to the regional council with the opinion of our council.  She may have done that at some point, I’m not doubting it.  However, she then went on to position herself as leader of a group of parents that held the opposite opinion and, it was based on loosing that battle that she was quoted in the newspaper as saying she would be running in the next election.

What’s interesting is that this group of parents who Marie was representing did not make an appearance at school council to voice their opinion nor did they contact the chair or vice chair  of the council to let it be known what they wanted so one must wonder, how did they know to contact Marie?  And, when these people did contact Marie, and her group opposed to a September 8th school start was formed, how did Marie reconcile her appointed position of MacGillivray Council Regional Representative, and the parent Marie Visser who did not agree with her school council’s decision to the extent that she felt comfortable leading an opposition group?

It’s no secret to anyone that knows Marie and me that there’s no love lost there.  We have sat on opposing sides of the opinion many times.  But to clarify, this is not personal for me.  It’s not because I wasn’t invited into Marie’s clique of friends that I don’t think she’d make a good trustee, it’s not because our opinions differ on things that I don’t think she’d make a good trustee.  I feel confident that I am not being vengeful or hateful in making my opinion public and I have a clear conscience that my motives for voicing my opinion are good and honest.  These are all things I gave great thought and consideration before deciding to post.  I had to be sure in my own heart and mind that sharing my opinion was the right thing to do for the right reasons and I am sure.

And, I’m not kidding myself, I also had to decide that doing this was worth whatever potential backlash there might be coming my way.

I do think that Marie could have a great future in politics.  I’ve often admired the things she has done and is capable of doing – but I don’t think she has the capabilities of putting her own views aside to represent a group that she may not identify with personally.  Perhaps that kind of thing comes with experience and maturity she doesn’t yet possess or perhaps it just takes a certain kind of person to do it.  Regardless, I’d love to see Marie as the leader of a special interest group, one who’ s message remains constant, like opposition to the incinerator being built here.  However, I just don’t feel comfortable with the concept that she could or would represent my views or yours at the school board if they didn’t happen to agree with her own opinion and that’s not what we want in a school board trustee.  At least it’s not what I want

Please feel free to leave comments, I will publish and answer them if they are respectful.

Lisa Campbell

What happens when we die?

I can’t tell you.  I don’t know.  I don’t believe anyone knows – but I am sure that what someone believes is real; I just don’t know which of the many beliefs that is.  However, I can tell you what I believe.

I believe that this life is one of many.  I believe our spirits, or souls, the thing that makes us who we are, is not bound to our body but is a transient thing.  It is with us while our body lives and it is this soul that defines us – but not only that, I believe the soul is learning and growing and maturing through each life.

I believe that throughout our lives we are guided by the soul and that our lives take the direction of the soul’s journey…. It’s mission.

Over the period of many lives the soul becomes wiser and more perfected, more aware, more… hmmm… “God Like” for lack of a better term.

The people that you meet that are patient, and tolerant, and wise, who seem ‘at peace’ and “whole” are the old souls, the ones that have been through many lives and have learned.

Most of us, I believe, are still on our journey.  Imperfect, incomplete.  That’s what makes us fit the “human” stereotype.  It is our ‘mistakes’ in this life that we will face again in another.  I believe that’s why there are people that you meet that you like instantly, as well as those that you dislike instantly, even dislike intensely.  I believe these are souls you have known in the past.  Your soul recognises them even when you don’t.

So, what happens when you become “whole”?  When your soul has learned all that it can?

I don’t know.  Maybe that’s what angels are, souls that have reached that ‘place’ and now go about helping the rest of us learn what we need to learn, get through the rough times with our hope intact, give us the strength to go on when we would never have believed we could.

Is that the end of the journey?  I don’t even know what I believe – maybe that is knowledge and understanding that is reserved for the oldest souls and not knowing, not being able to totally understand is what (among other imperfections) lets me know that I’m not there yet. 

Further To The Bucket List

The bucket list. (Also see I Believe)

 Certain events in my life and the lives of my friends have made me think more about life – and death so I’ve decided to create my own bucket list.

 I believe we are all here for a reason and sometimes we’re lucky enough to know what that reason is but most often, we leave this world not knowing what the purpose was and if or how we fulfilled it.

 I’d like to believe that by my end, my reason will be clear but it doesn’t have to be because I know that for good or bad, I have had an affect on the lives of others.

 Naturally I’ve had an effect on my children – I wonder what they will come away with – which of my many ‘words of wisdom’ will they carry through their lives and how will it change the direction of their lives?

But the effect your presence has on the world is much higher reaching than most of us can conceive.

 I have a friend who lost a family member last year and was astounded to hear from so many people that had been touched by his life.  Adults now, whom he had coached as children remembered him fondly, kids that he saw safely across the street as a crossing guard.  In taking the time to share those memories and thoughts with the family, those people gave them much more than condolence and sympathy.  They had the fortune to know and understand how he had touched and affected others.

 When I go – I want it to be quick (painless would be nice too) but quick. But, since I can’t pick my death, I only ask that you believe that if I am lingering, that it will only be my spirit, my soul, hanging in a little longer to say goodbye.

 Even if you think I can’t understand, can’t see, can’t hear – Sit with me and talk to me, play my favourite music, play my favourite movies, videos of the kids laughing and playing.  Fill my room with pictures so that if I can’t look at them the way you’d imagine, my heart will see..  Talk to me, tell me everything you ever wanted to say but didn’t … this will be my last chance to hear your voice and you will be talking to my heart – and to my soul.

When I go, celebrate my life – but if I’ve given you enough notice, invite me to the party!

 Now for the bucket list:

 I want to swim under a waterfall – one of those nice ones you see on tropical island commercials will be good, but I’m not going to wait for that I will be hunting waterfalls.

 I want to see the place in Newfoundland that has the waves.  I love waves and the sound of the ocean.  I want to see waves that surfers surf on and if I can muster the courage, I’d like to try surfing.

 I want to go to Mardi Gras and dance in the street – I want to do this both in New Orleans and in Rio – and while I’m there, I want to see the statue of Christ the Redeemer

 I want to witness, first hand, the birth of a child and I want to hold my hand on his mother’s belly and feel him kick

 I want to live, not just exist.

This post was inspired by Some Little People