Late Blooms

How are you feeling these days? Are you hopeful about the future? In a world filled with wars and rumors of wars, where the news often feels weighty and uncertain, it’s easy to believe that hope is just a naive dream. You are not alone if you feel this way. I’ve had to cut back on watching the news daily. The truth is, many of us are experiencing a profound weariness, feeling that the very notion of ‘hope’ is a luxury we can no longer afford. ...

This post was published in the GGCN Magazine ~ January/2026. GGCN stands for Global Grandmothers Council Network. My gratitude to Kalina Bains, Grand Editor, for her editorial skill in putting together such a fine magazine, and especially making “What I’ve Learned About the Soul at 76” look so good. She’s also the Founder and Creative Director of Kalina Digital Median ~ “Digital Magic for Women Rebuilding their Lives.” (mailto:hello@kalinamedia.ca) Jean Janki SamarooDownload ...

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A T L T C I C A S I R S I B W Y H W I 1 2 3 4 5 6 A “ L r h o h i n h n i t i o n r h o o h f . . . . . . c W e e e o i t i d l ' n o i o u w a c i t k n y t l v s g n m n a t w W O O W L o t ’ y A i g h d o e y g , p a e e T n n e a r h s o n n s s e r n r C a i r b o h s d o u d g i e h t m b t o o f c c e a a n t i u g y c d a n e b r l ' i a h b u o a r e , n t e r b h e i v e i i l n c a a t t u n e m m e g t e W a a w r l e l s n l d k t b h l ’ o o d b i a i c n a a r l t g l i e d s s r r u t n a d l k g l t u y s m , b t t l y n t e e d t o n c y l e k h g , a e h h o c w a a i e t i a s e h s s h o a v r o h a r p i p n B r i f a t a , r i t s e C u t i e u i v t s r n l o u v o m n e n r i t a h g n m r l e a a t o t d p e r s t d b ' g e l i r r h l ' e d b y c e m d e l h u s , e v m i , o m o r a y i t r a l h a y C s e o s t e e t s v f b w e n i n c e i c h o u y a p r h t a i e e n n m e g c a y a s e i r n i r e c i e m l n e r a x a t s t , n i g d s f o o b n m a l ' l t a g a t l i a t v s y o i e p r e s i t i n i m h o n , m o o t s l w d e l n l t r t f n h m d c i a l n d o u l m a l n e l e e l h i d h e ' e e n t e a i n t v a y i w i r s e n a e e ? f w i v l c s k e e s s c C a n p g y l w a a n “ e o , r d , h l g a y c . . e i e m n g c l l m g a m r k s o i x n l C i d h , e p r G p i n “ a i s o s u t c ' l a l o a v a a e e n d I n s , f i y i - n i a u r i e s t s a t g t n h . t k e n r i f l s i h c r t ’ e m d C g e e n C s d t , i t e e a h s r a r h , a m o h o y y o u i e s e r r e w r i w w o w n d K i s t s s i m n n i n a n b u e e e s i N h c c s s e t s r e i l n e e e e e t e , D t P s i g a n n a s i g w n l d m t r m a n i r e n a m m e e a i g . a l w n n e e o d n p o Y o b i s n l s e o e s d u g o u e s w r n g i S s u r o r g s r a t e a t e b t l a u t e G s r t h s z u e i d l t t o r n y i c ? w s i o m , s n a e e a b o o e o l i s s e c n h t r l r t l n n e n i l a t / e d o o a a o s e s A d s d e n s o I a s m d l t s o . c s e o a d t l s s c e a l i i i r n h y a o e r e a . y y o t ( W o C f a f g r n a , p ” n y 1 e u h u C v s t l y e e a f s . 9 s r l h e t e i f l i , n o h 3 a n i r y r t o r ? t B d r i 1 l e s t i c l t f o o e p T - l s t i s h e s e m w u f s o s h 2 s m m t a . m r s S o r o e u e 0 w a e m n i o c i u r e r a y 2 i t s a g l i m h n l c e t 2 s h o s e e s e i c d o s l g ) h i d f d . o l e n w o e b o s a c b n d b s e m a o f y t a d e e r O e c e d t h o C h r r c e c i g o e h a r h a e d a a w n t t o o n r n r p s s u h o h u e s t d w i p y t s o a b e s t h o s r e a i e n e n r a t e i r t o a t c t d r m e y r o n l m a r a t r o s i o i d a c . t l h i w 7 s s n u g n h s h ” h l e e h t t g n o d a p e e y d o h – d i n e a s . 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i a a , l r j n h r a ” s r n o i i u a i y a w s a e d p s n m s d n o t o p t C a , e e e t a u i r t A p o h . o s a , o o l o s r r t p t n M t u s n d d e m i h l y i h w r a s ! a t c y s T e e t n e e y . y h i t h r o o i o . e a o m i e w t s a h w i F t w a s ’ i u h t b a n n I o C i n s s t s e e s v ’ r T h o . i h r r e e m y d h r n s s n f , n i o C e i o o o i s c s n u s h r s f n F a t t r i a e o d r a r e t o o h s t n s y i ’ m r a r v a e t u d o m . o s s a e r . a f u w t t s e l m r w t t c W n h i M a o a y h r i h w h e i a a s c n n o e T o e a l s n r o h g y c l l h n r o c a s y n o e i a A . f a n i , , g o t c m g t w d n g s s t i h p l i h m e u i a h m i l o o i e i O v s a t t n s e e l e t u n r n u e e g r ’ a r d x s c e i r r n e u s u y a r t l s y d . e n s a g e s h p u y t c t r t w , n o n i a e d o r o h s h e d . t t r e u a n i o H f e d i u s s t s n - a o o n a a u c i c g c p r c m f A t n a c o o i . a p e o t l t i y s a u n o l y t l t e t h o i r l u l h e h n h e n o o i d h s I e N e b e t o f n n a n f d e r r i u U t s g o d e w l a , m g k h u , f s y ' a t e h r a s f f t s o p Y d i w s a t s o e o u e e i o h t i c k r r m ’ a a e n o e h n I a i g u r c r s ’ v e e n n o a o s e e ! 