Last weekend my family and I travelled to Quebec, Canada to attend the wedding of my older sister’s daughter…  (AKA my niece!)  Since my dad passed away more than four years ago now, this was actually our first family gathering that was a celebration!    The weather was perfect, the ceremony was elegant and the reception the most fun our family has had in years. 

These type of events always remind me of how important our families, friends and neighbors are, and how we must be very careful on how we prioritize things in our lives. 

I was able to visit with several members of the family of the groom and this also offered another glimpse into the fact that we ALL are “brothers and sisters” (even if of other mothers!!)   We all have so many things in common, especially with regards to the most basic human needs, such as that for Peace, Security, Harmony, Love and Freedom (to name a few).

It was a delight to be able to share, give and receive friendly conversation and, above all, connect with basically “fellow humans be-ing” within a context of LOVE and commitment.  There is no sure way to know what tomorrow will bring for the newlyweds or for anyone else for that matter, but on that night it was all about dancing, singing, celebrating family, unity and love.

Over the next few days, before heading back home, we were also able to visit a few areas of the country we were born in, where, despite living there for almost half of our lives, we had hardly ever took the time to stop and actually visit with intention very much of it.  

Along with our son, younger daughter, her new boyfriend and my mother in law, my wife and I made time to walk the streets of Old Montreal on a very pleasant spring evening, reminiscing of the days of our youth.  It was all surreal and fabulous.

We also chose to spend another day with my younger sister and her husband and tour Old Quebec City, for our FIRST TIME ever.  We enjoyed a most delightful time experiencing local fare, revelling in the sights and sounds of cobble stone roads and street musicians while appreciating the wondrous history of the first (organized) city ever established in all of North America back in 1640!  I did not know that!!

Why am I sharing all this?  For me, it is to re-confirm again — how important it is to keep in context and with balanced perspective the who, what and why of our lives: our family & neighbors, our history and our purpose.

And if that was not already a delightfully poignant reminder for how to steer the journey of my life…  a highlight moment in terms of a most enlightening pointer of the relevance of (my own) individual as well as TEAM PERKA’s collective purpose, came as my wife and I were going through Border Customs on our way back home.  This touched not only the “who we are” but also the “what we DO”.

After waiting some 20 minutes in the line queue to reach the US Customs inspector we walked up to an officer with greying temples, a firm look and a matching, cool, greeting of “good morning”.  After looking over our documents he asked me what I did for work in the United States.  I proudly said that I owned and operated a family business, while mustering a smile that would make my dad proud!  And then, keeping his stern look, he cynically asked, “Oh, and what kind of business do you do?”   I replied with equal joy “we manufacture structural steel frames and components for prefab steel buildings, fence, railings and gates”.  His look immediately changed… with the corner of his mouth breaking into an ever so slight grin he almost gleefully stated…  “So you actually MAKE something?  … all I ever get coming through here are people in the business of selling “AIR”… software, ideas, thoughts, rights… it is VERY refreshing and reassuring to hear SOMEBODY in this country is actually MAKING SOMETHING!”  Then he thanked me and swiftly stamped our passports!

What an Ah ha moment that was for me.  It certainly pointed to a growing “concern” for our country –because if we are not MAKING as many things as we used to or could, who is?   And maybe this is a big reason for our high under and unemployment?  What will many of our Brothers and Sisters DO?  What can they do? Make things!

That moment made me proud that TEAM PERKA was in the “business” of making things for our fellow man, for our fellow NORTH AMERICANS… 

Our work is generally CUSTOM, each job is made for a specific, known client.  His or her name appears on all the paperwork and even on the material itself.  Each item is soulfully crafted by the hands of caring workers.  And, in a certain way, each truss, each frame, each fence, each gate, each railing we make is unique.  It takes time to make them.  BUT IT WILL LAST FOR YEARS, because we DO IT RIGHT.  We’re quick, but we’re careful. We’re proud, and we are GOOD at what we DO!  And most of all, we LOVE what we do and we are grateful for our FREEDOM and the PEACE within which we can do what we Love… 

On this Memorial Day weekend, what better way to SAY THANK YOU to everyone who does their part, from all those who serve our Country in various capacities and to all those who do whatever they can to support this goal, this dream… that allows all of us to live in the highest potential for REAL FREEDOM.

Now how does it get better than that?

Stay tuned… it does! (Especially if you want it to!)

Cheers,

Martial Thevenot, Proud Head Steward of TEAM PERKA on this ship called Earth!