A False Sense of Security?

It was one of those lazy days of summer. Enjoying this precious gift of a lazy dazy day, we couldn't help but think - how blessed we are as Canadians! Blessed, you may ask? Yes, for the endless breaking news of tragedies happens someplace else – most of the time. So while the three of us enjoyed the gift of a vacation Friday, how could we not be struck by the oasis of peace we found on a small patio. Over our large coffees and breakfast bagels, we enjoyed each other's company.

For the most part we felt safe in that setting. We felt no need to constantly look over our shoulders. However, two of us who have lived in unsettled places know all too well the fragility of safety. Our third amigo commented, that no doubt our experience in these places, provides them with a deeper understanding of the fear incited by violence. In her opinion, the two of us experience the lack of safety more at a visceral than a cerebral level. Could this contribute to a false sense of security? She questions whether she and other Canadians too easily take for granted the blessings of the safety we experience as Canadians.

As we emptied our coffee cups, our spirits were lifted by the arrival of a friendly little sparrow, who, too, seemed to feel safe with us. His curiosity brought him closer and closer. For us, he became such a delightful symbol of trust. In this maddening world, trust of one another is something we have to hold onto. We can’t surrender our trust to violence.

Sr. Loretta Hagen, csj; Sr. Magdalena Vogt, cps; Sr. Nancy Wales, csj