Editorial: Sincere holiday wishes for a safe and sane 2017

This editorial first appeared in the December 2016 issue of Life in Québec Magazine.

Life in Quebec Magazine is a lifestyle publication covering Quebec and is published 4 times per year.

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By Michael Bourguignon, Editor

I felt a great disturbance in the Force, as if millions of voices suddenly cried out in terror …
– Anyone who has been paying the slightest bit of attention in 2016

Ever the consummate gentleman, Leonard Cohen took his final bow after first taking care to stop pop culture as he passed it on the street, gently touch its elbow with a smile and tuck a new recording under its arm before wishing it a fond goodbye.

As I imagine this, I of course visualize the scene playing out on a typical Montréal avenue at around this time of year, the kind of street where one would have stood a reasonable chance of passing Leonard Cohen. It’s a little cold, a little breezy, and Leonard touches our elbow not just to let us feel the warmth of human contact, but to gently get our attention.

You see, we’ve been terribly preoccupied this year, the collective annus horribilis of the cognizant western world.
As calendar years go, 2016 started off weird and ended demented.

Consider the facts: just in time for the holidays, Hollywood rang in the New Year with the release of Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Around the same time, North Korea claimed to have successfully tested a thermonuclear weapon. Kim Jong-Vader strikes back …

Like an evil bookend, billionaire bigot Donald Trump blundered into the fourth quarter as president of the United States of America (aka supreme leader of the free world) on a platform of paranoia, thinly-veiled hatred, outright lies and a dangerous, down-his-nose view of anyone who disagrees with him.
God help the “free world.”

In between these calamities, 2016 gave us the deaths of Cohen, David Bowie, Alan Rickman and Gene Wilder, among other artists whose work and lives broke barriers, touched hearts in positive ways and who, whether we realized it or not, occasionally had their hand on our elbow to prod us back from the brink and let us know that everything was going to be fine … Have another cookie; it’s going to be OK.

One wonders what weirdness 2017 could possibly have in store after witnessing all of this, especially – and most disconcerting of all – the political events in the U.S., let alone the world. These are unprecedented times in western history that will almost surely be studied, analyzed and dissected by future generations whose mission will be to figure out what the heck happened and how to make sure it never, ever happens again.

Lest we forget, Leonard Cohen’s final album is titled You Want It Darker. It’s as if he saw what was coming, gave us this brilliant piece of music to help us get through these darker times and, with a wink and a wry smile, wished us well as he strolled to the exit: “Good luck, kid. You’re gonna need it.”

Or Trump’s presidency could prove to be all unicorns, rainbows and social-welfare spending. We’ll just have to wait and see.

In the meantime, you have in your hands another edition of Life in Québec Magazine, which we hope you will tuck under your arm and carry with you during those times when you feel the need for a good read.

In it, Nathalie Peron’s cover story invites you to consider the plight of the polar bear in the age of global warming, Mark Lindenberg suggests why you should take a closer look at the rocks under your feet, Brett Taylor unveils the ins and outs of higher-education funding, and Ruby Pratka introduces some of the Syrian refugees who now call Québec home.

That’s just a glimpse of some the features we’ve chosen to share with you, dear reader. We have also placed a holiday treat or two in the columns department, starting with a new regular food and recipe column by Annik De Celles, Québec City-based baker, author, blogger, food writer, and sweet-toothed mom. Fittingly, her inaugural column for Life in Québec Magazine touts the virtues of a Christmas-table staple, the merry cranberry.

Readers ranging from gals who garden to literally anyone who has ever failed at growing indoor plants will surely clip and save this issue’s column by Larry Hodgson, confidently titled “Five houseplants you just can’t kill.” Brown thumbs rejoice, and Larry says, “You’re welcome.”

So as 2016 gets dragged off, kicking and screaming, into the darker annals of humankind’s sketchy past, let’s take a moment to raise a glass of antioxidant-rich cranberry juice, look each other square in the eye, and exchange sincere best wishes for the holiday season and the coming year, whatever it may bring.

The French have a saying: “Bon courage.” We will add to that, “Have another cookie; it’s going to be OK.”
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