As I spent time in Welland, a very small city in the Niagara Region, Ontario.... I realized that all places have history, and no matter what, there will be a museum showing what has happened a long long time ago in the place. The Welland museum is a 4 rooms house with a variety of items such as clothes from people who fought in the WW1 and WW2, a few clips of newspapers telling how Welland population has contributed with moneys at the time of wars, etc.
Someone I met in Welland (who was born, raised and has lived all his life here) told me many stories about the place, and how it used to be busy, with commerce selling well, and a population proud to live here, its relation to nearby city, including Buffalo, in the United States. He also told me that all is gone, and the feeling is that the city no longer has a charm to attract people and business.
I thought that cities are like people, and as we travel in our lives, some of us build business, other create families and life changes to all. It is so nice to be grateful to our history and accept that we also are impermanent and many of our efforts to build something that last forever may be... somewhat delusional.
To live mindfully our present, and to be alert to whatever and whoever is present seem to be the most important reality about life.
Yaya
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