First skate of the year on the Rideau Canal

15 years ago, I moved to the capital city of Ottawa.

Originally, my aim was to do some schooling here and move back to my hometown. However, there were many things about the city that kept me and ultimately, I planted my roots.

There’s still a lot I love about where I grew up and it always seems the tension a person has with their hometown is not being able to see it with fresh eyes. That is why when I visit my parents and friends, I make it a point to discover something I loved or something that shaped me.

Never wanting to feel dismayed about living where I do now, I make sure to stop and take time to appreciate the many wonderful things that kept me here. The photo above was taken this week while taking my students on a field trip to the Rideau Canal for us to skate on it for the afternoon.

This is the city where I came into my own, built a career as a magician, chaplain, teacher and writer, met my wife and started my family. There’s a lot of milestones packed in the last fifteen years.

Perhaps fifteen or twenty years from now, I’ll be planting my roots elsewhere. In that case, it’ll be time to form new bonds. Nothing in life is permanent, but it should never be a reason to avoid commitment.

After all, anytime you’ve found love, you found a home.

It’s just a matter of stopping to appreciate what’s been given to you.