Nuggets: From My Life

By Ralph Gibbins

In this spirited collection of essays and stories, Gibbins covers a variety
of interesting and thought-provoking topics. With the style of a
natural-born storyteller, he treats the reader to personal experiences and
his thoughts on life.

Life is, in its very essence and character, a terrible mystery.
--Joseph Campbell
Pre-eminent, Professor, Writer and Scholar
We cannot build a better world without improving the individuals. To that end
each of us must work for his own improvement.
Marie Curie
You must take personal responsibility. You cannot change the circumstances,
the seasons, or the wind, but you can change yourself.
Jim Rohn

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Feb 18, 2014
• ISBN: 9781493172948

Book preview

Copyright © 2014 by Ralph Gibbins.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Rev. date: 02/18/2014

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Contents

Acknowledgments

Introduction

Preface

Chapter 1 - The Seed for Writing

Chapter 2 - A Father-Son Fishing Expedition

Chapter 3 - Life Is a Paradox

Chapter 4 - The Hunting Instinct: Whey We Hunt

Chapter 5 - The Winning Attitude

Chapter 6 - Outcomes from Thoughts

Chapter 7 - Astrology—Useful Tool and Heresy

Chapter 8 - My Pets

Chapter 9 - Meditation

Chapter 10 - Grandma Illingworth

Acknowledgments

Numerous friends and acquaintances provided materials for this book, often unknowingly. Meeting these people was often a coincidence and a stroke of luck.

Special thanks to

my wife, Joan, who gave unbelievable encouragement and became my tireless sounding board;

author and publishing executive Peter Taylor, who offered encouragement and editorial advice;

Of course, I am extremely grateful for all the experiences that life has provided.

I accept full responsibility for any errors or omissions.

Introduction

This collection of essays and stories covers a variety of topics that have had significance for me. Life unfolds in wondrous ways, if one thinks about such things at all. Certainly my life has done so—as has my writing.

I am convinced that everything in this universe is interconnected, that experience in one area spills over into another, and that all affects all. You may have a different opinion in general, or maybe just with the opinions in some of the articles. In any case, I hope you find my stories interesting and informative as well as thought provoking.

Some points and quotes are repeated. In sections where this occurs, the repeated thoughts are pertinent to the specific article.

Famous quotes have been used because I think they lend credibility to that particular section. The following are the quotes frequently inserted:

The richness I receive comes from Nature, the source of my inspiration.

—Claude Monet

If you talk to the animals they will talk with you and you will know each other.

If you do not talk to them, you will not know them, and what you do not know, you will fear. What one fears one destroys.

—Chief Dan George

Life is, in its essence and character, a terrible mystery—the whole business of living by killing and eating. But it is a childish attitude to say no to life with all its pain, to say that this is something that should not have been

—Joseph Campbell

Perhaps Grandma Moses said it best. Life is what we make it, always has been, always will be.

We cannot build a better world without improving the individuals.

To that end each of us must work for his own improvement

—Marie Curie

You must take personal responsibility. You cannot change the circumstances, the seasons, or the wind, but you can change yourself.

—Jim Rohn

Don’t deny the diagnosis, try to defy the verdict

—Norman Cousins

Fundamentally, a society that asks questions and has the power to answer them is a healthier society than one that simply accepts what is told from a narrow range of experts, institutions, and politicians . . . we need to be encouraged to think for ourselves.

—Chris Anderson

in his brilliant and timely book, The Long Tail.

I observe the physician with the same diligence as the disease

—John Donne

The world is full of magical things patiently waiting for our wits to grow sharper.

—Eden Philpots

Preface

In my introduction, I described the book as a collection of essays and stories that covers a variety of topics that have had significance for me.

Some friends wondered if I could give them a better idea of what each chapter was about. Here are brief summaries that I offered. This seemed to satisfy them, at least until the book is available.

Chapter 1—The Seed for Writing

I liken my impetus to write to a seed. A seed only sprouts when the circumstances are amenable—early spring for most. But some seeds are different. For instance, a tamarack seed may lay dormant for one hundred years or until the heat of a forest fire snaps it to life. My writing seed only started to sprout in my retirement years. In this essay, I explain the circumstances that lead to the breakthrough for me.

Chapter 2—Father-Son Fishing Trip

This is a tale of a wilderness adventure and camaraderie. Woven into it are tidbits about the history of the area, some humorous incidents, and vivid descriptions of scenery.

Chapter 3—Life Is a Paradox

Almost every wise saying has an opposite one, no less wise, to balance it.

—George Santanana

Certainly we are constantly faced with dilemmas. Recognizing this world of dualities can make a huge difference in our ability to successfully cope with life. In this essay, I give many examples to help with clarification.

Chapter 4—The Hunting Instinct

Here, I outline the evidence that points to this instinct and the validity of claims made that when recognized and sensibly directed it can engender health, happiness, and reduction in violent tendencies. I recount my personal boyhood experiences that support the evidence.

Chapter 5—The Winning Attitude

Is there such a thing as an attitude that is crucial to winning? I explore this topic in some detail. I found that the slogans and ideas commonly used are frequently counterproductive. I explain why this occurs and offer concepts that are more likely to engender winning.

