Editorials

When I started writing for Burns Lake and the surrounding area, I vowed to write as if everyday was a learning experience, I vowed to not assume the problems and issues and be just and objective and understand what people really cared about. It has been a year and change, and I have definitely learned to write about Burns Lake as if I would about my own hometown, with conviction, passion and love.

When my weather app sounded an alert for a Heat Wave, I was stunned. I knew, coming to the region that I should expect temperatures to drop as low as -40 degrees celsius but no one warned me about any heat waves.

Last week, a friend of mine from Nex Mexico sent me a message saying her state was giving out cash incentives to people to get them to take the COVID-19 vaccine. She was furious at how unfair that was since she got hers willingly while others are now getting cash incentives to take a vaccine that is supposed bring things back to normal for the entire world.

It was quite a week for me with my second dose COVID shot finally in me, I spent almost three days with headache, slight fever, relief and an overwhelming sense of gratitude.

Last week was one of controversy on the international sports front with Japanese tennis player Naomi Osaka backing out of the French Open citing mental health concerns.

A need for pandemic advice without being condescending

I was maybe in high school and I remember watching the Israel-Palestine conflict on TV while my dad watched the news. My mom recalls hearing about the conflict from her childhood. A few decades later and the killing, the death and the conflict has continued.

Several stories of love, kindness and outpouring of help have been coming to me from around the world. Countries and individuals are putting their heads, hearts and wallets together to help the many suffering in India due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Last year around this time, I remember I was in Vancouver and everyone would come to their windows or patios to bang on pots and pans to show their appreciation for healthcare workers. That was a year ago and here we are one year down the line, with healthcare workers more overworked than ever, more under pressure and way more depressed than you and I can imagine. And yet, still news of cases from all over the world, of abuse against healthcare workers continues to trickle in.

While the country I have called my home for all of my childhood is going through one of the most traumatic experiences, I sit here wondering how I can help from afar.