Inspired to pursue 2016 blogging with a sense of purpose

Frank Bucholtz photo

B.C.'s Greater Vancouver and Fraser Valley area is one of the most beautiful and blessed areas in the entire world, in my humble and far from objective opinion. This photo of the Golden Ears mountains, covered in fresh snow, was taken Dec. 29.
 
A happy new year to everyone. Thanks for checking out my blog posts, if only occasionally. I appreciate the support and feedback.
I've posted 57 times this year, with almost all of them coming after retiring from The Langley Times as editor on June 30. I wanted to keep an oar in the water, and like almost all writers, I'm happiest when putting something together. Blogging offers the previously unparalleled opportunity to put your thoughts together and post the completed item online for anyone to see. You then find out, in a very specific way, if what you write and think about strikes any chords with people.
Most of the subjects I've posted on are quite local in nature. That's my area of expertise after 38 years in the community newspaper business, and 62 years of residing in the Surrey-Langley area.
The ones that have drawn the most interest were posts on federal politics, as we had a lengthy federal election campaign through much of the summer and fall. My readers were interested in the local campaigns and my predictions on how candidates would fare in B.C. ridings. I got the trend towards voting Liberal right, but I significantly underestimated how well they would do in Surrey, Langley and Delta, where they won six of the eight seats.
Other topics that drew a lot of reader interest were transportation, in particular the failed TransLink referendum, and bridge tolling.
Another post that also drew quite a bit of interest was on the significant efforts of the Sikh community in B.C. to put a lot of resources towards helping Syrian refugees. Many community groups and individuals from many different backgrounds have worked very hard to make the newcomers feel welcome, and I believe almost all the refugees will be happy they have come to Canada.
I've also posted a few photos, mostly to go with specific blog posts. We are blessed to live in one of the most beautiful areas of the world, with a varied climate and generally decent weather. (I didn't  think that way all the time in the midst of the many days of rain in late November and much of December).
We also live in one of the most peaceful countries in the world, as a thoughtful National Post editorial pointed out today. Those who have lived in other parts of the world, or spent lengthy amounts of time in other countries, will appreciate the significance of that peace even more.
The trip my wife Bonnie and I made to West Africa two years ago gave us a whole new understanding of just how fortunate we are to live here. The things we complain about are, for the most part, insignificant when compared to issues like Ebola, civil war, malaria, lack of the most basic health care, no garbage service, poor roads, air and water pollution, intense poverty, corruption, inefficient government and many other things.
We went to visit our daughter Christina, and find out more about her work with young people through the foundation she set up in Sierra Leone called the People's Foundation of Sierra Leone. Those who are interested in finding out more can go to www.tpfsl.org.
I look forward to posting on a regular basis in 2016. No matter what happens, it will be a good year for those of us living in B.C. and Canada, because we truly are privileged.

My friend Tony McCamley, who came to Canada from Ireland and started a very successful international business, often says that those of us who live in Canada have all won the lottery. He's right.