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COLUMN: Tales from the Gravel Ridge - A courageous Rosengard mother

2 months ago | thecarillon.com | Maria Falk Lodge

The cemetery at Rosengard has a powerful hold on my spirit. I have, on various occasions, had compelling reasons to visit this hallowed ground in Rosengard. Most of those occasions occurred when I was a young child. In a sense, the life story of countless individuals, and therefore much of the history of the world, lies buried in various places the world over.
COLUMN: Tales from the Gravel Ridge - The power of hope

Jan 11, 2025 | thecarillon.com | Maria Falk Lodge |Emily Dickinson

It’s that time of year when, whether we like it or not, we are closing something like a door behind us, and in the process that closed door opens a new viewpoint, and in fact new beginnings for us. Our calendar certainly reminds us of this reality, and the very fact that the daily hours of sunlight are gradually lengthening, confirms it. There is a measure of confirmation in this concept, and indeed, in the reality of new beginnings.
COLUMN: Tales from the Gravel Ridge - The value of family archives

Nov 22, 2024 | thecarillon.com | Maria Falk Lodge

In recent years the term “de-cluttering” has become one that is frequently referenced when we find that we’re running out of storage space in our homes. Perhaps this is particularly relevant when we see advertisements that virtually beg us to acquire new consumer goods that would make our lives so much simpler than they currently are. How can we possibly resist such compelling common sense?
COLUMN: Tales from the Gravel Ridge - The astounding role of Rosengard’s caregivers

Nov 12, 2024 | thecarillon.com | Maria Falk Lodge

Caregivers surely have existed since time immemorial. In fact, no society could function, let alone thrive, without that vital aspect of care being provided. Indeed any reflections on my childhood would leave cavernous spaces were I to neglect calling to mind the enormous influence of Rosengard’s caregivers on the entire community. However, it is safe to say that every Rosengard family was well-served by such caregivers. These individuals would be found within the family, but also beyond.
COLUMN: Tales from the Gravel Ridge - Building community by looking out for each other

Oct 30, 2024 | thecarillon.com | Maria Falk Lodge

Building a sense of community requires, to a significant degree, that we care about the wellbeing of those whose lives are associated with our own, in one way or another. We might well apply the legal concept of “neighbour principle” to such a group. If we become part of a community that is already well established, our responsibility whether we recognize it or not is to in due time develop an awareness of how we fit into this group or community.
COLUMN: Tales from the Gravel Ridge - The wonder of the changing of seasons

Oct 13, 2024 | thecarillon.com | Maria Falk Lodge

Print Email Read Later The enchanting reality and wonder of the changing of seasons in our part of the world never ceases to delight me and continues to fill me with amazement.
COLUMN: Tales from the Gravel Ridge - Taking freedom seriously

Oct 2, 2024 | thecarillon.com | Maria Falk Lodge

What do we mean when we speak of freedom? Perhaps it depends on who you ask, …or possibly for anyone of us at a given moment, what is it that we mean or hope for. For many of us, freedom from hunger has never been an overriding concern, not even remotely. During my childhood and youth my family lived in Rosengard, situated on the gravel ridge stretching approximately 21 kilometres between Grunthal and Steinbach. Our community was chiefly made up of small, mixed farms.
COLUMN: Tales from the Gravel Ridge - What’s not to like about darning socks?

Sep 12, 2024 | thecarillon.com | Maria Falk Lodge

There is something astonishingly fulfilling in making a garment or sock last much longer than might appear possible, or even necessary. Given that stores abound with merchandise sufficient to meet the needs of most of us, it might well be asked why anyone would waste precious time repairing old socks. Some years ago I watched our young daughter busily darning her heavy wool socks. I was mildly amused, but also pleased by what I saw. It has been a long time since people routinely darned socks.
COLUMN: Tales from the Gravel Ridge - The stories within our stories

Aug 29, 2024 | thecarillon.com | Maria Falk Lodge

All of us have memories. And all of those have a context. The background of some of these memories may be of little significance to us. We simply recognize them as a moment in time. Other memories that we may have however, are loaded with importance and consequences that continue to shape our own personal lives, and the lives of our loved ones, and others too.
COLUMN: Tale from the Gravel Ridge - The importance of the rule of law

Aug 17, 2024 | thecarillon.com | Maria Falk Lodge

When my classmates and I began our formal education at the Rosengard School in 1946, we were fortunate on numerous counts. Firstly, there was a school building that we could enter for 10 months of each year in order to receive instruction from a teacher who was qualified to teach. Our one-room rural school building was well constructed, with windows along the length of one wall.