news&views Autumn 2021 | Page 27

Gordon Cumming | Former President , ARTA ; Current Governance Committee Member , ARTA ; and Chair , Alberta Retired Teachers ’ Charitable Foundation

What is your favourite virtue ?

Throughout my childhood , career , and into retirement , I have grown because of the generosity of family , friends , colleagues , and so many others in my community . Generosity of time and talent , encouragement and understanding , resourcefulness as well as resources engendered capacity and confidence that led to the success of this lucky beneficiary . I hope I learned from their example and have been able to extend their generosity to the following generation .

What is your idea of happiness ?

Charles Schultz said , “ Happiness is a warm puppy ,” although I never saw a pooper-scooper in a Peanuts cartoon . That definitely is a limitation to his theory . Relationships are the source of my happiness . Happiness is being stopped by a smiling adult in a mall and introduced to their child : “ This was my teacher .” It ’ s laughing with your children and grandchildren , and it ’ s sharing the deck on an Antarctic cruise with your Halloween date from 1966 .

What is your greatest regret ?

I ’ m sure we all can look back at moments of decision or indecision , when we could have taken a different fork in the road . Growing up , if there was a consequence for doing less than my best , my mother could be counted on for Whittier ’ s quote , “ For of all sad words of tongue or pen , the saddest are these : It might have been !” That said , I ’ m not sure I have a greatest regret . With the majority of my teaching in junior high schools , I have been imprinted with an adolescent sense of humour and an attention span that releases me quickly to move forward to the next venture . As Paul Anka wrote in his classic “ My Way ,” “ regrets , I ’ ve had a few , but then again too few to mention .”

Gordon and Bev Cumming

What is your favourite place in Canada ?

My favourite place in Canada is ... Canada . It ’ s those locations and events that give me an ‘ aha ’ feeling . An ‘ aha ’ feeling that is particularly pronounced when it is shared with friends or family . Coast-to-coast on VIA Rail , or curried poutine in Ottawa ’ s ByWard Market . A grandchild ’ s first beavertail and cheering them on at the field , gym , or arena . It ’ s standing at the rim of Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump and savouring the breeze that sweeps down from the sweet grass of the foothills . It ’ s the view of the Calgary skyline when returning home from a shared adventure . news & views AUTUMN 2021 | 27