There are two stories around the Northern Lights this Christmas. The first an Algonquin Native people’s story of Nanahbozho, creator of the Earth, when he had finished his task of the creation, he traveled to the north, where he built large fires, of which the northern lights are the reflections. The lights are to remind his people that he still thinks of them.
The second story occurs in the small town of Wawa, Canada today. On October 25th 2012 a freak storm with a massive downpour caused local rivers and creeks to flood. The proprietors of the Northern Lights Motel, John Parker and Maureen Hutchinson – Parker, literally had their lives washed away in the flood; their home, their business destroyed as the instant river sliced through the Trans-Canada highway and closed it.
The flood may have washed the buildings away but certainly did not succeed doing the same to their fighting entrepreneurial spirit. The Northern Lights Motel Christmas message says it so much better than I could.
This is the second time I have written about Mo & John as part of my blog on Consulting Excellence. The first was about the importance of keeping your sense of humor. This post is about something else they do we should all try to emulate if we can. It’s the ability to see that things will get better with persistent action towards a goal. Mo & John are likely asking Santa this year for 900 truck loads of clean fill.
I have been hosted by Mo & John a number of times as my snowmobile adventure tour company stopped frequently at the Northern Lights Motel. You can either look up in the sky or look at the people of Wawa to find inspiration this Christmas. Both work.
Merry Christmas
Ian
Infinite Shades of Grey 