The Toad is currently working on a project related to the immigration of people to Canada – including his own family. The Toad’s lineage on my side has been here in Canada for a very long time so we are pulling information and photos for his great-great-great-great grandfathers who were born in very early 1800’s. Given that Toad refers to any time before he was born (a decade ago) as the “olden days” the notion of someone leaving their home halfway around the world and coming to Canada by boat as a pioneer to settle the land with few tools, and  no modern conveniences that are so ubiquitous to him is a crazy idea. It highlighted to me what has changed in my lifetime and for those who came before me.

As part of our research, I spent some time looking back on old photos and old letters. I have a binder of letters that my Gran sent me – letters that are 30 years old. Reading again about the events in the life of my 20-year-old self brought into focus how much time has passed and all that I have learned through the changes. It made me think about the funny passage of time – simultaneously fast and slow. I wonder what the future Toad will think when he looks back on his history and the passage of time.