BADDA BOOM! by Frances Kennedy franceskennedy782@gmail com
Nostalgia can be a dangerous thing, part- icularly when we are under thunderous tariff wars and attacks on our sovereignty. ‘May you live in interesting times’ is not a blessing but a Chinese curse, and here we are again!
I have inquired post-pandemic with seven to seventy-year-olds to understand their experience and its aftermath. The results of my anecdotal research shed light on the fact that the power of resilience was aligned with curiosity and courage. Nope, they were not students of Stoicism. However, some intuitively knew how to prevail against all odds. Foremost was finding purpose, a mission, a cause. The parents of one of my granddaughters, then seven, became ill with COVID. Her older sister remained away with their Auntie for two weeks. With only the family dog for company, she redesigned and reorganized her bedroom. Over Facetime, she said, “I know it sounds nuts, Franny, but I’m trying to make a life for myself.” A bit dramatic, but it speaks to the value of having a mission! At the other end of the age spectrum, people were concerned with assisting and supporting their neighbours. There’s a lot to reminisce about in Canada currently. Both PM Carney and David Goodwin, former Liberal candidate for Elgin St. Thomas London South riding, offered personal, poignant, and powerful posts honouring the passing of our Ken Dryden. He is a Canadian legend both on the ice and for his unwavering integrity in Parliament. Tod Maffin, an insightful and delightfully humorous Canadian podcaster on Far and Wise , stated, “When the headlines get heavy, Canadians remember a giant who made things light.” In this instance, he was referencing the Friendly Giant who, together with Rusty, and Jerome was all about curiosity and kindness. Childhood is short and adulthood is long, and what we remember is the magic of being invited into his house when he pulled up a rocking chair. In a world where the noise of cable news is replete with conflicting stories, we are continually confronted with what is fact and fake news. Arlene Dickinson of Dragon’s Den fame became known to me while working with the Women Presidents’ Organization in Toronto. I admired her humane sanity when advising leaders on strategies to prevail against all odds. Her most recent post struck a chord for me: “Life shrinks or grows in proportion to one’s courage. When exactly in our lives does predictability start passing for accomplishments? What happens to the curiosity and courage of our youth? It’s a complacency that leads to looking out at life through a window. What if growing older meant growing larger instead of smaller?” We are at a moment when we are immersed in patriotism and pride for what made us who we are. I’m taking the nudge. Tolerance, learning, and joy are found when we do. As Albert Einstein once opined: “When we change the way we look at things, the things we look at change”. Badda Bing!
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Boomers and Beyond – Elgin • October 2025 Page 19
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