OUR FIRST DAYS IN GRAVENHURST - WE FELT AT HOME

Yes, it was a dark and stormy night. We had only been living here for a short while and admittedly we felt quite out of place. It’s what all incoming newbies face moving to a new home town. Nothing strange about feeling a tad out of place.

We had gone to a fundraising sale at the Anglican Church, and no sooner through the door, than the heavens literally opened. It was a monster storm that night, lasting more than three hours. Along with us were our two lads, Andrew and Robert, who were having a ball sorting through the collectable toys for sale, while Suzanne was browsing through the mountains of clothes. I found great entertainment checking out the boxes of books and old records. We didn’t want to leave that Friday night. Well, let’s just say, we couldn’t have left safely anyway, as our car was parked quite a distance away, and the storm was still raging outside. Feeling a little awkward, for staying around so long, we decided to pay for our purchases and give some wiggle room to the other customers. We’d stand up at the doorway and wait for a lull in the storm.

We visited with the Anglican Church ladies, we paid-up and prepared to leave. “You’re leaving? You can’t go out in that weather,” Mrs. Jones said to Suzanne.....backed by a chorus of “Come on, you can join us for dinner. We’ve got lots of food. May Lindsell just brought us another casserole.”

At first we thought it polite to thank them, and suggested “oh, we don’t want to impose.” Although it’s true the smell coming from their kitchen was absolutely wondrous. “Find a chair, now come on, you can’t argue with us. We only listen to what we want to.....and that is, you’re going to join us for a nice dinner, alright?” It was kind of hard to argue with this hospitality in God’s house.

While it thundered and poured down for the next hour, we had an incredible dinner with some amazing folks, as good-hearted as Suzanne and I had experienced in our lives. It came at a perfect time, because we were both a little homesick. Suzanne was from the tiny Lake Rosseau hamlet of Windermere, and I was from Gravenhurst’s long time sporting rival, Bracebridge. At a time when we weren’t sure we had made the right decision, to move to Gravenhurst, these ladies turned it all around for us. Of course we were home. We’ve only missed one Anglican Church sale since and that’s quite a stretch. We’ve remained friends with Muriel and David Jones from that moment, when she outrightly refused letting us go out into the storm. It was the seed of goodwill and neighborliness we’ve held onto all these years, through tough moments when admittedly we thought about moving elsewhere. Suzanne and I would walk back through memories and think fondly of how it all began. It was an over-riding issue, a sort of inspiration, when we began our fight for The Bog, and had so many other folks step up, with a parallel friendship between kindred spirits, caring neighbors, and so many other concerned citizens.

As residents of Gravenhurst, you undoubtedly have many similar stories to share. It’s what makes a town a hometown.....when good deeds are just normal interactions.....not out of the ordinary. It’s what our elected councillors will be representing in our community......and neighborliness has just as much place at town hall as on main street, side streets, your ballywick and mine. If there are fences to mend.....let’s do that, because that’s what makes us a competitive, ambitious, stalwart, dynamic.....fun loving place to live.

I’m a grumpy old fart let me tell you....of course you’ve probably figured this out by now, so the fact Gravenhurst at large, and I, have made a pact to live harmoniously here in South Muskoka, says a lot about our community’s willingness to forgive transgressions, and my ability to adjust and adapt to the traditions and situations that pulse through here, pumped by a big and generous heart.