When all that's left are memories

Last May we had the opportunity to make a trip to Jasper National Park with Ingrid's father. He had not been there since before his late wife went into a care facility back in 2019. We realized that this might also be his last trip to the Canadian Rockies. It was good that we went when we did.

This past week, a wildfire hit Jasper National Park, the worst fire in a National Park in Canada in over 100 years. About 1/3 of the structures in the town of Jasper were lost including, as far as we can tell from maps that have been released, the Bed and Breakfast place we stayed at last May. When we booked a night there, the owner said it was her only night not booked through the end of September. Now it is gone, and the park and town of Jasper remain closed until all the fires in town are out and it is no longer threatened by the still raging flames.

Many areas the fire burned through have yet to be inspected including bridges and campgrounds; even within the burn perimeter there are areas that haven't burned or are only partially burned.

Jasper National Park holds a lot of memories for us. We got engaged while visiting the park 41 years ago. On our honeymoon, we stayed at Whistlers Inn—which firefighters managed to save this past week, though  a building two doors down the road was lost. We have made many other visits to the park in the 40 years since we got married. Now, many of the places we have visited will be but charred remains. All that is left for us is photographs and memories of a different time. I can't imagine what it is like for those who lost their homes in the inferno.

So here are a few memories from from photos I have digital copies of.

View of Whistlers Peak from Austrian Haven Home B&B (which did not survive the fire)
So far the tram up to the top of Whistlers Peak is intact.

Athabasca Falls is within the perimeter of the burned area (May 2024)

The Moberly Bridge over the Athabasca River needs to be inspected before being open to the public
(May 2024)

The Athabasca River served as a firebreak in some areas (May 2024)
This is near the northern burn perimeter

Edith Lake is also within the burn perimeter (May 2024)

The Old Fort Point Bridge also needs to be inspected (photo from 2015)

Maligne Canyon (2013)
I don't think the fire went this far, but you have to drive through the 
burned area to get here

View from Whistlers Inn, October 1983.
All the buildings in the foreground appear to have survived the fire

View of Jasper Townsite from the top of Whistlers Peak, October 1983

Trail to Whistlers Peak, 2004
So far this area is intact

Pyramid Mountain is landmark to the North of Jasper
This photo is from 41 years ago

Pyramid Mountain last May. So far the fire has not reached this area.

Moving on

With a bit of sadness, this past week we went to Rim Khong Coffee and Steak for the last time.  It's not that we wanted to stop going there, it's just that the proprietors were moving to Kalasin Province, a four-hour drive from here.

Khun Yai ran the restaurant and his wife, Rung Arun, was a captain in the local police department.  (Rung Arun means "Dawn", and so has the same name as my sister)  They were our closest adult friends outside of church.  Their daughter would come to our English classes.

But Rung Arun is from Kalasin and they wanted to move closer to family.  So they built a house there and she got a transfer.  Now, only thirteen months after opening up Rim Khong Coffee and Steak, they closed its doors.  Khun Yai will open up a coffee shop in Kalasin, but it is a long way to go for a cup of coffee.  But I know where to find them when the occasion arises.

Khun Yai making coffee

Last cup at Rim Khong Coffee and Steak

The week after the coffee shop closed, we received word that another friend had moved on.  Betty, a long time supporter of our ministry, went to be with the Lord last month.  We met Betty and her husband Glen when they would come to volunteer at the Baptist Haiti Mission when we worked there about 30 years ago.  Glen and I had common interests in agronomy, photography and bird-watching.

Visiting with Glen and Betty

Their farmhouse in Vermont was a beautiful refuge.  The garden was full of vegetables and flowers, many planted to attract birds.  On a visit to their place back when we still lived in Haiti, Glen, upon hearing that we only had one set of binoculars between us, ordered another pair for us on the spot.

Bird feeders were everywhere at their house, and the whole family was involved in keeping track of when different species would come and go.

Chickadee on one of the Wood's many feeders

Glen has not been with us for several years, and now his wife has joined him.

There is yet another Haiti/Vermont connection that has moved on as well.  Elsa came to work at Baptist Haiti Mission with her husband, Pete, a retired music instructor, shortly after we did.  Pete passed away after a few years in Haiti, but Elsa stayed on volunteering with the child sponsorship program until just a few years ago.  Elsa was always such a cheerful and encouraging person to talk to.  In September, Elsa went to be with her late husband.

Visit with Elsa

Some of those who have moved on we may still see this side of heaven.  But we are grateful to have had all of these people as part of our lives.

As people move on from our lives, we are reminded that our lives are not static.  Changes are constantly happening and we move from one thing to the next.  We don't know what tomorrow brings, all we have is today.

James reminds us of the transience of life: Look here, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we are going to a certain town and will stay there a year. We will do business there and make a profit.”  How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog—it’s here a little while, then it’s gone.  What you ought to say is, “If the Lord wants us to, we will live and do this or that.” (James 4:13-15 NLT)

 Since we don't know what is in store for us tomorrow we would be wise to cherish those we have in our lives while we have them.