Dear Friend,
Hello from Tofino, on the west coast of Vancouver Island.
We came here from Vancouver after my cousin’s son’s wedding celebrations. I don’t get to see many members of my extended family very often. This time I felt a pull to be present.
There was something joyful about being together across generations. I’m fortunate to have many close relationships in my life, yet connection also means reaching beyond the people we see and speak with regularly to people whose lives may intersect with ours only occasionally. Being there for important moments helps keep those connections alive and sometimes creates new ones.
The bride and groom were radiant and looked so happy together. While they are already successful in their professions, there was a humility about them that was lovely to see. My cousin was radiant too, a proud mother of the groom alongside her equally proud husband. Thank you for making us feel so welcome and so much a part of the family.
There were some small, memorable moments. Another cousin’s daughter, whom I met for the first time, told me she was inspired by my writing on LinkedIn. Connecting in that way with the next gen is one of my P3A goals, so that felt especially good. Her young son was less impressed. When I asked him to dance, he said, “I don’t think you’ll be able to keep up with me.” :-) I did my best to prove him wrong.
Another cousin laughed as she pointed to my nakhra, or playful flair, with my colourful nail designs as Exhibit A.
Next stop: Tofino. It holds special memories. Growing up in Vancouver, we came to Pacific Rim National Park and made many memories there. We even returned after we moved to Toronto. I’m reminded how deeply we can remain connected to places that have been part of our lives.
The natural beauty is spectacular. We walked among majestic old-growth trees, including Douglas fir, red cedar, and hemlock, some of them over 800 years old, surrounded by new growth and fallen trees becoming part of what comes next. I also learned how the root systems of trees nourish each other. Standing among them puts our own time on this Earth into perspective.
It is the ocean that draws me in most.
The sound of the waves is meditative. I love the rhythm as they roll toward shore. The power as they crash against the rocks. The momentary stillness before the next one comes. Looking out across the vast Pacific, knowing that on the other side are Japan and the shores of Asia, is a reminder of just how big the world is, and how connected we are across it.
I find the ocean both calming and energizing. I could listen for hours. I love falling asleep to the sound of waves.
We walked along wide sandy beaches that stretch for kilometres, sometimes with my feet in the cold Pacific as the water washed over them and a cool breeze blew in from the ocean. There is something wonderfully grounding about it.
The rain came. More than 60 millimetres of it. The wind howled. That, too, is part of the west coast experience.
I hope I keep doing all of this, and perhaps more of it. I hope you do your own version of it.
Soon, the rhythm changes. September will take me “back to school,” as I spend time with students, emerging leaders, and engaged faculty at three universities.
While I officially became Chancellor of Trent University on July 1, the start of the academic year marks the beginning of deeper engagement with the Trent community.
I also head to SFU Beedie, my alma mater, to kick off MBA orientation and the third annual Responsible Leadership Case Competition, followed by year two in mid-September at Toronto Metropolitan University.
It feels like a fitting way to head into fall: learning from younger generations and hopefully contributing something from what I’ve learned along the way.
For now, I’m going to enjoy the ocean, the old-growth forest, and the last days of summer.
Warmly,
