The following articles have been published in The Suburban Newspaper at www.thesuburban.com
My Column is titled: Living in the Now
Although, today I caught myself leaving my home and saying this to my dog, “Okay Poopie. Mommy is leaving for just a few hours to teach. I love you. I promise to give you big cuddles when I get back. Here’s a treat. Be a good boy. I love you. You are so delicious. Mommy loves you Poopie.”
Right after saying those words, I said this to my husband, “Bye!”
I think something is shifting in me…
One of my crazy pet peeves is dirty winter boots. I know this seems completely ridiculous and no need to get all upset about it, but it really bugs me! During the winter in Canada outdoor boots get covered in sand, salt, slush, dirt, snow, rain and mud. Our winter boots take a beating. What bothers me is when someone is dressed really nicely, but their winter boots are covered in salt stains, dirt, sand, slush, and more dirt. It simply takes an occasional wipe with a wet towel to clean winter boots. It just bugs me!
HOT OFF THE ‘VALENTINE’S DAY’ PRESS.
”I Love You, I Love You, I Love You, Unnerstand! ”
A Valentine’s Day featured article in The Suburban Newspaper Thursday e-Edition column – Living in the Now.
I wanted this nightgown to last forever!
Every time I wore it, I felt love and silliness.
The joke surrounding the word “unnerstand” was simply due to the fact that I had, and still have, great difficulty spelling. So, it seemed perfectly normal for me to be wearing a nightgown which had a word misspelled. Actually, it was quite defining and appropriate considering it represented the real me.
Considering this is my Year of Love and we are on the heels of Valentine’s Day, I must let you know, I do feel the LOVE from my readership here and everywhere in the world. When I compose, I do so with a mandate to spread positivity and an appreciation for the little things in life. At times I hope to make you laugh, understand a quirky perspective, and experience some levity. Other times, I try to extract the importance in appreciating the simple joys of life. Especially now and today, love with all your might!
A little annoyed, I went back to my seat to watch the second half of the show. I was internally disturbed. Even though, the show was entertaining, I kept on replaying her words in my head. “Empty Nester, empty nester, empty nester.” Those words felt like nausea to me. Then, I started to rationalize my thoughts and feelings. How is my nest empty?
On the weekends, he would drive to Montreal in his Golden Eagle Trans Am. When he didn’t come to Montreal, he would call me on the phone. If he couldn’t call me, he would write me a letter. Not just any ordinary letter, a love letter. I still have them. In one of his letters he wrote that he envisioned us “In a gold carriage being pulled by white horses into a sky destined for love”. I blushed from that line. It has stayed with me for over (gulp!) 35 years. That was romantic writing.
I’m officially driving my New Year’s plan and its taking a lovely effect. No big plans for dieting. No big plans to join a gym. No big plans to save more. No big plans to do what’s marketed. I know I can improve on the person I am and I will be doing just that in 2020. My main objective and goal of this year is to put more love into my life. LOVE! Yes! LOVE!
So… what are you fabulous at? There’s got to be at least one thing which you do, which pleases yourself so much that you know you’re fabulous. Could it be cooking, dancing, skiing, training, golfing, swimming, being the best parent ever, being a great friend, being a great sibling or being the best child ever? Ask yourself.
Suddenly, I heard the loud horn sound which announced the start of the relay race. I got so excited to receive the baton, but it was going to take quite a while until it got to me. It had to pass through around 100 hands. I waited with the Green team’s fastest girl. I didn’t talk to her even though she was my bunkmate. I knew I was going to beat her. I was thinking of all the things I was going to say to her when I ran passed her. I was reciting these lines in my head, “See ya later baby! Bye Bye Birdie! Catch ya later! Smell my wind! Eat my dust!”
In this 1920 summer picture, Sadye Lightstone (my grandmother) is 16 years old. Now I am 3rd generation and my daughter who also loves to canoe, is our 4th generation canoeist. It’s totally in our blood!
All the time, I had the classic picture of Lake Louise in my mind. The perfect blue sky with matching water along a still mirrored lake, cloudless, with endless skies. This calendar picture was a perfect still. And…no other people were within the view. As we drove into the mountain range, dark clouds billowed with moisture and so began our battle with nature.
Note to self: Weather in mountainous areas changes every 5 minutes! During the fall, it can be warm and sunny, and within 5 minutes it can be snowing and blowing. We didn’t expect what was next!
Oh, it’s very real. It’s all around us. It’s everywhere you may look. It’s on your street, in your community, and certainly in your city. It’s quiet. It’s alone. It’s simple. It’s need. And… it needs you! There is need everywhere. People who need. Animals who need. Families who need. Communities who need. The list is long. It’s very long. Too long not to notice. Especially with the holidays and cold weather surrounding us, need seems to be more needing now.
It’s time to get your big boy boots on and face the music of this rodeo. When the darkness falls upon you, laugh at it and say, “Oh ya! I’m going to the gym or I’m going for a run or I’m going to do whatever I would normally do even though it’s in darkness. This is my rodeo and I’m going to ride this dark horse!”
Now, I feel like a seasoned old hen! Older and somewhat wiser, but still not able to spell well. The old lesson I grew up with now has a new attachment to it. New Lesson: If you want something really badly, then work super hard for it and you will earn it. However, if obtaining it is completely out of your control, accept those limitations and move onto the next goal.
Perhaps I’m feeling as autumn does the changing of my leaves. The beautiful crimson colours the trees and bushes change into. The newly crisp flowy air with less humidity. The lifting of summer’s glee with preparation for winter’s roar! I look forward to autumn and I do love when it’s here. But as the flowers, I too have become exhausted and require some rest.
I love children and I love plants. I love to watch people develop into interesting people. I thrill to watch small successes become big successes. Therefore, I think my common denominator is GROWTH!
My daughter insisted I watch the series, “Sharp Objects”. I watched it with her. We didn’t move for hours. We sat on the couch, watching this very disturbing series. It took us two days to finish the series and at the end we were worn out from… too much watching. Was I entertained? Yes. Would I do this again? No! What I enjoyed most was all the time I got to spend with my daughter. I would have preferred to be walking, dining, and seeing a live show instead, but being with her anytime is priceless.
I used to run for fun. Always, for tirelessly very long lengths of time. Up and down hills and on all types of terrain. In rain, wind, sun, heat, snow, it didn’t matter. Now, I’m particular about the terrain, temperature, and distance. Why? Because my knees ache from the surface or the climate or the distance. Again, because I’m older and I’ve been running for over 30 years. My knees don’t like running, but my head and heart love it.
In the most unlikely place, at the base of my outdoor staircase along the paved driveway, was this beautiful flower. It was growing in a tiny spec of earth between wood and pavement. It found the will to grow and be. Good Morning Sue!
A couple of days later on my morning walk, I quickly looked for the flower. The flower blossom was gone. The little plant was still there, but the blossom had finished and another was on the rise. My continued thought was I’m glad I captured the photo when I did. In life, beauty does not last forever.
One person’s excellent day might be another person’s Ok day. Since this measurement is almost impossible to account for, perhaps reversing the theory as “It doesn’t get much better than this”, might be a simpler way to measure your happiness.
Author / Writer / Columnist / Educator
