How One Road Trip Exemplified the Importance of Perseverance
“A door has opened for me wide and productive for work, but there are many opponents” (1 Corinthians 16:9).
A couple of summers ago, my husband and I loaded our bags into the car’s trunk, mounted our road bicycles on the roof, and headed out to the Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean region, which is about a two-hour drive north of Québec City, Quebec, for a road trip. Little did I know that it would be a memorable experience on the importance of perseverance. It provided me with numerous examples to use as a little boost when the going gets tough.
A Forgotten Ghost Town Turned Vibrant Historic City
On our second day in Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean, we drove south of the southern shore of Lac Saint-Jean to Val-Jalbert, a former flourishing village that had become a ghost town. In the 1960s, it was restored to its former glory as a historic village frozen in time to 1927. I have a soft spot for re-enactments of the past, and Val-Jalbert checked all the boxes for me. I loved seeing and interacting with the “citizens” (actors) in full 1920s attire who really got into character.
We attended a history lesson at the convent school and had a tour of the state-of-the-art (at that time) pulp and paper mill that was at the heart of the community. In the 1920s, this well-to-do small village had electricity and living standards higher than in the many larger cities nearby. However, when the mill closed, the village, unfortunately, soon met its end. There were signs displaying maps highlighting the houses where the workers lived, which included a list of the names of the people who lived in each home. The personalized touch really brought home the message that this village was once a real town with real people and real stories. It forces one to recall that time certainly goes by rapidly and that everything can change quickly and fade from memory, which instills a sense of appreciation for our lives.
A Long and Hard Hike
My second highlight was the visit to the Parc national de la Pointe-Taillon. It is a piece of land that juts into Lac Saint-Jean. There is essentially one gravel path that follows along the park's perimeter with no way back but to either complete the full 35-kilometer loop-trail or to turn around and retrace one’s steps.
We were the only hikers, but the park was a popular spot for cyclists, several of whom cheered us on as they passed us, braving the long trail in the heat of the summer day among the swarms of mosquitoes, which were only slightly deterred by repellent. Long story short, many hours later, we had made it all the way around the loop and, needless to say, felt very tired but very accomplished. As an aside, funnily enough, we later found out that 35-kilometer racewalking actually became an official championship discipline in 2022.
A Little House Versus a Big Flood
In the middle of the week, we rode our bikes to Chicoutimi, which was the next town over from where we were staying, to visit La Pulperie (pulp and paper) museum. We learned more about the industry that really helped establish the communities of the past, like Val-Jalbert, but also the towns of today.
While in Chicoutimi, a sign for a museum of the Petite Maison Blanche (the little white house) piqued our curiosity, so we ventured over. Our eyes were greeted by the sight of a tiny, white-painted house with, oddly enough, a little waterfall spilling out from under the side door into a pond below. The little house-turned-museum was a wonderful discovery. In an interactive manner, the interior tells the amazing story of the elderly lady living in the house and the house’s resistance and persistence to stay standing during the Saguenay flood in July 1996. All the other neighbouring buildings in the area were washed away by the strong waters, while this little white house refused to go down. Perhaps, it reflects the strength of the local community.
If I had to summarize the lessons we acquired on our trip in one word, it would be “perseverance.” We explored Val-Jalbert, a ghost town turned historic village that was able to adapt and transform into something new despite its main industry faltering nearly a century ago. We physically and mentally persevered through the bugs and heat for the long hike. Finally, we learned about the fascinating story of the Petite Maison Blanche that, against all odds, remarkably remained standing during a devastating flood. Thinking back to these examples from our visit gives me the extra push I need at work or home when it’s hard to persevere.
Sarah Gagliano Taliun is a genetics professor with many interests in addition to studying DNA. She and her husband now call Montreal home. When she is not reading a scientific article or meeting with students, Sarah can be found experimenting with new recipes in the kitchen, reading her Bible, or taking a walk in nature.