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c r i h h c a d e o o n y n e e o t n T u o . g n l n p i h a , h B l w p s e t e r e e d c y f c a e i i c n s I o o u r c i o t r a ’ i t m u l i e n u j ’ u t n ’ p r p f t u s a s c s l t t u y s s b e r e a o o e l o i t t o e n c w d d u d i d C a t o e n a o r e a m e h l h t n y d n e r l a t e o e h w f f i y t h n t n . e i e f o s a o e o ’ a t w o r t s w r r r t r h r m t a d g s I t d t a e r u y o r g a f h s a t n m e c a u y u e l s o c i e a h n n s n i t a s o l a d s n s C a g r n l l . l – i h r u i h e y l c e g a r t e n i e o O f f h b i e s g g w u n n n t o t o s d s . h h n g s l o u t . o d e c y b d i t m w a e i e , s a h I n i r m o b f l s T a t d s s y u y o m a o . h t ’ t s s r u v e s y l a e n c e s v e t o o n l e r i e , H b h t u n d f s e C c r e e e h r e s a h , y e s e l w a t r v r t b o y h n t i i p h e e e r w . a d o n s a u n a C s e n t g t r m l h t a y s m t b p i r l n P t o t p a i l e z i C i e u h u a e s e e o e s h t e t e r a ! s p d t r y d y t t c , s l m i . s y ’ o e t e t a s o r l W p a h s t h u e l o w e r b w a m I a r i o i e l h t p a s v s g s k t l s e o r s e e e t i h a e C e t l t e n i d n w a h s p h b f t n g n i t i r r e r e e i e s t e i n e r e i n c o o s , h s t s e n n g a u u o t e r t r w d o f m f n s t t i e o e n a o t o a h n f f o r c l n s r m k e t u o w r o y o f e e o l r n y r d t o t n s . l a t r i h r h h y o m a t h e d e i c o D t i b i e l n m e n a e e t h n o o i ’ v g r m o e d u n a g t w e e o a r t s n i o r w f n w s a , i o c u y e o d h n t m u o l o f t a y d h S a s m d n m . h t t o e a l e e i e h u h n s p b g a t e d t e f e t h o t h m l e a a r r h t t e i p c , r s o t e h t g i o o u m o r b e h o h n r a u a e e r e t t g a n n s a h . r h t d d i a m a e e s o i . o s v i b r h t o b n t e g l i a h n e o h e s p r e s s T d r p t e e r , t h o e e t e r s e a b o x s y t o r e w c e p o o t h f e v h e . d l n u o e e e . o a r a w r n n i d f l e y N f a s b o o l r t h o o t l o e h e r i s e t d s i m o a s h , h n n h a t n y s e a o g e t h i i t r a t e a n n s h i d f r e n g g a e n o o d r f d s m g c r u t e g t t h t t o w i t o C h o u r i c f i r h e w r a u t a t m s r e n s h n s e , i b l s . , s e o t p s w w n t a u h a t e t i u m u d a r a I h t r a t l t e r t h e h s s i y n t o e f c c i c p p f s j u t o y n o e a a , u l h u . g u r m s e l l t t i m t s y d t d o i l o i D o e y t a n s c o d b a s h s g i h a e c , a e i n a y y h n r i n g n o . r i t d s f g , g u i e h , e g v e f t w k A h e r f h o a t n s t c i a e i r h o k p l e t y c e w a e o n h e w y t a t d e w s i w a o c h s r e l a n u h e e . s r o l y y r o s , e f s m i n w t e e n w d c t o e e l e o e h t e f o t ’ u l e l n r h r l e c i a t i e a b c e v g h e s s r h a e e e v g , a i s r e w o t l e n s r n o i o i d . o / e r n r n r w y a i l g g e ? o s n d m n u o . t e a t n a ” o d a Y h n i b n e w o w c i d s w h t e a g , h y h a l t o e r B h a t r , e i e n h h q r d a e c a u t c v y o n i h o e ’ u d p d m I r n m a m t e t m e y u w h r o n n o e s y r t p i u a e a t l c y – . i r y d o i n t g n m y o l n g a T c . f i i y h a k t t b e s W e i h e r e T h v i e h o t e s e o e v o v a f y i k a e r l o n n n e a g l f o d n e e f w a t t . e - t h e r h r c e m c o y o e a s w u s r u i t n c g g x o o t h e h r r o n t s u y o c u e n l y u g x d a . p g p e t c e e r o i s r s w n I n t i t a c i e a r e w t o n n . r o h n c d t u e s e s l w C , d e f o h h x o f e r t s c r r i h a i l e s e y t h i t e o f t m p t m w e h a a h e e s g e n e t y e y t a o ’ i a c r s n w o h u e t e f n a r o d c b a e t n e o o t h e r m u p e s i t t r o t n h e s f a g s e t e n h t a u d f a c y s s r r h o w o i u m n m a m n r u i r . g c c a g ? h h n h l , d t T o a W r v t l w m a y e h l a a r e n k t t a t e i o h c l s r o o t i c o o n o t n o u k e o m g i . p t m h e o u s t n g e s h i i x i e c v c b a i h l a t n a e n e g n s g f w w t e o e i o r r t a h o t w w t a h k h w r e i e o s n n r r d s k t w n , o e e a s e n c w s v d e a e a n a n t s t n h e d t e a h i b o p n p e s a e e c t a c k h c o w a e e o e g f p e f u e d u l r o t t a n o u w t ’ r o i t b e r v e . l e k d n m . a o a n w i d . l e u d n d t e o r s t v a e n r d s i e n a g s i r n e s l t a e t a i d v e o s f . b e i n g a r r o g a n t a n d r u d e . D e e p d o w n i n s i d e , w e a l l w a n t t h e s a m e g o o d t h i n g s f o r o u r s e l v e s a s f o r o t h e r s . ...

