I was going through my office two weeks ago — looking for the little information I had collected about my grandfather Wilms. Unlike, my maternal grandfather, whom I based my book The Grain Fields on, I didn't get a chance to speak to him about his time during the Second World War. He died of Alzheimers when …
His voice has started to talk back…
"I've left your heart all over the world. I've left our conversations in coffee shops, hotel rooms, airport lounges, on park benches and along a stream — amongst green grasses. The tens-of-thousands of words that were written from our time together — the stories you shared as we traveled together, as we sat around our …
Dear Opa,
'Opa, we packed up our bags and came home.' "Across the Atlantic." "'Your girl' came with me." "We walked the same roads." "We found your house." "Made with sticks, clay and brick." …
Going ‘home’ to find his voice
In the beginning of May I took my significant other 'home.' It had been a few years since I had been back and I needed to show her where my hero grew up. I needed to feel the dirt between my toes, the sun on my face, the grasses amongst my fingers and the beer …
“We and it shall be remembered…”
From this Day To the ending of the world We and it shall be remembered We few, we happy few We band of brothers. For he who sheds his blood with me Shall be my brother. Bruce Park, Remembrance Day Ceremony, Nov. 11, 2014 St Crispin's Day speech, William Shakespeare
Harry John Giesbrecht
Death is an unwanted guest. It comes in the middle of the night, in the middle of the day or in the early morning hours. It comes into your house and you are never the same. When someone close in your life dies, a part of you breaks, cracks and fragments in the loss. Every …
‘Il Porto’
So, two weeks ago I talked about my adventure to Sicily and how I met two people that changed the entire layout of my trip. Last week I told you about Guiseppe the police officer who took me out for some horrible scotch the night I arrived into Palermo. This week, in the final week …
Trapani
So, this week is going to be a little different. As many know in weeks prior I have been sharing my grandfather's stories from his time in Europe during the Second World War. For the most part I have completed his stories during the war. Actually, I should clarify, I have concluded all the stories …
“just needed to get the stories off my chest”
"I just needed to get the stories off my chest." Today was an inspiring day of . Nahlah Ayed, CBC correspondent, who is back in London after two months in Ukraine, spent an hour speaking to Red River College through the wonderful world of Skype. A few weeks back I wrote about her book, A Thousand Farewells. …
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‘Arbeit Macht Frei’
Last night on the History Channel, I watched the film, 'Schindler's List.' I hadn't planned on watching the film, but turned on the television at 9 p.m. and found the masterpiece playing. It was played straight, with no commercials - a recognition of its importance. I have seen it many times, but every time I …