Dear Editor:
I enjoyed the article entitled “Gratitude” by Kelly Waterhouse, dated Oct. 10, 2019. Reading and reflecting on what I have to be grateful for, I realized that I have now lived in Fergus for one year almost to this date. I have lived most of my life in a big city and although there can be some advantages I can’t help but feel grateful for living the dream in a small town.
So why Fergus? Well, that’s a good question. My wife and I have this habit of grabbing a Tim Horton’s coffee, turning off the GPS and heading out into the county with our two dogs and getting lost for the day. On one of those days, about 15 years ago, we just happened upon Fergus. It was in August, and the Scottish Festival and Highland Games were taking place.
We saw a man dressed in a kilt, throwing a log about the size of a telephone pole in one of the sports fields that we drove by. So, of course, this needed some further investigation, and we decided to stop.
We explored the downtown area and thought we had stepped back in time to a quaint old Scottish village. The stores and architecture were fantastic, the people were friendly, and there was at least one Tim Hortons that I could see. I was sold, I turned to my wife and said I want to move here. I didn’t get any argument from her as she felt the same way. Fast forward 14 years, and getting close to retirement, we decided it was time to fulfill that dream.
I moved here not with just the intention of retiring but of applying for Centre Wellington Fire Rescue as a volunteer firefighter. I had done a lot of research into the department and was very impressed with this group of dedicated individuals who give their time to protect their community. Since I was a volunteer with the Burlington Fire Department back in 2001, I felt I could contribute to the department. To make a long story short, I was a much younger (and fitter) man in 2001.
During the physical, I remember vividly kneeling next to the weighted dummy that I was expected to drag through an obstacle course. I was winded from the previous task and I wasn’t able to go on, despite being cheered on by all the other candidates and the volunteer firefighters that were there supervising the test. While I was kneeling there, a volunteer firefighter put his hand on my should and said: “Its okay, buddy, you’ll do it next time.” It was probably the nicest thing anybody has ever done for me.
When I think back to that moment and all the other moments here in Fergus and the Wellington area, in general, I see what Ms. Waterhouse meant when she wrote: “When the smoke clears, I bet you’ll find someone or something to be thankful for.”
I know I am thankful to that firefighter and all the other firefighters who helped me that day; I am thankful to my wife who allowed me to follow my dream and a community that continues to welcome us every day that we are here. I am even grateful for that gentleman in the kilt who threw that log 15 years ago. For I think he, that firefighter and many others, including my wife, make up an extraordinary town.
What I get the most from Ms. Waterhouse’ article is to be grateful for even the simple things in life, whether that is a comment from a kind stranger, support from a loved one or a simple breath of air.
Jerry Seeley,
Fergus