I'm always very grateful to be rooted into a place. No matter how far away I get from Newfoundland and Labrador, I can always find a way to dig my feet back in.
Tonight I was at a concert of the Finnish group Rajaton. They ended with Finlandia by Sibelius. A tribute to their home. It was the only song they did without microphones that whole evening and it was very heartfelt.
It made me think about how lucky I am to have so many songs like this from my own culture. Especially The Ode to Newfoundland. Like Rajaton with Finlandia, at the end of many choral concerts at home The Ode is sung. It reminds us all of where we've been, through singing together it anchors us in where we are and it ties us to move forward together.
The choir singing is special to me too. It was a big part of my life for many years and reconnected me with my place and The Ode after losing my way for a few years.
Being a Force for Good 