As Colin and I prepare to return home to Ontario after time in Western Canada, I find myself carrying a renewed sense of wonder and gratitude.
Over the past days, we have travelled through some of the most breathtaking landscapes in our country. Snow-capped mountains rise dramatically above valleys carved by ancient glaciers. Rivers, fed by melting snow and ice, rush through the landscape with a force that reminds us that spring arrives later in these parts of Canada. Forests stretch for miles in every direction, a sea of green that seems almost endless.
Again and again, I found myself simply gazing out the window, overwhelmed by the beauty of God’s creation.
Yet alongside that beauty, we also witnessed signs of fragility.
Travelling through British Columbia, we passed through areas marked by wildfire and flood. One community was Lytton, where much of the town was destroyed by fire in 2021, only to experience devastating flooding the following year. The landscape tells stories not only of beauty but also of hardship, resilience, and recovery.
These experiences reminded me of the delicate balance of creation and our shared responsibility to care for it. The effects of a changing climate are no longer distant concerns. They are visible in communities, forests, rivers, and ecosystems across our country.
At the same time, I was struck by the resilience of the people who call these places home. Across Western Canada, we encountered communities rebuilding, adapting, and looking forward with hope.
Travel has a way of broadening our perspective. It reminds us that while Canada is vast, we are connected by shared challenges, shared responsibilities, and shared hopes for the future.
As Colin and I make our way back to Ontario, I carry with me a deep appreciation for the beauty of this country, gratitude for the people who steward and care for it, and a renewed awareness of both the gift and responsibility of creation.
May we continue to cherish this remarkable land and all who call it home.
+Anne