As the dawn of a new year arrives, reflections on the past year swirl in our heads and we peer into 2018. With history being the best indicator of the future, it would be easy to look at the past 12 months and worry about the upcoming year. But when we ask ourselves what this new year will bring, we may find a good indicator in another question: will this year be positive for the marginalized and challenged individuals in our society?

Of all the seasons of the year, Christmas brings out the most emotion. For some, it’s simply a holiday from normal life. For others, it’s a time to party. But many find this to be the loneliest time of year.

The holiday season is upon us, and for many this can be an overwhelming and stressful time. Whether you’re challenged with the added expense of food and gifts, an overflowing calendar of events, or by difficult family dynamics, many are simply left depleted and emotionally exhausted.

The early 1970s found me entering Junior High and a new pilot program whereby all the classroom’s desks had been removed and replaced by a large circular table and chairs. Even the teacher’s desk was non-existent. He, too, was required to sit at the table with us.

I am an environmentalist. That is, I’m someone who believes in sustainable sustainability—prudent environmentalism that makes sense and is in harmony with a person’s lifestyle and economics. I suspect that most of us fit this description with only a few outliers on the ends of the spectrum.

The original pioneers of Niverville, of both British and Mennonite ancestry, inspired many other groups to settle the prairies by demonstrating its enormous agricultural potential. The hardiness and determination of these early settlers, many coming from a harsh environment in Russia, ensured that this unforgiving land would be transformed into a place from which livelihoods could be wrested, in spite of the challenges.