Let me begin by asking a question.

It’s a question that might not make sense for a minute or two, but it’s something we should ask ourselves every day. The question is -- what are you doing with your dash?

As we celebrate the 125th anniversary of the settlement of Yorkton, we can rest assured that our forefathers did a great deal with their dash. The dash I refer to here is the small line that appears between the year a person is born and the year a person dies. When we gaze upon the rows of grave markers in our cemeteries, those dashes that separate the years represent a lifetime. And, when you think about it, it’s pretty much up to us how we spend our dash.

When pioneers were invited to populate the Yorkton area in 1882, they came from central and eastern Canada, Great Britain, the United States, Europe, Asia and beyond. Yorkton historians note that most people headed back east for the winter to return next spring, but four brave souls wintered over in one shack that first year. They existed on a few provisions and the generosity of local aboriginal people. They received help when they needed it most.

Those who settled here all those years ago were displaced from faraway places for myriad reasons. As the Canadian prairies attracted more and more pioneers, they in turn displaced a portion of our native population in the race for real estate. Most of us are the progeny of people displaced, and we can take some pride for evolving into a society where cultural clashes are themselves displaced by tolerance and compassion. Being different from other cultures doesn’t mean we are superior to them.

There is a great deal we can learn for our ancestors. They were indeed isolated as they worked the land, but most did not exist in isolation. Our forefathers supported one another as they developed communities and shared progress, because they learned that cooperation strengthens everyone. When your neighbour flourished, the odds of your own success grew. This premise remains unchanged, yet we risk losing it if we allow our support of others to lie fallow. We in Saskatchewan, of all people, have learned that if the seed isn’t planted, there is no harvest.

Spirituality was a cornerstone in pioneering life, and it has endured to this day. Faith in God was a key ingredient in shaping the culture of our communities and very important in helping many through the challenges they faced in settling this land. Faith will keep our communities strong and these beliefs will help to blaze the trail to the future.

In an era of political correctness and cynicism gone awry, the basic principle of “love thy neighbour” need not be diminished. Together, we can transcend the obstacles that conspire to prevent us from sharing with others our comfort, peace and security.

After all is said and done, the question remains – what are you doing with your dash?

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