“Hope smiles from the threshold of the year to come, whispering ‘it will be happier’ ~ Alfred Lord Tennyson A happier life for me started on January 2nd, 2023. A change of country, scenery, and environment brought with it new vistas and opportunities. It was something that I had dreamt and hoped to do for many years – wintering in a beautiful, warm place. I had always dreamed of living by the sea and hearing the waves lapping the shore day and night. While I was dreaming, I thought that if there were also mountains, that would be a bonus. Since I saw the Sound of Music and Heidi when I was a little girl, mountains have always beckoned to me. My new locale has the sea, boats, and the Sierra Madre Mountains. Talk about luck! ...

by Leung Kit It’s Lunar New Year time again. Tomorrow, January 22nd/2023 marks the beginning of this year’s Chinese New Year celebrations. If you want to use the proper greetings with your Chinese friends here is what you need to say: “Gong hei fat choy” (恭喜发财) (Cantonese) Gong xi fài (Mandarin). This 15 day long celebration will end on February 5th with the Lantern Festival. ...

The mountains are calling and I must go. ~ John Muir It wasn’t only John Muir who felt called by the mountains. I felt the call in September of 2021. Many people who like being with Nature are drawn to spend some time in the presence of these towering giants. My trip was a conducted tour which started in Calgary and lasted for five days. Talk about a true mountain-top experience! ...

As the New Year, 2022, is on the cusp of being born, it’s a good time to reflect and think about the year past. There have been challenges for all of us on the planet above and beyond the usual. This has, of course, been due to dealing with the Coronavirus at each and every stage since it first manifested itself. Are you anxious, afraid, hopeful, thankful, or in some other emotional state as 2022 begins? ...

[caption id=“attachment_4832” align=“alignleft” width=“1000”] “Mostly it is loss which teaches us about the worth of things.” ~ Arthur Schopenhauer[/caption] Is death anyone’s favourite topic? Death has always been a heavy topic for me and most people I know shy away from any discussion around the topic whenever it comes up. It’s as though not talking about it will make it go away. I’m talking here about physical death - that of a loved one or beloved pet. There’s no impermanence about physical death. We never get to see our loved one again in this life. ...

[caption id=“attachment_4817” align=“aligncenter” width=“800”] “As I have walked through many lives, some of them my own, and I am not who I was, though some principle of being abides, from which I struggle not to stray." ~ Stanley Kunitz[/caption] It’s hard to believe that so many years of my life have gone by and I’m at the ripe old age of seventy-two. When I was sixty-five, I remember thinking what a long life that was. Of course, when I turned seventy, that feeling was even more pronounced. What do I have to say at seventy-two? ...