A happy reacquaintance today with my painting on the ground floor of UBC Hospital, Vancouver, which I painted in 1987 when I was a member of staff of the Health Sciences Centre Hospital as it then was. My visit today brought back so many happy memories of this special place and of all the wonderful, dedicated staff that it was such a privilege to work with for over twenty years. We were family, committed to providing the best care for all of our patients 24/7. I think of them all often and say thank you to each and every one of them.
gratitude
joy amidst the grief
In support of all those working tirelessly to give brief, heroic moments of joy during these days of such sorrow and grief.
Thank you Jacinda Arden
On the announcement by Jacinda Ardern the Prime Minister of New Zealand of her decision to retire I thought I would post my painting and words from March 2019 after the heartbreaking tragedy of the Christchurch mosque attack:
“Compassion, strength, comfort, and humility: true leadership for leaders of the world to learn from.”
Christmas Day 2022
Happy Christmas, with thanks to all those working today, and as always a special thank you to our frontline healthcare heroes who are there for us each and every day.
Canada Day 2022
From the Pacific Spirit Park on this Canada Day 2022 🇨🇦, with gratitude to all of our health care heroes who have worked tirelessly over the past two years or more so that we can all finally gather together once again, and remembering the lost generations of children from the residential schools who never made it home; but with disappointment and anger that too many of our fellow citizens remain an unworthy rabble that still fails to understand the meaning of the word Freedom. They need only to look to the brave Ukrainian people who are fighting not only for their freedom but for ours also, in their battle against the war criminal sitting in the Kremlin. That is freedom that we must all fight for in whatever way we can until this war is over and Ukraine is free once again. 🇺🇦
2021 Review – Part Two
There are no lows in my 2021 Review-Part Two, only highs from our three beautiful grandchildren whom we love more than anything in the world. The few times we were all together were treasured moments in a year of so much uncertainty. Watching them grow and change as the months went by into the amazing and talented children they are today fills our hearts with so much joy, love and gratitude. With their wonderful parents they all continue to be the lights of our lives. We love them all beyond words…but of course those of you who follow me know that already 🙂
2021 Review – Part One
As we begin the New Year, in this 2021 Review – Part One I have chosen eight of my posts from last year with which to remember some of its highs and lows, all of which moved me to respond in the best way I know how.
I
The last leaf
On February 15th I added the last leaf to 851 leaves that I had begun drawing in October 2020 to remember all of the children so cruelly separated from their parents by both the United States Government under the last administration and by the Canadian Government over generations as described in my post Shame and Prejudice that was inspired by a visit to an exhibition of that name by the artist Kent Monkman at the Museum of Anthropology.
666+186 Day LIV – Journey’s End.
II
On March 15th, Yo Yo Ma playing Bach’s Cello Suite No 1 for those waiting to receive their vaccinations in Pittsfield Massachusetts after he had received his, was a truly inspiring moment of grace and beauty amidst the fear and despair felt by so many. If you open the original post “Thank you Yo Yo” you can listen to his playing the prelude from the suite and be moved by his mastery and humanity.
III
On April 12th I was honoured to see my tribute to the Vancouver General Hospital’s ECMO team,”The Meeting Point,” being hung in the ICU at VGH.
The drawing is also a tribute to all our health care heroes for whom the words “Thank You” can never be said enough as I expressed in the description that accompanies the piece:
When the Science of Medicine meets the Art of Medicine to save lives in the COVID unit at Vancouver General Hospital. I would like to suggest that ECMO, which stands for Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation, could also stand for Ever Compassionate Medical Optimism, thanks to the dedication and bravery of our frontline healthcare workers epitomized by the caring nurse-specialist portrayed in my drawing.
The Meeting Point
IV
On September 2nd I completed my painting of 6 year old Suzy Eshkuntana being rescued from the rubble of her bombed out family home in Gaza that took place In the early hours of the 16th of May. She had been buried alive for seven hours after it was hit by an Israeli rocket that killed her mother and four of her siblings. Just a few days later I began the painting of her rescue, based on a photograph by the Reuters photographer Mohammed Salem, which as I wrote in my post The Rescue would “celebrate her life being saved, and in memory of the family she has lost.”
V
On Labour Day the often violent protest against our health care heroes was, and sadly continues to be, a shameful reflection of elements of our society that certainly can never be considered civilized. Whatever happened to reason, grace and gratitude? Read the heartbreaking words from one of our nurse heroes, which I quoted in full in the post.
“A miserable rabble of unworthy citizenry.”
VI
30th September, Orange Shirt Day, was Canada’s 1st National Day of Truth and Reconciliation. The findings of the unmarked graves of so many children at the sites of the Indian Residential Schools brought us all together as a country in a state of national grief, shame and remembrance.
Every child matters
VII
November 11th, Remembrance Day, always one of the most important days of the year and this year The Royal Canadian Legion celebrated the 100th anniversary of the Remembrance Poppy in Canada
VIII
December 31st, New Year’s Eve, could not be a more fitting end to this look back to 2021, with the magic and beauty of the snow in the Pacific Spirit Park, a place of sanctuary and peace for us throughout the year and which gives us all hope for whatever the year ahead may bring.
Pacific Spirit Park, December 31st 2021
Wishing everyone a Happy and Healthy New Year
Happy New Year
From the beauty of Kits Beach yesterday to our last walk of the year in the magic of the Pacific Spirit Park today that was more magical than ever.
Wishing everyone a very Happy and Healthy New Year, and a special New Years Eve thank you to all of our health care heroes who have been there for us every day of 2021.
BC Day
From yesterday’s see bee day enjoying our roses to today’s BC Day, hoping it will be a happy one for everyone, and with special thanks to our frontline firefighters who are working so hard for us across the province and the country.
Happy National Nurses Week 🇨🇦
As National Nurses Week begins in Canada, a big, big thank you to all of our wonderful nurses who have been, and continue to be, there for us each and every day. You are all true heroes. Today we also remember Diana Law who was the first BC nurse to die from COVID-19 just a few weeks ago. I know she will be very much in the thoughts of all of her colleagues at Peace Arch Hospital as she is in mine today. Wishing all of our nurses here in BC and across the country a very Happy National Nurses Week 🇨🇦
thechangingpalette 