Thank you, Bayview

I’m a good eavesdropper. That’s the reporter in me. Always looking for a story. Learning what topics are on people’s minds. Putting pen to paper to capture the essence of what people are passionate about.

But sometimes, when you eavesdrop, the overheard conversation stays with you. That is what happened a few months ago. I heard an older lady say she was going out to catch the bus. Another, younger woman said, “I’d love to give you a ride home.”

“Really? That’s wonderful. I just made a coffee cake this morning and I’d like to invite you in for tea,” the older lady enthusiastically replied. “Oh...that’s not necessary,” the younger woman said. “Besides, Oprah has a really good lineup of guests on today and I don’t want to miss the show.”

“Sure,” the older lady said with a note of disappointment in her voice, “Maybe another time.”

I realize that researching the Gems feature for Bayview is like having the opportunity to sit down for coffee cake and tea with the older lady. It’s a privilege that I am grateful for. Many days, I feel I am on a treadmill, only to come home, curl up on the couch, turn on the TV and watch Oprah. Yes, she has fascinating guests, but why is it we think that the folks in Hollywood (or in Oprah’s case, Chicago) are more fascinating, inspiring or intelligent than the ones we bump into every day on the street in Thunder Bay, or Dorion, or Nolalu. For me, writing about some of the outstanding people in our community for Bayview is a gift. The people I have a chance to profile are the people who have trusted me to share their stories with the public. I am grateful that they have sat down with me. I hope my words do justice to their stories and I hope others in our community can learn from their journeys.

I have written about painters, musicians, a firefighter/comedian, a shoemaker, a baker, athletes and even a Hollywood-based actor. Even though the people I have profiled over the years have taken different paths, they all share one common trait. They are all passionate about what they do. That passion, that ability to do something that others notice, is also a gift. Many of the gems I have profiled share that passion as volunteers in the community. They are role models from whom others can learn and aspire to become. 

Make time for the gems in your life. Get to know folks you haven’t talked to before. Be a reporter. Everyone has a story. You just need to take the time to ask questions and listen to the answers. After all, you should have more time now. Oprah has retired!