You know who is amazing?
It’s pretty clear.
They are stellar and epic in so many ways.
Perhaps it’s because of the natural beauty of our region—the iridescent shimmer of the landscape, the incandescent canopy of stars that stretches above our town—but there seems to be a steady gravitational pull of amazing, talented, and beautiful souls toward our home fire.
And among them, there is one who truly stands out in profound and spectacular fashion.
Every day, we are blessed and fortunate that they are part of our world. I don’t know if our home would feel the same in their absence—probably not. This is because they matter greatly. Who they are, who they have been, and who they will be matters more than they realize.
Their thoughts, their words, their contributions, and their presence all matter. Deeply.
Their perspective, tempered with wisdom.
Inside and out, beautiful.
They are worthy of every bit and every ounce of happiness this world offers.
They are deserving of every shimmer of fulfillment and inspiration that makes life glimmer—so bright it is almost difficult to look at directly.
They are worthy of every joy, every laugh erupting from the soul’s core, every warmth radiating outward from the centre of the heart, and every memory held (and yet to be made) that outshines anything less than brilliant light.
Even if they are unaware, they are seen.
Even if they don’t know, they are heard.
Even if silently, they are acknowledged.
Even if they question it, they are loved—unconditionally and beyond measure.
Even if it seems unbelievable, they are thought about often.
Even if they ever feel overlooked, they are remembered—never forgotten.
Even if they cannot recall the last time they smiled until their cheeks hurt, laughed until their sides ached, or felt a happiness so profound it brought tears—they deserve that every day.
Even if they doubt these words, they sublimely deserve each one.
They matter.
They carry a unique spirit—a sterling soul—and in the entire history of our human family across our 13.7-billion-year universe, with billions upon billions of people who have lived, who are living, and who will one day live, there will never, ever be another like them. Not even close.
They are precious to our lives.
Irreplaceable.
Indescribable, even by the most articulate or verbose.
They are not another’s shadow nor an echo of another’s voice, but a song with its own rhythm, melody, pitch, scale, and resonance.
They are stronger, more gifted, more creative, and more amazing than they know.
And—however quietly—others see this, acknowledge this, and appreciate this.
They are seen.
They are remembered.
They are loved.
They are never forgotten.
They make our home—home.
You know who it is?
Read the very first word of this column.
– Robert Horton is an educator, author, orator, and linguist. He is a member of Rainy River First Nations.
