Coming Home for Home-coming ...

This week is filled with activity in Minnedosa, as the community celebrates its 125th Anniversary with a week long Homecoming celebration that has seemingly drawn community alumni from far and wide ...

For me it is a bitter week ... I no longer feel welcome in this community ... and for me there is no longer a home to go back to ... so, I will avoid the "festivities" and not pour salt in the wounds Minnedosa has rendered upon me ...

Thankfully though, I was able to lay out a welcome mat to a marvelous couple who introduced themselves to us five years ago one summer afternoon ...

We were busy packing the van to head out that evening for our trip to BC when we heard a male voice ask Noahkila if "he lived here?"

Noahkila answered, "Yes,"

And the voice replied "I lived here too when I was a little boy ..."

The voice belonged to the grandson of the man who built our house back in 1904 ... he and his wife were visiting Minnedosa ... and asked if they could come in and have a peek at the old house he long ago called home ... We eagerly agreed, and warmly welcomed him "HOME", John's family lived in the house we've called home for the first 35 plus years of its existence, then three other families owned before it came into our hands in 2000 ...

This summer John and Blanche called and said they were coming out for Homecoming and wondered if they could stop and have another look around the old house ... we once again agreed, but this time we invited them to come and stay while they were visiting Minnedosa ... So this week I have been privileged to host John and Blanche and thier daughter while they are here for some of the homecoming events.

I told them - "this house is OUR house ... make yourself at home ... "

In return he has shared his stories and recollections of this majestic old home, and has repeatedly said how much he appreciates being able to spend some time back "HOME" for the first time in close to 65 years.

For me, it is an positive ending on a long, dark and very difficult chapter of my life ... in the spring of 2000 when I first came to Minnedosa, I fell in love with the town, the church and this house - in that order ... I've lost the first two ... and we are reluctantly giving up the latter ... but at least this week we've closed a circle ... as our chapter in the history of this home draws to a close and we begin to slip into the sands of time, I can smile at the knowledge that for a brief moment, we welcomed John home, and through the simple gift of hospitality, allowed him to revisit an important place to his life, as we struggle to say our farewelles to the grand old dame as well ...

I'm glad that I was able to offer a moment of hospitality and welcome the way I was taught - without condition and freely with abundance of care and love ... maybe Minnedosa will figure it out for itself one day ... and it will truly lay out the welcome mat for EVERYONE in stead of just the select few !!!

More importantly, John and Blanche and their daughter have been gracious guests ... it was privilege and an honour to host them ... and it helped remind me that ultimately how you welcome people in and treat them is an indication of the heart and soul that lies within ... I was raised to be hospitable to all, and to welcome in the stranger, for in the process they may become friends ...

Our time in Minnedosa will end with some positives ... and this week is definitely one of them ...

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