Thanksgiving is upon us already. I don’t know about you but I somehow thought there was still another week left. It seems kind of incongruous when coupled with the recent events in Las Vegas. At least four Canadian families will be having a hard time feeling terribly thankful this weekend, and sometimes it seems like the way the world is working out, a lot of us have to look hard to find things to be grateful for.
But that doesn’t mean those things don’t exist. Carla Knipe reminds us that sometimes even very simple things can give us a reason to be thankful. As well, Deanna Roney points out one of the things she’s thankful for every year at around the time, and it’s not one of the usual suspects.
Who knows, you might also be thankful for our feature articles this week (that’s right, I’ve made it another double feature!) We start with an interview with a student taking AU courses from half way around the world (to most of us, to him it’s just home, I guess) in South Africa. That’s followed up with the final piece of Scott Jacobsen’s second session interview with AU President, Dr. Neil Fassina. This week, we’ll find out the AU student story that he feels is one of the best he’s heard, as well as his ideas of how AU fits into the world at large and how access to AU might even be further improved.
Also in the interview, Dr. Fassina talks about AU’s path forward with indigenous learners, something that seems appropriate given the time of year. Many suggest that Thanksgiving, at least in North America, should be in large part about giving thanks to those indigenous people that helped so many of our ancestors survive the harsh conditions of this nation. Finding ways to help those peoples’ descendants reach their full potential is an obligation that we must fulfill, in my opinion.
Another thing you might be thankful for is that AUSU Council has people on it like Robin Bleach, who will be receiving AU’s Future Alumni Award in part for her work to create safer spaces for Ontario’s schools. Something that seems particularly relevant considering the shooting in Las Vegas once again. But having people who care like that working to help all AU students is certainly something we can consider being thankful for.
Also this week, we have a look at a library being built for books written today that few of us will ever be alive to read. If it sounds a bit strange you’ll need to check out Barbara Lehtiniemi’s article “What Will you be Reading in 2114?” When I say, “Enjoy the read,” it’s stories like this that give me confidence you will.
And that’s not to ignore the rest of this issue, with our regular columns providing you with articles to make you think about things from different perspectives, whether that’s in music, rural living, or if you need advice on creativity and dealing with difficult situations. Plus the news you need if you’re looking for scholarships, or upcoming events (and speaking of, be sure to check out the FHSS event, advertised just before the AUSU Update!)
Enjoy the read!
P.S. If you didn’t already know, The Voice Magazine has a Facebook page and a twitter feed if youre into that kind of thing.
