My Blog Profile mentions that you
will get to know me through my writings. Today I introduce myself as a child progressing to adulthood through the influence of female
friends and “mothers”; from them I gleaned and captured insight into their
character structure…learning how to pattern my life!
A few years ago, I read a 2002
American Comedy/Drama (Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood)
about a Mother and daughter's challenges and tribulations (documented in a
scrap book). Several years later, “Mother”
met with a group of her selected girlhood friends who all shared their wild
experiences and expectations from younger years. The interaction among these “now women” was
amazing!
“Little Women”, written by Louisa May Alcott, has long been a
classic novel. It is worthy to note that
both these stories were developed into movies for both the theatre and
television.
“Valley of the Horses”, by Jean Auel, fascinated me as I viewed the
novel's title and cover picture. The synopsis read well. What a Story...a
little white girl with blonde hair and blue eyes, wandering alone in an early
mid-European country many years
ago. An earthquake had totally demised
her family. A clan of cave-like people
befriended this “ugly little girl”. From
an elderly Clan woman, she learned to become a “medicine woman”...studying, identifying
plants, learning their attributes as natural healing mediums. A preceding novel in the series, “Clan of the
Cave Bear”...fortunately I was able to locate.
“The Mammoth Hunters” continued the saga of Ayla as she matured into a
woman facing life-threatening challenges.
It was so easy to relate with her character.
Throughout Life, like Ayla, our lives
have been influenced by others. Mothers…are children’s best “mentor”
providing security and strengthening their children’s self esteem each day with
praise and unconditional love. It is the
parents’ responsibility to prepare each child for adulthood (a principle and
directive many overlook). From a young
age to the present, we selected friends, admired those qualities we'd love to
emulate...often becoming steadfast companions
with whom we shared our deepest thoughts and experiences. But Life Moves On...frequently we drift apart. At specific
stages, we “needed and enjoyed” friendships...significant to the development of
our personal character.
* * * * * * * * * * *
In the rural community of
Burford, Sylvia was a neighbour...my
age; she had long tight curly brunette hair and twinkling eyes. We walked to and from elementary school
daily...occasionally spending an hour or more either at her home or mine. When my parents bought a used upright
mahogany piano, it was from Sylvia's mother I studied music with weekly
lessons...practise, practise, practise was a “must” for me. In a few years her family moved. Several
years later I heard that Sylvia became
the “practising pianist” for the National Ballet of Canada, located then in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Today its centre is Toronto,
Ontario...recognized internationally as one of the world's best!
Throughout public and high
school, Margaret became my best
friend. She was from a family of four
daughters. We were same age and
classmates. She lived in the village...a
2-story yellow brick home...and I on a farm.
Academically, we both excelled.
She was pretty...dark straight hair and blue eyes. Occasionally we shared homework assignments
at each others' homes. During High School days, we played together on the
Burford Bluebirds softball team...much fun!
At the end of Grade 13, she attended a University in London,
Ontario...and I at a College in Toronto.
There I boarded in a Brunswick
Avenue home with Grace and Olive. The landlady treated us as her daughters
during the three years we called “home”.
We shared classes and social activities, boosting our friendships. Olive became engaged
to Hugh and was married the summer following graduation. Grace and I were elated to be her attending
bridesmaids.
Two of the summers I spent
working for the Canadian Sunday School Mission in British Columbia. With Jane,
from Massachusetts, we taught children in 2-week sessions in rural communities
of this western province. To reach
Vancouver, we travelled “coach-class” by train under “clergy status”. Returning home, we “trained” to Montreal,
staying overnight, sleeping on a station bench until “train time” the next day
to her Springfield home for a week (whose Mother treated me as another daughter). Then to Toronto again to resume our
studies. The second summer was with Eleanor from Preston, Ontario...again
to a rural area in southern British Columbia.
Weekends we arranged church services for adults and their families;
naturally it was a requirement we be musically talented and be able to deliver
a Christian message. These were not only
worthwhile causes...for us it was character-building...a time to “discover who
we were”. From these summer experiences, I could write a novel! During each of these 16
weeks, my Mother diligently wrote with news from home.
How now to afford the tuition for
Teachers' College, was my quandary!
Fortunately I was awarded a Bursary from a charitable organization
(IODE) for academic achievement. I was thrilled to accept this...together with
my summer job working in Spalding's Sport Factory…my expenses were covered.
Jean, whom I had met in Toronto, had similar ambitions to attend
Teachers' College in Hamilton. Her home
was east end of this city; with her mother's invitation for me to board there,
we bus-travelled to Hamilton West for our classes. (Interesting to note...the previous year this
College had burned to the ground...our classes were now held in three different
nearby churches.) Jean was petite with a
bubbly personality. A couple summers
later, she married Jack from her home church, Delta Tabernacle. This was a most
happy event and again, a Bridesmaid dress to wear. She and Jack dedicated their lives to
Christian causes, becoming missionaries.
Assigned to Buenos Aires in Argentina, they continually mailed
newsletters of their activities and family.
More about Jean, later.
The classes at Teachers' College
were arranged alphabetically by the students' surnames. It was here I met Marilyn and Mary.
Surprisingly, Marilyn was from Brantford (where my father, having sold
his farm, now had his garage business).
She and I were both scheduled to teach at Linden Park Elementary School
on Hamilton Mountain...we were unable to locate the school that Labour Day
weekend. The Board of Education informed us that this school was yet to be
built in a newly developed community.
Our Grade 2 and 3 classes were held in a church basement for two
years. We were delighted to be teaching
together! Our friendship bonded. As we travelled home together one weekends, I
recall, that one Friday, Hurricane Hazel blew in with excessive flood damage
through the Toronto areas. We became
wonderful friends, frequently exchanging clothing outfits since our wardrobes
were extremely limited...our first year of income! After a couple years teaching, Marilyn was
married to Bob (her High School sweetheart) on a mild-weather Easter
Saturday. At her wedding, I sang the
romantic, Always. They had rented
a house in Oakville near the Ford plant where he manned the computer
department. Frequently I visited them and their eventual three children.
In the Westdale home where I
boarded, Mary was my room mate. She was
from Guelph and
weekends also spent at home. Not only were we both teachers, but shared
musical talents of piano and voice. At
Teachers' College, she met Murray from Simcoe (near Lake Erie). On a warm summer day they married...and again
I was a Bridesmaid, dressed in gorgeous
lavender. Upon their invitation, I
attended a newly built church on Hamilton Mountain. She was pianist for their Sunday services and
suggested I join her with the new organ...I agreed temporarily, since I had
never played an organ! By previous
arrangement, Mary and I practised a gospel hymn we would play while the
collection plates were passed by ushers along the pews. The congregation always enjoyed the music we
created. Through Murray, we met a
soprano soloist whose voice blended harmoniously with our alto and contralto
voices. Our trio was soon singing at
other local religious events...even cut a few records! Murray and Mary fathered three daughters...I
suggested they “try again” for a boy and call him “Dwaine” (Murray's surname
was “Pipe”).
This saga...to be
continued...A Woman's Inspiration (Part II)
Philosophy from
Carolyn
Do not ask the
Lord to guide your footsteps
if you are not
willing to move your feet.
Merle Baird-Kerr …
written February, 2011
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