By John Moore, Columnist
On January 25th, a group of citizens, from ordinary walks of life, gathered at the Holiday Inn on Parkland to receive the Queen Elizabeth 11 Platinum Jubilee medal. This event was hosted by MLA Braedon Clarke and his able assistant Joanne Bouchard. I was humbled to be part of this group!
It was very emotional to hear about the different accomplishments each of the recipients had made as the host announced them. In my case, I thought of the many hours involved and more importantly the many people who had helped me along the way. They were far more deserving to receive this medal and yet here I was. One person next to me pondered how many hours collectively this group would have put in to accomplish all they did. It also made many of us realize how many people go through life without ever being recognized for what they’ve done, great or small. Maybe it’s not so much as being recognized but of striving to do your best that really matters. I believe each and every one of us has been gifted a divine plan. It is up to us to launch it. How we do this often stems from the heart in the form of that deep ceded need to do something. Prayer is a great conductor to open up the way. Those who pay attention to this message and more importantly act on it are the ones who are the real winners in life. It doesn’t necessarily mean we will be successful in our quest, but the important thing is to have tried.
All elements of our society need to reach out to people who are working to make life better for others and to recognize these accomplishments when they occur. Canada as a country, has a system in place of honoring these people through a long standing medal program of which there are currently 129 of these medals in place. Of these 129 medals, the Victoria Cross holds the highest honor. Google Canadian medals and you will see the order in which they fall. Other noteworthy medals are the Order of Canada and locally the Order of Nova Scotia. The newest one of recognition is the Queen Elizabeth 11 Platinum Jubilee medal and who better to name it after than our late Queen. It is the first time in Canadian history a medal of this nature has been struck by the provinces and not Federally. Six of ten Canadian provinces approved this medal, each having the face of the Queen on one side and the respective provincial flower on the other. In the case of Nova Scotia, it’s the Lady Slipper.
In the late spring, when the Lady Slipper is in full bloom think about what it is you may have accomplished in life and be thankful. More importantly, think about what you may wish to accomplish and then do it. As the saying goes, do what is necessary, do what is possible and soon you will be doing the impossible! Happy Valentine’s Day and Happy Heritage Day
