Charlottetown, P.E.I.
Although I am quite content to live in my own province, I have
noticed a great difference between it and the eastern provinces of Canada.
Take the campgrounds for example. In order to reduce the cost of accommodations
and food, we pull a tent trailer and stay in campgrounds when we travel. It does
take time to set up and break camp, but the savings are well worth the effort!
Through the years, we have grown accustomed to the noise that is so often found
in campgrounds close to home. We have learned to expect blaring music, screams
from angry campers, and the general clatter of people in drunken revelry. We
tend to go to bed on the early side, and it is hard to fall asleep with the
boom-boom of the neighbor's music causing our bed to bounce up and down, but at
least this is a steady sound, and if that's the only noise, we do eventually get
to sleep. The screams and cries of the neighbors who have had too much to drink
are another story, however. They always occur just when we are about to drop
into dreamland, and are enough to wake us up for the next 30 minutes.
When we traveled to the east this year, we were in for a big surprise. At our
first campground in New Brunswick, we wondered why it was so quiet. It was the
middle of the week, and since we only tend to camp on weekends at home, we
figured that the noisy campers would only be out on weekends. However every day
after that, no matter which eastern province we found ourselves in, we
experienced the same respect towards other campers. No "boom boom" to rock us to
sleep! Why?
Another prime example of eastern courtesy happened just today. My family and I
were trying to cross a street in Summerside, P.E.I. We hadn't seen the car
zooming around the corner, and only as it was trying to turn us into permanent
fossilized specimens engraved in the asphalt were we able to retreat to the
curb. We weren't overly astonished, for this is what we had learned to expect
back home, and when I glanced up at his license plate, I wasn't surprised to see
that it was very similar to the one that graced the back of our own van! The
next car to zoom around the corner was different, however. It slowed to a stop
before we had even ventured back onto the street, and motioned for us to cross.
His license plate? Prince Edward Island!
Another eastern courtesy that we learned to really appreciate was the tendency
of the local residents to be helpful. We have the habit of getting lost every
time we venture out, and we are used to standing around with a map, desperately
trying to figure out where we are and how to get where we want to go, and no one
even seems to notice. However in Halifax, St. John, Fredericton, Charlottetown,
and a host of other smaller eastern towns, the simple fact that we had an open
map in our hands was enough to make several passersby stop and ask if we were
lost!
These same scenarios happened time and time again throughout our trip, and we
knew it couldn't just be chance. The friendliness, courtesy and respect of
eastern Canadians warmed our hearts, causing us to feel safe and at home. How we
would love to live here!
I began to wonder why things couldn't be the same in my home province. It is
true that most of the people I know (except for the blessed retirees!) are
stressed out, always rushing around to accomplish their goals without even
thinking about anyone else's needs. And I'm ashamed to say that this is my
tendency as well! Is it possible that we have let our circumstances turn us into
noisy zoomers (someone who likes to share loud music and zooms by having no time
to stop)?
Isn't it interesting that the One who might have been the most stressed-out
Zoomer in the history of our planet is the One who always took the time to
address the needs of others? Jesus was constantly in demand by everyone. The
sick ones came to Him to be healed. Broken hearts approached Him for solace. The
Pharisees, Sadducees and other "religious" authorities moved towards Him to find
fault. Everyone hungered to hear His spiritual insights. No matter where He
went, people waylaid Him. They had needs, and their needs were important to
Jesus, even more important than His own! Jesus never refused to liberally hand
out help. He was the perfect example of a considerate, loving person who always
placed others above Himself.
Might it be He was from Eastern Canada?
At the risk of over generalizing, I have to admit that I have met some in our
own province who remind me of eastern Canadians; and we have also met some out
east who reminded us of home. There are always exceptions to the rule, but the
important thing is this: What kind of an impact do YOU have on others? Are you a
noisy zoomer, or are do you follow in Jesus' steps?
May we all draw closer to Jesus so that He may teach us how to live in a way
that we, just like the residents of eastern Canada, can make a difference in the
lives of others.
"Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to
be ready to do whatever is good, to slander no one, to be peaceable and
considerate, and to show true humility toward all men." (Titus 3:1-2 NIV)
"But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving,
considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.
Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness." (James 3:17-18
NIV)
Rob Chaffart
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