Chapter 6—Outcomes from Thoughts

In this essay, I provide evidence that how we think weaves the fabric of our lives. It is a mysterious phenomenon that sages and many successful people have advocated throughout the ages.

Chapter 7—Astrology: Useful Tool and Heresy

In this exploratory essay, I provide insights by some scientists who support astrology while others call it heresy. I explain why I became interested and how my research and observations opened my eyes to significant possibilities.

Chapter 8—My Pets

My association with animals provided me with many lessons about life. In this chapter, I explain the circumstances that brought each animal to me, the nature of our relationship, and how this shaped many of my views on life.

Chapter 9—Meditation

In this chapter, I describe what brought me to believe that meditation can be beneficial. Because there are so many different types of meditation, I offer the meditations that I have chosen.

Chapter 10—Grandma Illingworth

A nice personal story set in a rural area in the ’30s and ’40s. At that time, there were few doctors. Babies were often born at home without the aid of a doctor and only with the help of a neighbor. Grandma Illingworth was such a helper. But she was more than that. She was like a Florence Nightingale with many healing remedies; and to our family, she was also a wonderful friend. There is food for thought in this short story.

The Seed for Writing

I have often pondered about the process that led to my writing and why it became important enough for me to invest the time and money to create my books. Is it simply egotism, or is it perhaps a healthy desire that so often comes with age—to pass on knowledge gained from experiences and observations—or is it more akin to a grumpy old man, or perhaps it has similarities to a seed that mysteriously sprouts when conditions in the universe are amenable—sometimes after lying dormant for years?

During my school years, I showed no interest or talent in writing. In my career, I disliked writing reports; however, I was sometimes commended for them.

Determining the reason, however, is not as important as observing the outcome of attitudes during my writing process. There were times when thoughts about my inadequate, presumptuous self caused doubts and tempted me to trash the endeavour. But on reflection I chose to dwell on more lofty leanings, and these encouraged me to take another run at it. As limited as my writing may be, it has benefits for me and at least a few others who encourage me not to succumb to shortcomings, and thus produce nothing. Perhaps Socrates’ observation that self-awareness is the beginning of wisdom has relevance in my writing.

The roots from which my writing sprung came from a history I wrote about a joint family project—building a cottage. My mother liked what I had written and suggested I expand on it to provide more of our pioneering family history and the pioneering spirit of early settlers in the region. Other influences came from relatives, friends, and experiences that will be made clearer in the following. In summary, there were several factors that motivated me, some of which I do not fully comprehend. I have been told that books often originate from a simple thought that sets off a letter or short essay that eventually grows into something greater than originally intended.

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A book sometimes seems to be almost like a human with a mind of its own, which is certainly true in my case. Once I let it be known that I intended to write, information and ideas seemed to percolate out of the woodwork. And the concept grew stronger in my mind that events, which may appear insignificant on their own, really are not. They are like the bricks and mortar that when assembled form something far greater than the sand from which they originate. Certainly pertinent factors are more difficult to determine and cannot be expressed in a concrete formula—there are many things in life that elude the exactness of algebra, and this is especially true for any possibility for strict rules developing writing.

A second major push came from my old friend, Eli, who had lived in Northern Ontario except for four years service during World War II. He had often said he would like to write a history of Wendigo. He had many friends who were interested in his stories of the early days. He, his father, and brothers had an extensive background in the district as prospectors, Lands and Forest employees, timbermen, merchants, sport fishermen, and hunters. He was deeply involved in fish and game conservation, a fish hatchery, and a cottagers’ association.

At age eighty-two, although very thin and frail, he joined me and some friends for a few days of fishing and storytelling at our remote facility-free cottage on Upper Wendigo in a provincial park. My friends who were from various parts of the world—Toronto, the Maritimes, and Italy—enjoyed his company immensely. I suggested we take a one-day trip farther up the chain to Eli’s old shack and fishing holes.

I would love to go, he said, but I don’t think I could make it over the steep rock climb on the third portage. Besides I can’t sit in a canoe all day anymore.

Like a chorus, the others said, We’ll take an aluminum boat with a cushion for you. We’ll carry you across the portages if necessary. We’ll turn back if you get too tired.

So off we went.

At the portages, Eli insisted that he carry fishing rods and his cushion. He took on the look of a younger man as he scampered over the rocky terrain.

It was a great day for all, without another human anywhere. The high rock cliffs sculpted by the receding ice of the Ice Age were the background for the small lakes and tumbling, roaring white water of the interconnecting rapids and river. We simply enjoyed the solitude, scenery, and the stories about the Indians, the trappers, the prospectors, the timbering, and the excitement of the spring log drives. We discussed the fishing, conservation, and the future of the park.

Hunters and fishermen love to tell stories. It is part and parcel of their sport. Sometimes they might embellish a bit—but I would never do that. We simply enjoy stories. You probably do too. Stories entertain as well as educate. They connect us to the past, present, and future and to one another. In fact, man is a storytelling animal.

As we travelled up the waterway, many and various sights stimulated commentary. We passed a