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By Chance Alone, The World Around Us, Give'r all ya got!

Good Morning from Prince Edward Island,

Thank you for inviting me in for a cup of tea, put the kettle on and let's chat.

Don't wish to start off with sad news, but we lost someone dear to us late last week. 

Windsor MacDougall, my wife's brother was an incredible force of nature; we lost him to a heart attack last week. He was a wonderful family man leaving his best friend and wife Linda to shepherd their four adult children through the phases of their lives. He was a strong man of faith. He had a great sense of humour with the ability to make a pile of rocks laugh. I loved Windsor for his willingness to help anyone who needed it without considering his sacrifice financial or otherwise. He will be missed. He was so loved by all who knew him.

Heart disease is the number one killer of life in the world, and I found watching this video is a fantastic testament to our human desire to improve itself continually.

 

Many of us wish that extraordinary things will happen to us, but we have all the potential to make extraordinary things happen for good as well.

The flip side of doing things for good is the story of what happened to Max Eisan.

Tibor “Max” Eisen was born in Moldava, Czechoslovakia into an Orthodox Jewish family. He had an extended family of sixty members, and he lived in a family compound with his parents, his two younger brothers, his baby sister, his paternal grandparents and his uncle and aunt. In the spring of1944--five and a half years after his region had been annexed to Hungary and the morning after the family’s yearly Passover Seder--gendarmes forcibly removed Eisen and his family from their home. They were brought to a brickyard and eventually loaded onto crowded cattle cars bound for Auschwitz-Birkenau. At fifteen years of age, Eisen survived the selection process, and he was inducted into the camp as a slave labourer.

Just days after his 90th birthday, Max Eisen has been named the winner of CBC’s annual Canada Reads competition for his Holocaust memoir his 2016 book, By Chance Alone tells his story of being taken to Auschwitz at the age of 15 to work as a slave labourer. He came to Canada in 1949.

"I am inspired by the need to document my story so others may learn from the past. On a personal level, I have a highly developed sense of observation of the world around me, which constantly inspires and motivates me to take action." Max Eisen

Here he speaks to why he wrote it.

I have ordered two books, one for me and one for you. Anyone who comments on today's blog will have their name put into a hat, and a draw will be done, and one winner will be announced in next weeks blog. As soon as the name is chosen, the book will be wrapped up with some treats and sent to its new home.

Today's blog is not about dying; it is about living. Our legacy of being a friend to someone still has time to be learned and nurtured. If already a good friend to others, encourage others to be good friends as well.

"The hunger to belong is at the heart of our nature. Cut off from others; we atrophy and turn in on ourselves. The sense of belonging is the natural balance of our lives." John O'Donohue, Eternal Echoes

Just to put a million and a billion in perspective, did you know that a million seconds represents 11 days, and a billion seconds represents 33 years?

On that note, I have to run, good friend coming for tea to discuss David Benner's The Gift of Being Yourself. It is a compassionate and accessible, witty and fun book. A gift to the dedicated seeker of knowledge.

While writing this morning, I have been listening to a new Shubert recording by Khatia Buniatishvili while writing this morning. It is so kind to the psyche. Listen here. The passion with which she interprets and plays is another example of humanity's heart displaying the beauty of our design. Each of us is unique and special, symbolically shared through her expression of each musical note.

Wishing you a wonderful weekend, you have 86,400 seconds today. Don't be anxious, have fun and use them wisely. 

With love from Prince Edward Island, 

Bruce

ps.

Three seniors are out for a stroll. 

One of them remarks, “It’s windy.” 

Other replies, “No way. It’s Thursday.” 

The last one says, “Me too. Let’s have a soda.”

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Comments

Karen - March 31, 2019

Hugs to you and Shirley at this difficult time. Thoughts are with you both
Karen & Roger

Mary Mosher - March 31, 2019

So sorry for your loss Bruce. I hope the wonderful memories you must have will help ease the pain of your loss.
And thanks for sharing that wonderful piece of music! – Mary

Betty Plucinski - March 31, 2019

Bruce, thank you for letting us into your family happenings once again – although at the moment we are certainly sharing a sad time with you and yours. However, I wonder if those pile of rocks that seemed to come “alive” with laughter – are now just welcoming your dear brother-in-law to a new happy place. God bless all.

Elaine Erhart - March 31, 2019

Thank you for your blog. I wanted to send you this ‘author unknown’ quote that has been such a help to me as we see more and more family and friends entering into eternity. AWA is now a common expression in our daily lives, like it or not! (As We Age). Our prayers are with you as you seek God’s comfort and hold each other a little tighter today.
“Grief never ends but it changes.
It is a passage, not a place to stay.
Grief is not a sign of weakness
nor a lack of faith.
It is the price of love.”

We will hold you and your family before the Lord this week and trust Him to give each of you added strength and comfort you will need as this week progresses.
Kay Johnson - March 31, 2019

Thank you for another wonderful blog. Reading them keeps the wonderful memory alive of our visit to beautiful PEI and your special place on it. May knowing that the one your family loved is now with the One who loves all of you, bring you great comfort.

Cindy Wohl - March 30, 2019

I am sorry for your loss. Thank you for the food for thought. Aloha for now

Lynne Powell - March 30, 2019

First I would like to tell you how sorry I am for your loss. Your brother-in-law sounded like a wonderful man. By Chance Alone—what a great title. So much of what happens to us is by chance alone. I read many books about the horrid concentration camps, the atrocities committed & prisoners whose will to survive is nothing short of phenomenal. I just this morning finished The Tatoiist if Auschwitz. Although it is a novel it is the true story of a young Slovakian Jew who spent three years in Birkenau but was taken daily to work at Auschwitz. Lake & Max had much in common. I am placing Max’s book on my To Read list.

Sharon Rock - March 30, 2019

I was sorry to hear of the death of your brother-in-law, it is very sad to lose the ones we love. Max Eisens book looks very interesting and I will read it at some point. Both my husband and I read and follow a lot of stories from WW1 and WW2 so many lives lost and it’s still happening today in many countries. Sadly after 40 years of renting the same cottage in Victoria by the sea, the cottage has been sold. As it is late in the year to rent a place, it looks like we won’t be going to PEI this summer. A great disappointment as we have been bringing our grandchildren the last few years. Well, things change and we will get there next year for sure by booking early. However the memories our family have of that cottage will always be first place in our hearts. I enjoy your blog it always makes me feel very close to good old PEI and what’s not to love about that.

Nathalie Lefrancois - March 30, 2019

My condolences to you and Shirley on the loss of your loved one. Thanks for taking the time to write your Saturday blogs. They are always very inspiring! So lovely to see comments from all over the world.

Michelle Arnold - March 30, 2019

I’m so grateful for your weekly blog and your insight in the midst of challenging days. I look forward to each post and you often make me feel like I once again have a taste of PEI (all the way from Texas). I’m sorry for your loss this week. Thank you for the reminder to make the most of each day and leave a legacy worth remembering.

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