VOICE OF THE PEOPLE

STRAIGHT TO THE HEART

Bill Kilfoil’s Dec. 26 opinion piece, “Worn fragments from Christmases past” brought tears to my eyes.

Now, I am neither Irish nor Catholic, and these were not fragments from my own Christmas memories. But that did not matter. Like Dylan Thomas’s A Child’s Christmas in Wales, Kilfoil’s essay sang to me — an honest bridge from heart to heart. Universal song of home at Christmas time. A song to hold close, especially this year.

Beautiful writing, like beautiful music, always touches me deep and causes me to weep. Thank you, Bill Kilfoil.

Kat Wright, Voglers Cove

SAD HOCKEY COMMENTARY

Re: “Too many teams competing at World Junior Championship” (Dec. 28 Sports commentary).

I am wondering how many hockey tournaments he has attended — at any level. Teams attend tournaments for which they qualify for many reasons and audience satisfaction is probably not on the list.

This tournament is called the “World Juniors,” and if 10 teams qualify, so be it. COVID has certainly changed the dynamics this year, but good teams work through the adversity and come out stronger for their effort.

Watching the Canada-germany game was painful in the end, and most hearts went out to the German players who were tired, discouraged and ultimately outplayed. But to say it was “repugnant, hideous and grotesque” is shameful and wrong! Yes, COVID clobbered the Germans and they probably could have used it as an excuse to opt out. Kudos to them that they chose to stay and play with so many missing teammates. For their efforts to be called “repulsive” is, well, repulsive.

In any tournament, there are going to be underdogs, but they should never be denied the right to play, and by playing they gain experience, they grow as a team and they allow their losses to become a learning experience.

It is “obscenely obvious” that the commentator wants only “elites” to play, so that he can be better entertained. What a sad commentary on the value and importance of youth sports.

Andree Desrosiers, Halifax

BUILD BETTER FUTURE

This is a liminal time — between what was and what’s next. We are nearing the end of a year that shook what seemed solid and forced us to prioritize what’s important — socially, economically, environmentally and personally.

For many, it was a period of loss, loneliness and hardship. But it also established the conditions for transformational change, by showing us that nothing is fixed and that we have agency over what’s next. What we make of that potential — individually and in community — is something future generations will play out and look back at with a critical lens.

Not everything was bad. We learned that working together is more effective than going it alone. We chose taking care of the vulnerable over making a profit. We saw our politicians and leaders put bickering aside and bring their best ideas forward. We stepped over barriers that weren’t as high as we thought. We faced up to the reality that we have let down our elders and turned a blind eye to prejudice. We learned that flying around the world and commuting hours each day were things we could do less often. We made home our command centres.

Above all, we were reminded of the importance of relationships — that we all are connected and suffer when apart. We saw societies that reached out across differences fare better than those that retreated behind walls of othering. Love proved stronger than fear. We innovated, adapted and we were resilient in the face of unprecedented challenges.

Let’s embrace the opportunity of this in-between time and turn insight into wisdom by making choices that are intentional — about what we want to keep and what we know must change. We can remember our history without going back to what didn’t work. And we can build a future that’s better without knowing what’s coming next. Nancy M. Watson, Bedford

SENSATIONALIST PHOTO CHOICE

The Dec. 26 story about the murder of Canadian national Nicole Dempster on St. Lucia was accompanied by a photo of the young woman.

The photo was taken from Facebook, but I have to question the judgment of the editor who published that particular one. A quick online search shows several other photos of her that could have been used, which are much more dignified, especially since she is now deceased.

This young woman obviously posed for that photo, and it was apparently on her Facebook page, but did she intend for the whole world to see it? If this was the only photo that the reporter could find, then why not take the time to at least crop it to show only her face?

It appears that the most sensational of the available photos was chosen, perhaps simply for the shock value and to attract interest in the story. Let us remember that she was someone’s daughter and regardless of the circumstances surrounding the chosen photo, she was a person who deserves to be treated with respect. For many people who saw the story, this will be the only image they will have of this young woman.

Deb Macneil, Port Hawkesbury

WEIGH PERSONAL IMPACT

Your Dec. 24 editorial quoting Florence Luscomb — “... if each one of us, little snowflakes, just does our part, we will be an irresistible force” — was nicely juxtaposed with the letter “Helping hands,” referencing the story of the man throwing the starfish back.

We may be small as individuals, but we can do a great deal collectively. In particular, while there are many calls for governments to act urgently on climate change matters, little is said about what we as individuals can do.

In the past months, we have proved our ability to be responsible for our actions to prevent the spread of the virus. Are we as willing to be responsible for our own actions with regard to climate change?

How many gifts have we bought that will not be used for long, if at all? How much wrapping paper, tape and ribbon have we used unnecessarily? How often are we prepared to make personal sacrifices such as a short shower instead of a long one? Using cloths instead of paper towel? Or reusable bathroom wipes instead of all that toilet paper?

Do we even think about our personal impact? It’s time we did! Maggie Rice, Bridgetown

FAIT ACCOMPLI

In your coverage (Dec. 1 and Dec. 2) of the recent partial approval of a proposed upgrade of the Wreck Cove generating station, the largest such facility in Nova Scotia, you repeatedly refer to its location as “south of Cape Breton Highlands National Park.”

That is undoubtedly true. However, had 26 square kilometres near Cheticamp Lake not been removed from the national park’s landbase, the Wreck Cove Hydro System wouldn’t exist today.

Dusan Soudek, Halifax