Padre Alistair Turkington
Welcome to the September instalment of From the Chaplain’s Desk, a series that showcases reflections from chaplains serving at Canadian Forces Base (CFB) Esquimalt. Each piece offers personal perspectives from those who work closely with members of the Defence Team in times of challenge, transition, and everyday life.
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If you’ve ever seen a polar bear in a documentary or a photograph, it’s easy to be impressed. It has long been on my bucket list to see one of these majestic animals in the wild. During my deployment in the Arctic aboard His Majesty’s Canadian Ship (HMCS) Max Bernays, this wish came true.
My first impression was of its sheer size. Standing tall against a backdrop of snow and ice, the polar bear is perfectly at home in one of the most isolated and unforgiving environments on Earth. But beyond its strength and size, the polar bear offered an important lesson that applies to all of us, every day: resiliency.
Life in the Arctic is anything but easy. Temperatures plunge well below freezing; fierce storms can appear without warning; food is difficult to find. Despite this, polar bears continue to survive and thrive. They travel incredible distances across sea ice in search of seals, sometimes waiting patiently for hours, or even days, for an opportunity to hunt. Though success is never guaranteed, the polar bear always continues to move forward.
There is something deeply relatable about the persistence of a polar bear. We all face moments when life doesn’t go according to plan, whether it is the loss of a job, a family challenge, health concerns, the daily pressures of life, or something else entirely. Like the polar bear, we often find ourselves navigating uncertain terrain, maybe on our own.
What makes the polar bear remarkable is not that it attempts to avoid hardship, but that it adapts to it. Built for survival, it uses every tool at its disposal, from its thick insulating fur to its powerful swimming ability. When conditions change, the bear always adjusts. It does not waste all its energy wishing things were different; instead, it responds to reality.
That lesson may be more relevant today than ever. Communities across Canada are facing economic uncertainty, rising costs, rapid political uncertainty and social change. While these challenges can sometimes feel overwhelming, resiliency is an incredible human strength.
Like the polar bear, we do not know what lies beyond the next stretch of ice, but we take the next step, trusting our abilities, and moving forward despite uncertainty. In a world that often feels unpredictable, this may be the most important lesson of all.
Chaplains can be reached through a call to the Naden Chapel at 250-363-4106 during regular office hours.
For after-hours support, call Military Police dispatch at (250) 363-4032 to connect to a duty padre.
