Bits and Bites on Que Sera Sera

Que sera sera

Bits and Bites of Everyday Life

Are you old enough to remember this Doris Day song?

“Que sera sera

Whatever will be, will be

The future’s not ours to see

Que sera, sera

What will be, will be.”

By Alberte Villeneuve-Sinclair
True North Perspective

Alberte Villeneuve-Sinclair is the author of The Neglected Garden and two French novels. Visit her website to learn more www.albertevilleneuve.ca.

01 July 2014 — How very true and in today’s society, no one is truly certain of what tomorrow will bring. It used to be that you married for life, for good and for bad, till death do us part. When you entered a profession, you were most likely to stick to it till you retired. I was a teacher throughout my career. I had imagined my marriage would have that same lasting quality. But I was wrong about that one! I became a widow at age thirty. I wanted three children. I was most fortunate to have one. I had to reinvent my life at an early age.

You never know what fortune awaits as you manoeuver around the next bend. Yes, you may have a feeling something is about to unfold but you are never sure. Just think of constables Doug Larche, Dave Ross and Fabrice Gevaudan… They couldn’t have predicted they would be gunned down when they responded to that fateful 911 call warning of a heavily-armed man dressed in camouflage in Moncton. What was on the killer’s mind? We still don’t know but we know that the RCMP officers set out to protect the residents in that residential area. They never gave it a second thought.

During the eulogies at the regimental funeral, we were told these men all had one thing in common: a sense of duty and service for the common good of all. They all had a families; Dave Ross and his wife were expecting a second child. You could say life was unfair to them. . . . Life sometimes is!

	Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne celebrates victory on June 12, 2014.

But again, things can swing the other way too! Take for example, the Ontario elections held on June 12. I’m sure that when NDP’s Andrea Horwath forced the election by not supporting the Liberal budget, she never dreamed that would give Kathleen Wynne a solid majority of 57 seats. I’m also sure that Tim Hudak never dreamed that his aggressive campaign would blow up in his face. He thought he had gained ground with his merciless attacks on Kathleen and the Liberal party during the leaders’ debate. Personally, I was so turned off that I didn’t listen till the end and I’m sure I wasn’t the only one. In stark contrast, Kathleen Wynne was poised, polite and ready to assume the responsibilities of a premier with intelligence and an obvious mastery of all the issues on the table. She reassured nervous voters who were still undecided and gave them hope that Ontario will move in the right direction and prosper under her government.

In both situations, those who come out stronger, whether it be through loss or glory, are those who remain flexible and adaptable. No use crying over spilled milk although there is a time for grieving, but one must move on and face life… because life goes on. This is what Tim Hudak will face now that he is stepping down as the Tory leader. I’m sure people will remind him that proper planning is essential in life and bullying never works in the long run. Andrea Horwath will need to take notice too.

Life needs to be lived on a day to day basis. Decisions must focus on the present moment first in order to plan properly for the future. Everyone one appreciates a dynamic approach to life’s challenges because this is when innovation takes place.

As May Sarton once remarked, “If we are to understand the human condition, and if we are to accept ourselves in all the complexity, self-doubt, extravagance of feeling, guilt, joy, the slow freeing of the self to its full capacity for action and creation, both as human being and as artist, we have to know all we can about each other, and we have to be willing to go naked.”

At one point in my life, I decided to tell my story in order to discard the feelings of betrayal left over by tragic circumstances and dishonest people. This not only freed me from those negative feelings but it awakened my awareness of a talent that had more or less laid dormant all those years: writing. It changed my life, made me a happier person and allowed me to inspire others.

Last Sunday, after a good meal at the Eclipse Asian Restaurant, my fortune cookie confirmed what I now know to be the truth: “A truly rich life contains love and art in abundance”. Life may throw some curve balls at you at times but if you face it with hope and serenity, if you believe in love and use your God-given talents to do good, new opportunities will come your way. You have to believe and forge ahead!

For all those who have lived through drastic changes, I suggest you take time to reflect, recharge your batteries and redirect your energies so that all will benefit in the long run. The Moncton Fathers’ Day run was a perfect example of people coming together to heal and create something positive.

Blessings to all!