PART
ONE: “Take a Deep Breath ... Recharge”
Over the past few days I have been reflecting
on the Spring legislative session. Frankly, the debate on Bill 10 (the income
tax amendment Bill for LNG Canada) took a lot out of me.
The work in the legislature continued for the
week following the final vote but admittedly I was not at my best. The truth
is, the debate was emotionally draining. No question that I found some
catharsis in writing about the process and reflecting on the ups and downs of
life as an elected official. But once we broke for Easter, it all caught up to
me.
When I decided to start publishing a daily
blog post, I did it for times like this. So often we see our elected leaders
confident and brash. We can feel their ego enter the room seconds before they
do. However, we also are a vulnerable little person hiding somewhere in the
dark recesses of our minds.
This is the essence of the balance I have been
exploring in these posts. Elected officials are public targets that are often
built up and just as often knocked down. But, we are people. Although we don't
often show our vulnerabilities, we feel them. And for the past few days, I have
been feeling it.
It's nice to be able to stand against the
fence and watch Silas play baseball and to travel to Salt Spring to reconnect
with a community that, while is so close geographically, feels so far away when
I am in the legislature.
These two weeks on either side of Easter
provide an excellent opportunity to recharge and rebound. It's better to turn
towards the vulnerability than to try to run away from it, because it's very
fast and, in a long run, it will always catch up to you.
PART
TWO: “A Good Laugh is Medicine for the
Spirit”
Ever heard of Nate Bargatze? In my
opinion he is one hilarious comedian!
I don’t mind admitting this about Nate
because, from what I have seen so far, his humour does not require the frequent
use of vulgar insults and profane rants. My list of previous favourite
comedians, though, cannot be identified in this blog lest my evolving sense of
humour be judged to harshly.
Comedians have an important place in our
society. They are a giant mirror that reflects "us" back to
ourselves, testing our edges, pushing the limits and exercising the taboo. They
poke, prod, test and twist social norms, finding the silly in the serious. Most
importantly, they give us an opportunity to cleanse our minds and our spirits
with a good laugh from deep down in our bellies.
Some comedians draw laughter out through
shock and awe. For Bargahtze, it is about timing and pace. In his Netflix
special, The Tennessee Kid, he adds a slightly different perspective about
global warming. He's noticed how far we have come. Comparing the earth to all
the other planets he acknowledges, "they haven't even started yet, and we
are just about don!” Nervous laugh for a
serious issue.
But this post is not about a specific
comedian or a recommendation. You might be annoyed by something that makes me
laugh.
This post is about seeking out something you
find funny and making yourself cry with laughter. It feels really good to have
to get down on the floor and roll around laughing until your abs hurt.
A good giggle and a satisfying snort are
medicine for our soul.
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