It happens often.

You hear about or meet people that are extraordinary.

The reasons for that can be many, they are great mentors, they excel at something, etc.

But there also those people that at first glance strike you as just another person.
But then, as happens so often in life, there is one event or one moment and you quickly realize this person or that couple are special and extraordinary.

Campbell and Ruth McCubbin are in the special and extraordinary category.

Recently married, they live on Vancouver Island.

It’s spectacular, their ocean-front home overlooking the Salish Sea.

And that’s where their amazing story starts.

I met them through Facebook. First Cam and then Ruth.

What intrigued me, was something simple and, yet, so powerful – their posted pictures. They were special, unique, a joy to look at.

These pictures spoke to you in a powerful way, they captured an essence of joy and beauty felt by both Ruth (lots of flowers) and Campbell’s (landscape vista’s), when taking them.

So it was time to find out more about these two.

And I did.

Turns out Campbell was born in Scotland. Spent 50 years as a broadcaster, working in Calgary, Ottawa and Vancouver.

Ruth also worked in broadcasting – 43 years ago at radio station CKWX, at the same time that Cam did.

The two lost touch when Ruth moved to Toronto.

But then one moment changed both their lives.

it was 40 years later.

Three things happened.

Ruth’s husband died.

Cam was busily posting daily on Facebook – his spectacular photographs of sunrises from his new home on Vancouver Island.

Eureka.

Ruth saw them.

They inspired her so much she moved back to the Wescoast.

And then tragedy struck.

Cam’s wife died.

Eventually the two friends became a couple and got married last year in November.

But the road to marital bliss was not easy.

Here is Ruth in her own words:

“If our first year together on Arbutus Ridge, Vancouver Island were a Hollywood movie, it would be called, “A Year in Paradise: A Pandemic, Four Surgeries and A Wedding”. We began our life as a couple in the early months of the Covid shutdowns, Cam had hip surgery, hernia surgery, and cataract surgery on both eyes, and we got married. It was a tiny wedding, with only four guests! 

“Our life together is magical. We are up as early as 4:30am, photographing spectacular sunrises. We have morning coffee on the deck, watching the freighters, ferries, fish boats, crab boats, and bird life.”

She continues:

“Living on the seacoast of the Cowichan Valley, we two photographers have an abundance of subjects to photograph, and spend many hours a day touring the countryside, or standing on our deck overlooking Saltspring Island and the Satellite Channel of the Salish Sea. From our deck, we point our cameras at hummingbirds, and take many pictures of eagles, herons, roses, and flowers.”

Their love for the land and nature even extends to what they eat – fresh salmon, halibut and prawns from a fish market, locally raised beef and chicken, fresh vegetables and berries, local cheese and jams. Farm stands selling eggs, and flowers are everywhere along the hilly, winding roads.

There is a lesson and moral here – be open minded, explore, discover and find out what makes people tick

And often when you do, you discover there is something special about them.

Every Wednesday journalist, George Froehlich, gets personal – sharing with you, his amazing travel destinations, his wonderful recipes, art he loves, music he enjoys.
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