Back from Cobalt

Cobalt, Ontario: the most written about historical town in Ontario - who knew?
I was in Cobalt this past weekend with my wife researching for my new book that, while not about Cobalt, has the all the characters live there and has all the action take place there. What a perfect town to set a story in! The history is rife with disaster and rebuilding, hope and despair, strong community ties and endings as, in typical mining town fashion, the population has dwindled from a high of 15,000 to just over 1000 today. A tiny fact to help you realize how important is to Ontario's history: at one time it produced more silver than any mine in the WORLD ! What miners learned here allowed them to build the CDN mining industry, started industries in Toronto opened the North to development.

However, the people who are still there are amazing. They have not given up and were a joy to share time with. Their stories of "the great fire of 1977" made it feel that this disaster happened yesterday. The tiny but lovely museums and shops had locals talk with great love for the area and its history. The single greatest feeling I left with was that the people there really loved their town and would stick together to help each through thick and thin. Can you imagine a small town that even has its own song? Well, Cobalt has one as you can see below!

This intense sense of belonging is a rare and valuable commodity these days. Like the silver and cobalt that was mined there I think you and I can "mine" this sense of belonging. We can bring home a more permanent treasure, one not as fleeting as silver, but one that can last a lifetime: to work hard to develop a love of place and nurture a sense of belonging with friends and neighbours.
Thank you Cobalt - your love of place and open hearts will be within me always.
Now I can continue writing my book knowing that Cobalt is the perfect place for this story of love and loss, dreaming and fighting -  of over-coming over-whelming odds.