Only On The Walters Post

Have you ever noticed how animals seem to know what’s coming before we do? Birds suddenly change direction, deer get restless, and the wind picks up a chill, hinting at a change long before the weather does. That’s the real Almanac I trust—the one written by nature itself, not by the little boxes on a calendar. Lately, though, the sky has been writing some strange new entries.

I’m talking about those red lights—glowing orbs that drift quietly over Lake Ontario or here in the northern skies. Now, some people say they’re just satellites catching the sun, or military flares dropped for practice. Sure, those explanations fit neatly. They’re simple. They make sense… at least at first.

But look a little closer. The way those lights hang in the air, almost as if they’re waiting to see if you’ll notice. A satellite wouldn’t pause like that, wouldn’t hover or catch the clouds just so, making the whole night feel suspended. And flares? They burn out quick and loud, but these lights just float… quiet, steady, almost intentional. Even the birds act differently, flying lower, calling softly, like they’re not quite sure what to make of it either. Strip away all the logical answers, and you’re left with a sky that seems ordinary… until it doesn’t.

You know, I’ve spent enough late nights staring up to know: sometimes, light is more than just light. Sometimes, it feels like a question being asked. Is it a reflection? A flare? Or something we just don’t have the right words for yet? Meanwhile, the world goes on… the wind shifts, a fox slips through the grass, the moon glides along the horizon, untouched by whatever’s glowing up there. Take away everything you think you know, and that mysterious light is still there, quietly inviting you to notice.

Maybe it’s nothing. Maybe it’s something, maybe it’s just a bird crossing in front of the crescent moon, or a distant plane. Or maybe the night itself has a sense of humor, one we’re not in on. Either way, the moment you stop paying attention, you miss the whisper. That’s why I keep looking up… because some mysteries aren’t meant to be solved. They’re there to stretch your mind, to keep you curious, to remind you there’s always something more, just out of sight, just beyond the trees, just waiting to be noticed.

“Until the next time, keep your minds open and your stories alive.” GW

Only On The Walters Post

You know, when I was farming, there were always a few patches of land that didn’t look like much. Thin soil, too many rocks, wet here, dry there. Most folks would’ve written them off, but I never did. I always figured that if you feed the land right and work it like you’re supposed to, sooner or later, it’ll give back.

So what am I leading up to? Well, I read this article about how kids are being taught in schools these days, especially in Quebec. Seems to me, they’re splitting kids up just like fields. Some get planted in the good spots, well-fed, looked after, given every chance to grow. Others scrape by, but only if they fit the mold. And too many are left behind in ground nobody wants to bother with.

It’s not hard to see how that plays out. The lucky ones grow strong. The others struggle, not because they lack potential, but because they never had the same chance to take root.

But here is the thing, it’s not just Quebec. As out west, Alberta, B.C., and Saskatchewan send public money to private schools, giving some kids a leg up while others fall behind. Ontario still runs two separate systems, public and Catholic... like it’s a hundred years ago. No matter where you look, the pattern’s the same: some get more, while the rest are left to make do.

Personally, I never believed in giving up on the soil, and I sure don’t believe in giving up on kids. If a field’s struggling, you don’t fence it off and forget it. You work it, improve it, and stick with it till it starts to give back. That’s the attitude we need with our schools, helping the ones that need it most.

Truth told, this kind of sorting and separating hurts everyone. The kid who never gets a fair shot. The one who grows up never meeting folks outside their own world. The teachers, trying their best with too little. And in the end, the whole country loses, because we’re only as strong as our weakest patch.

So here’s my thought: stop sorting kids like potatoes into piles, as if some are worth more than others. Treat every child like a field worth tending. That’s how you grow something real.

Until the next time, keep your minds open and your stories alive. GW