Hello again readers, Can you believe we are into August already? Summer is flying by and I don’t know about you, but time seems to be moving differently this year. Seemingly fast and slow all at once.

I remember as a kid, summers felt endless. Long days spent on my bike with friends, our bellies full of  hose water,  looking for some trouble to get into … all benign by today’s standards, but back then, dangerous and fun. The days yawning out into weeks until I was more than ready to go back to school, just for something to do.  I don’t feel that way anymore.

Summer is fleeting, the shortest of our seasons, and therefore should be enjoyed fully. I’m happy to report dear friends, that I am enjoying mine.

One of the things I’ve cherished most this summer is going to Point Pelee National Park.

I bought a pass and have been going often, and it’s quickly becoming one of my favourite places on the planet.

I am so grateful to have such a place at a stone’s throw away, where I can wander the many shaded trails and be amongst the trees. Or bask on the beautiful beaches, or enjoy the marshland boardwalk, or nose around the old homestead and cemetery … surrounded by birdsong, butterflies, dragonflies, squirrels, rabbits, wild turkeys, and whatever else is hidden in the dense undergrowth.

Yes there are flies and mosquitoes too, but they never seem to be interested in biting me, which I appreciate immensely. For me, it is a magical place and I always feel so much more at peace after I’ve been there.

I’d like to share an amazing  experience I had there a couple weeks ago.

I met a man named Paul Jenkinson. I happened to need the restroom and for whatever reason decided to use the one in  the Visitor’s Centre. Now I must explain, that as many times as I’ve visited the park, I’ve never once been inside the Visitors Centre, so I’m not sure what drew me there, especially since there are restrooms accessible all over the park.

However on this particular day, that’s where I ended up. And absolutely for a reason.

As I approached the entrance, I noticed a man sitting at a small table with an extra chair and a sign that read, “You Are Not Alone, I Will Listen.” Obviously I needed to find out more.

I sat down with this man and we talked.

He told me he was a retired social worker and was spending his time traveling all over Canada, setting up his table and chairs and just listening … to people and their stories, holding space for them, for what they want to share.

Not pressing, not prying, not offering advice or suggestions, simply listening. I was completely overcome with the simple elegance of this.

He doesn’t make notes or collect names or money, he simply sits and waits for those who want to talk. His gift, his authenticity, his ear. He posts about his experiences, without using names and shares some of his observations from traveling around listening to strangers, and some of the common threads that connect us all.

How timely for the world right now.

If each one of us would show up as our authentic selves to be of service to another, not by doing, but by simply being, what a difference it could make.

I spoke with Paul and shared a bit about my story and my past few years, and he shared some of his, and I will admit, I felt lighter, less burdened. I felt seen and understood.

I may or may not ever see Paul again, but it does my heart good, knowing that he is out there, holding space for people and bearing witness to their experiences, as he did mine.

I’m not sure where he’s heading next, but if you come across him, if you feel called to, sit and have a talk. He will listen.  I can verify.

Thanks for your ear Paul,  I wish you all the best on your journey across Canada.

And just like, that one of my favourite places became even more magical.

~ Images by Jolene Carley