Legends are living among us!
Over the past year, the James Bay New Horizons Society (JBNHS) hosted a series of coffee chats with 24 “Living Legends” in Victoria. Funded by Employment and Social Development Canada, this interactive program allowed small groups of people to spend time celebrating the extraordinary in an ordinary person’s life. Coffee and a 10-15 minute intro was followed by a question and answer session.
On the last Saturday of September approximately 45 people came together for the unveiling of the final product – a book highlighting the contributions of the 18 women and six men identified as “Living Legends” in the community.
Interestingly, when approached, almost all the legends responded with “that couldn’t be me, there must be someone else.” The response was that each of us is a living legend.
There were three themes that seemed to come through in each of the discussions.
1. Ubuntu – being open and available to others, affirming of others. Ubuntu can be translated as “I am because we are.”
2. A coming together of several of the ism’s that cause challenges in our lives: ageism, sexism, ableism. And how they are overcome.
3. Change and transition – those born in the ’20s through the ’60s have lived through many huge changes in society.
In this book, we meet Victorians over 55 who have lived a life of rebellion, resolved conflicts, escaped a totalitarian regime, saw wars through a soldier’s camera lens, was an international street musician, a philosopher, an artist who painted at both the north and the south poles, a woman whose middle name is volunteer, a philosopher and a person living with multiple sclerosis. There was also the luckiest kid in the world, an entertainer. Just a few of the 24 “Living Legends.”
On that sunny Saturday afternoon, a certificate and a copy of the book was presented to each of the people who had shared their stories for the book. Copies can be purchased at the James Bay New Horizon Society at 234 Menzies.
On September 30, 2018, I was presented with a certificate that stated that I, Pat Nichol, am a Living Legend. A shock, but I have the certificate to prove it. A wonderful way to celebrate the extraordinary in an ordinary life.
Maybe by the time I host the tour to Croatia in May 2019, my head will return to its normal size.
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Pat Nichol is a speaker and published author. Connect with her at mpatnichol@gmail.com.