POSITIVE THINKING: #4

Installment 4 of the POSITIVE THINKING series comes from BF, a 25-year-old construction engineer who has a strong rural connection. We mention this because for his contribution, BF has focused on the province's strong rural connection as something he likes about Alberta. Lets hope this post can contribute in some small way to the bridging of the gap between urban, white-collar, ivory-tower-dwelling, elitists like us and the residents of rural Alberta, something that needs to happen if we ever want to see a legitimate opposition in the province -- especially 'cause their votes count for way more than ours do!

It took me a long time to make the effort and sit down to put this together.  I think a part of me was afraid to think too hard about it and risk realizing that there weren’t as many positive feelings as hoped for.  This doesn’t seem to be the case.  Now that I’ve started, it’s been like free-association… the paper has just filled up with ideas.  I have many a “shining beacon of warm positive light” when it relates to Alberta.  For this post though, I better just settle on one, otherwise it ain’t gonna make one ounce of sense.   

A common theme among my “beacons” was the outdoors and the connection to rural life.  Although I have been a city dweller now for the best part of eight years, I came from deep rural Alberta – starting in a town of about 100 and then moving on to a town of about 2000.  I guess that technically I’d be called a farm-boy, but it was pretty rare that you’d ever find me riding bareback on the prairie or castrating the calves with my teeth (leave that for family).   I was destined to be city-boy, I dare say even “metro.”   It continues to amaze me though, the amount that the rural mentality continues to influence not only my life, but the lives of those I meet in urban centres.

How many of us lust for camping in the mountains, or swinging down to the lake during the weekends?   Who doesn’t have a good slo-pitch story or Big Valley Jamboree anecdote?  I continue to meet people who all seem to have similar past-times and interests… although from looking at them,  they’d be the last person you’d guess to enjoy ice-fishing or beersby™; the last person you’d think you’d run into at the farmer’s market.  To me, this isn’t simply having common interests with others.  It’s a unification of a huge slice of our generation…..something that is completely rare in other areas.   I get inspired when I start thinking about the amazing group of friends that I have.  And I continue to meet people that not only surprise me with their similar interests, but with how down-to-earth their values are.  This is a heavy realization.  Now that I’ve figured it out, it’s something that I fully intend on keeping within my life.

Due to the current “prosperity” that Alberta is facing right now, I can’t tell anyone where I’m going to be next year, or the year after.  Let’s face it, the economy is fragile thing and I’ll be forced to work where the work is.   I know, though, that I will always come back to Alberta if offered the choice.  I will choose to raise a family and enjoy the best years of my life surrounded by the many people that make this place so great.

Comments

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I really like this post BF. Great job!