A Beautiful Lady

There are special people that God has placed in our lives, to enrich our own little corners of the Universe, and today I'd like to pay tribute to one such extraordinary lady.

Her name was Wijtske (fondly known as Winnie by her Canadian friends & family) Laagland Winder. If anyone had asked her to describe herself, I'm sure she would have said there was nothing remarkable about her or her life. She gave birth to 8 children, was a stay-at-home Mom and a loyal and loving wife.

There's not a star on the walk of fame in her honour, nor is she known to the world. Her achievments were nothing out of the ordinary she would tell you; she was just a mother who loved her family and did the best she could.

But to those who loved "her", she epitomized the courage and strength it took to adapt to a new culture and a new beginning after the Second Great World War.

Immigrating to Canada with her husband and 4 young sons, Winnie surely must have struggled to leave her beloved Holland, all remnants of "familiar" (except what they could fit in a large wooden crate) and board a huge troop ship bound for Halifax, taking them to a land of "unknowns", but also opportunities, so they were told.

I imagine, if I close my eyes, Winnie's first glimpse of the shores of Canada, as her 4 boys and husband stood by her side, her excitement building even while her stomach did flip-flops. What would have been her first thought as she tried to quiet those rambunctious "Dutchies" as they climbed up to get a better look?

Fear, I'm sure, must have gripped her heart, but wonder and an intense longing to touch her feet to soil after a 7 day journey on the open seas would have flooded her young mind. How would she manage the language barrier, how would she ever get used to new customs, meet strangers who would look at her with perhaps pity. But maybe those would have been my fears.

I think Winnie Laagland Winder trusted God to take care of her and her family, buckling up for the road ahead. Even as her husband headed off on a train to Fredericton, where he would find work, Winnie did what she had to do to get through those first days at Pier 21, living in dormatory surroundings. Listening to her tell the stories, it would seem she took hold of the adverture in the same manner her children did. "Let's settle in, make the best of things and see what happens".

And on that note, I'm going to leave "the rest of the story" for another post--perhaphs several more posts, as I fondly remember the woman who became my mother-in-law, the stong and capable woman who pulled me into her generous and loving heart.

Stay tuned for more and till the next time (I will try to not keep you waiting too long)--Blessings to you and "Yours",
Barb
PS: The picture at the top is of Winnie and her 2 oldest sons, Arend and Marten. This photo was taken in 1947.