MUSINGS and other writing by Mark Kolke

. . . . . . there is no edge to openness

TODAY'S MUSINGS

FEEDBACK / COMMENTS

MARK SPEAKS

MARK'S SPEAKING TIPS

ARCHIVED COLUMNS

ARCHIVE WINTER 2020-21

ARCHIVE AUTUMN 2020

ARCHIVE SUMMER 2020

ARCHIVE SPRING 2020

ARCHIVE WINTER 2019-20

ARCHIVE AUTUMN 2019

ARCHIVE SUMMER 2019

ARCHIVE SPRING 2019

ARCHIVE WINTER 2018-19

ARCHIVE AUTUMN 2018

ARCHIVE SUMMER 2018

ARCHIVE SPRING 2018

ARCHIVE WINTER 2017-18

ARCHIVE AUTUMN 2017

ARCHIVE SUMMER 2017

ARCHIVE SPRING 2017

ARCHIVE WINTER 2016/17

ARCHIVE AUTUMN 2016

ARCHIVE SUMMER 2016

ARCHIVE SPRING 2016

ARCHIVE WINTER 2015/16

ARCHIVE AUTUMN 2015

ARCHIVE SUMMER 2015

ARCHIVE SPRING 2015

ARCHIVE WINTER 2014/15

ARCHIVE AUTUMN 2014

ARCHIVE SUMMER 2014

ARCHIVE SPRING 2014

ARCHIVE WINTER 2013/14

CONTACT

MY REAL ESTATE LIFE

WHY I WRITE MUSINGS

SHORT STORY PROJECT

POETRY PROJECT

SELECTED OTHER WORK

ABOARD THIS ENTERPRISE

Friday May 6, 2016

Organization, execution, fingers crossed.

Information dissemination beyond expectations.

Albertans – not just those who live, work, play in Fort McMurray – spellbound.

Yet, calm amid chaos.

Before humans, fire randomly regenerated forests and prairie grasses. We’ve organized communities, but can’t ‘civilize’ nature.

Threatening communities, projects, wildlife – wildfires swallowing every fuel in their path.

Isn’t worst, best, good or bad.

Just is.

Good, minimal human injury.

Bad, massive property damage.

Good, governments, donors and insurance companies will fund rebuilding – estimated, at $9 billion.

Bad, many displaced.

Good, welcoming communities offering services and shelter, and hugs, for everyone.  

Bad, many have no home left.

Good, they can plan their new home, accumulate new treasures.

Bad, they have to wait.

Glory stories. Heroism, professionals, luck.

We are Albertan.

I ‘became Albertan’ at eight. I remember so clearly, first day in my Red Deer school – stranger, given books, made welcome. But, no Social Studies? They called it Enterprise. This enterprise metaphor which repeats in my life, in Alberta life.

Boom times, bust times – there is enterprise here, in all of us, across ideological boundaries, we are many, together, enterprising, Albertans. We don’t quit. There was no quitting course in our curriculum.

Smoke will clear. Rebuilding. Never fast enough, of course, but soon.

Imagine IF …

If two weeks ago, someone had announced a ‘starting next month, a $9 billion infrastructure spending program’ for new housing and commercial development, in one community, would not officials and unemployed workers collectively been dancing in the streets?

80,000 evacuees, 4 million Albertans will attest, you can evacuate any city but you can’t remove our spirit.

Much worth celebrating.

No dancing yet.

Soon. 

 

Mark Kolke

P.S.: convoys, those who escaped north, now being escorted by police south, through Fort McMurray, then on to accommodations in Edmonton, Calgary and other points south around the province.

written / published from Calgary, AB

morning walk:  4C/30F, clear and calm – crisp and lovely, one cyclist and one passer-by, otherwise streets are as quiet as a Sunday morning. Gusta found lots of fresh tall wet grass to wet her belly

Reader feedback:

TWO MORNINGS DAY

Amen, Mark. Amen, RA, Calgary, AB


Join Musings Mailing List
Join the Musing following ...

Join Musings Mailing List
Join the Musing following ...

sign up to get Musings free daily


Comments are always welcome - please contribute to the discussion.  Reply to: kolke@markkolke.com

You can also connect with me on LinkedIn. This site is updated daily, each column is retained in the archive when the next day's column is loaded ...  


Copyright - all rights reserved - Mark Kolke, © 2003-2021