What a week it has been, last week. I’m writing about how freezing cold I am with the -30 temperatures...and here it is Tuesday morning at -4 and I feel like wearing shorts. Now I know why so many Virdenites gave me a pathetic look when I said I was cold at -1 when I first moved here. I consider this new perspective on cold an achievement towards acclimatization. #forthewin (yes, I just used a hashtag in a newspaper).
Christmas is two days away, marking the final days of 2016. Growing up, I’ve always loved Christmas time. Not only because of the delicious food, but the gathering of friends and family. This year marks the first year since 2010 that I’ll actually be with family for the entirety of the holiday season.
This year my wife, Jess and I are not doing gifts. Not because we don’t like giving or receiving them, but simply because that’s not what this season is about for us. For us it is about celebrating the birth of our Saviour and celebrating the loved ones around us by being present.
As I’ve been adapting to life in little old Virden, I’ve truly come to love this community. There is a great warmth here that just can’t be found in the city. The fact that people actually say ‘hi’ to you when you’re passing by, at first startled me, but now I love giving a smile and engaging in conversation.
Thank you Virden, for being so welcoming to a big city foreigner like myself. On behalf of my wife Jess, and my new work family here at the paper... may your Christmas be merry and bright and your New Year filled with hope and excitement for the year to come.
Luke Knoll
