Underneath the Sacred Heart calendar, my grandparents ask me to kneel after supper. Seven heads bow under the fluorescent light; one Our Father, ten Holy Marys, an endless repetition of sounds muttered in hopes of better jobs and better lives, my grandmother’s tired voice, trailing the “Amen” with well-practiced resignation.

Suzanne Aubin is a retired language teacher who loves all things artistic and the great outdoors. She lives in Kelowna, BC.