bloom where you are planted
Sue and I are visiting with friends Nancy and Ken on their spectacular back porch – complete with outdoor fireplace. Like many other Braestone residents, we have put down new roots and made meaningful friendships – in part because we’re all starting new chapters at around the same time. And as more families move into the community – new connections continue to be made.
The conversation turns to life’s trials and tribulations, and how we ended up here in Braestone. Nancy tells us of her journey transitioning from the city to Barrie and now to our community. She describes how at each stop she reinvents herself and tries to jump in with both feet. “You bloom where you are planted,” Nancy says.
Her words stick with me. And ever since our back porch visit, I think about them.
It’s a 17th century Bishop from Geneva, Saint Francis de Sales, who is credited with the quote. He taught that no matter our career or state in life we can do good. We can aspire to be better people… and better neighbours.
The quote makes me think about the 3 men we have lost in recent weeks who were planted and bloomed here with us in Braestone.
David and Cheri Warren lived in the Rabbit Hole in phase 1. If you entered the barn for a community event or fundraiser you would find them smiling at the reception table selling tickets or taking registration – volunteering at every single opportunity. Even after moving back to the city – they continued to support The Braestone Winter Classic.
David Warren
David Warren shared his vast experience in real estate and management with the Braestone community. Together with David Thompson, the three of us were elected to form the very first condo board. David Warren challenged the flakey property management rep (long since replaced) who repeatedly showed up to meetings confused and ill-prepared. He also quickly mastered the finer details of the covenants earning him the affectionate moniker, The Sheriff.
It was at the inaugural Braestone condo board presentation and Q&A held in the Discovery Centre, that I first met Bruce Douglas. The new residents brandished pitchforks and tiki torches as we presented an initial budget and attempted to answer questions on everything from farm vegetable plantings to internationally recognized trail maintenance standards. As the temperature climbed, at the back of the room, a gentle giant with a shock of white hair and baritone voice stood up. Bruce Douglas proposed that the attendees change their tune and thank the inaugural board members for giving their time to try to sort these things out. The tone of the meeting was instantly changed.
Bruce Douglas
Another thing about Bruce – he may not have been the curmudgeon you thought him to be. Sales were sluggish at first when Nicky and Rachel were organizing one of their concerts in the barn and Bruce insisted upon anonymity when he encouraged them to push ahead offering to cover any potential losses on the show. I suspect that – up above – he’s not happy about me sharing this now…
It was a slightly different Braestone in the early years – when Denis and Stephanie were our very first residents. At that time, you heard the coyotes every night, received daily reports of bear sightings, and would regularly find Denis Préfontaine roaming the hills on his side-by-side, stopping to tell a story, to have a drink, and to help a neighbour.
Denis Préfontaine
There was the time Robin made the unfortunate decision of asking for my help to assemble his back porch pergola. Following a frustrating four hours of twisted metal and mumbled profanity, Denis was summoned. He happily disassembled the contraption, started over, and did the job right. And the best part was how – while he worked – Denis made us laugh out loud with his irreverent sense of humour. His joie de vivre and love of his neighbours set the tone for the entire community.
Coming out of the pandemic, Jamie and I were walking around the farm, lamenting the frayed social fabric – the tensions and divisions – and we wondered about an event that might bring people together. The Braestone Winter Classic Charity Pond Hockey Tournament was born in that moment.
In 3 years, thanks in large part to the tremendous support of this community, the tournament has raised over $330,000 for The Hudson Regional Cancer Centre at RVH (formerly known as The Simcoe Muskoka Regional Cancer Centre).
And now we’re adding a second annual event to support the same cause. The return of Braestone Endless Summer is another effort to bring our community together – for the greater good and raise further funds for OUR regional cancer centre.
David, Bruce, and Denis didn’t put off to tomorrow the difference they could make today. They didn’t wait on some future fantasy before finally beginning to live their best life. May we all be inspired by their memory.
May we all bloom where we are planted.
Questions about Braestone Endless Summer? email:
