From the Chaplain’s Desk

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.   – 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...

Padre Capt Alexandre Dutil Welcome to From the Chaplain’s Desk, a feature series that showcases reflections from chaplains serving at Canadian Forces Base (CFB) Esquimalt. Each installment offers personal perspectives from those who work closely with members of the Defence Team in times of challenge, transition, and everyday life. These contributions shed light on the role of spiritual and emotional support within the Defence community, and offer guidance, listening, and presence across all stages of life spent in service. – Gratitude is the feeling of being thankful and showing appreciation for the good things in life. It involves recognizing and valuing what we have, rather than focusing on what we lack.  Today, many studies demonstrate that practising gratitude has a significant impact on happiness, relationships, and even physical health. We might naturally assume that happiness leads to gratitude, that happy people are the ones that are grateful, but research suggests the opposite: being grateful is what leads to happiness.  Gratitude shifts our mindset. By focusing on positive emotions rather than negative ones, how we see the world and experience life can transform.  At every moment, one has the choice to be bitter or grateful. While there may be times when bitterness feels justified, there is always a reason to be grateful. We have this precise moment of existence for ourselves. Here are a few practical ways to cultivate gratitude and move towards happiness:  Write a thank-you note: take time to write a note to someone you have not properly thanked. If possible, share it with them.   Give thanks silently: if you cannot thank someone in person, pause and express gratitude silently, in your thoughts.  Keep a gratitude journal: write down the things you are grateful for and revisit your journal when discouraged or upset.  Connect with family and friends: spend time with those you love and let them know how much you appreciate...

Padre Capt Justin McNeill Welcome to From the Chaplain’s Desk, a new feature series that will showcase reflections from chaplains serving at Canadian Forces Base (CFB) Esquimalt. Each installment will offer personal perspectives from those who work closely with members of the Defence Team in times of challenge, transition, and everyday life. These contributions will shed light on the role of spiritual and emotional support within the Defence community, and offer guidance, listening, and presence across all stages of life spent in service. - As the weather continues to warm and the summer months start to peak over the horizon, preparations are once again underway to set sail into another busy season. With this time comes a renewed sense of vigilance for both our frigates and families.   Sailing doesn’t just take time, energy, and effort on the part of our sailors and other support staff, but also on all those that continue to support the work we do as members of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF). Our friends and families, both near and far, also feel the weight of what we do. In addition to service, roles and responsibilities can also increase during this time with children on summer break, tasks arising at home, and pets and plants require nurturing.   As a result, it’s important to be reminded of the value of support. It’s also important to remind those that continue to offer support that they don’t have to do these things alone.   One of the benefits of life with the Defence Team is that we often train with the mentality that we never do these things alone or in isolation. Even when the thought of having a bit more space might be nice on occasion, there are always fellow sailors at our side, training, fixing, and fighting with us and for us. We are a team, and this goes for those that continue to support us when...