“Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow.” ~Albert Einstein

These are words to live by. Learning does not necessarily mean opening a book, sitting in a classroom, or attending school. We learn our most important lessons in life by common observation, listening, and participating. It starts when we come into this world. If you can breathe, you can learn, and learning never stops.

Our community is a vast mix of diverse cultures so even taking a walk or communicating with your neighbours is a life lesson. We are blessed to have such a multicultural and diverse mix of people in the Boyle Street and McCauley neighbourhoods with each person bringing his or her diversity to our doorstep! I have learned so much from their life lessons on things like gardening, cooking, and culture. People are the best teachers and experiences and traditions are the best lessons. The more diverse your environment, the more you learn.

I have learned so much in this community about cultural traditions, language, history, environment, and adaptability. I consider my neighbours and the people I meet every day in this community to be the best teachers I have had in my life!

This area, being one of the oldest communities in the city and which has seen decades of change, is an amazing classroom. I have seen structures come up and structures come down. I often think, “If these streets could talk, oh the stories they could share.” Taking a bus ride through our community has been my best museum!

Talk a walk through your neighbourhood. Consider it the best classroom in which the best lesson in being taught. You will graduate with a degree in life!

Ian is a resident of Boyle Street, a member of the Advisory Board for Services for Persons with Disabilities for the City of Edmonton, and the recipient of the Glenrose Award of Courage.