“Communities are built not just on close friendships and family relationships, but on the small, everyday social interactions that take place in public spaces,” writes Andrea K. Paterson. “I worry that these social interactions are going extinct and discuss why they are important to the fabric of community.”
About Andrea K. Paterson
Originally from Ontario, I moved to Vancouver British Columbia four years ago to study literature. I fell in love with the West Coast, fell in love with the man who is now my husband, and set about to live the life of an aspiring artist.
While I do maintain a day job, I spend as much time as I can writing, reading, taking pictures, sculpting in a variety of media, knitting, and developing my skills as a chef. Having recently discovered that I am allergic to eggs, dairy, and gluten I have developed a keen interest in alternative ingredients, whole foods, and organic living.
My husband and I also spent one year writing and producing an album called Love Lies Bleeding under the band name Amaranth Road.
Ukrainian Easter Traditions
Andrea K. Paterson remembers the Ukrainian traditions that were a part of Easter when she was growing up, and thinks about her own role in keeping those traditions alive, from the making of the butter lamb to rolling cabbage rolls and making Ukrainian Easter eggs.
How to Save a Cow
Andrea K. Paterson asks, “Why, when people start avoiding animal products for ethical reasons, do they most often decide to avoid meat but still eat eggs and dairy rather than avoiding eggs and dairy but continuing to eat meat?”
In Defense of Fiction
In an all-too-real world of 24-hour news, is fiction still relevant? And how do we decide which stories to tell our children?
The Soul of Orkney
Andrea Paterson travels to Orkney and encounters “a wind-swept land that speaks to my very soul. I wonder about places in the world that call to us and reflect our own natures.”
The Orchid’s Gift
Flowers are the ultimate Valentine’s gift so in honour of the season Andrea K. Paterson shares a story about an orchid that taught her a lesson of love.
Chickadee Speaks: Reflections on Our Endangered Silence
Andrea K. Paterson speaks about the noisy environment that we live in and discusses the tragic loss of natural silence. She urges people to consider attending to silence and to nurture the silent places.
Lost Dreams of Motherhood
Three weeks after experiencing a miscarriage I have found that there is a deep silence surrounding the issue of pregnancy loss. In an attempt to fill the void I am sharing my own story in the hope that it will help others in their own journeys through grief and loss. Miscarriage is surprisingly common and yet the experience remains shrouded in mystery and misconceptions. Speaking out and shattering the silence is my own first step towards recovery.
Touching Stuff
From the time when we’re babies old enough to understand the word “No” we’re made to keep our hands off the things that are most alluring to us. This extends to adulthood when we are not allowed to touch things in museums or touch things that we encounter in the wild. Andrea Paterson discusses the compulsion to touch that which is forbidden and explores the human desire to experience the world in a tactile way.
A World Without Miracles
The holiday season often evokes a sense of wonder and the possibility of magic. Andrea Paterson ponders how miracles are slowly becoming extinct in the world and points to some instances where magic and miracles still live.