A dear friend of mine passed away on Thursday, very suddenly, from a massive heart attack. She was only 56. Her husband, (one of my very best friends) was left to pick up the pieces and carry on. I had been out of contact with my friends for about 2 1/2 years, due to circumstances somewhat out of my control. Fortunately, I was able to get in touch with them this past summer and make amends. I was also able to go to Calgary and spend a weekend with them during August. It may not seem like much, especially after all that time, but I'm really glad I was able to take that step and rekindle a friendship that was very special and important to me.
This has also reconfirmed my belief that life is short and every moment counts. When we don't take the time to remember those who are important to us they may be gone and we won't be able to get that time back.
So, stop and smell the roses whenever you can. Don't be in such a hurry to get where you're going, it'll still be there when you get there. Don't sweat the small stuff. Take every opportunity to tell those you care about how you feel. Remember to help those around you and do what you can to leave this world a better place than you found it. And always follow your dreams, no matter how out of reach they may seem.
If I had the opportunity to say any final words to Dale, I would have thanked her for her friendship, her unconditional love, her kind and giving spirit. I would have told her what a difference she made in many people's lives. I would have commended her for her bravery in dealing with the illnesses she had and the treatments she endured.
I pray that those left behind will be comforted and know that she is now in a better place, free from the pain she dealt with daily. She's been reunited with her parents and she can rest in peace.
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
"Oh, The Weather Outside Is Frightful".....
Ok, "frightful" might be a bit strong but it has been yucky out there. Although, it is Nov. 5 and we are just now getting hit with the white stuff, I guess it could be worse.
When I got home from work this morning my upstairs neighbors were on their front steps marvelling at the winter wonderland they had woken up to. They just moved here this summer from Australia and this is the first time they had ever seen snow! It was really quite interesting to see it from their point of view. Tuie kept saying how beautiful it was as she held out her hand to catch the falling flakes that were big and fluffy at that point. She and her husband and son had been up early that morning to play in the snow, as evidenced by the miniature snowman sitting in the middle of the front lawn. I scoffed when I heard her gush about how beautiful she thought it was, and I made some comments about how it wasn't too bad now but wait until it gets colder, (they didn't realize that it can and will get much colder.)
Then I stopped my disparaging remarks for a moment and looked at the blanket of white that lay cold and frozen over the lawns and trees in the neighborhood. I thought what it must be like for this family in a new country, experiencing things for the first time. And I realized it was beautiful, very beautiful in fact. I'm still not a big fan of snow or cold, but it reminded me that if you try you can always find beauty and wonder in everything around you. You may not like what you see or experience, but you can find a way to appreciate it.
I guess it's that eternal, or terminal as some people would say, optimism that has always kept me going. But even sometimes I lose sight of the "glass is half full" mentallity and need a little something (a brick or a brick wall to fall on my head) to remind me that nothing is ever as bad as it seems.
When I got home from work this morning my upstairs neighbors were on their front steps marvelling at the winter wonderland they had woken up to. They just moved here this summer from Australia and this is the first time they had ever seen snow! It was really quite interesting to see it from their point of view. Tuie kept saying how beautiful it was as she held out her hand to catch the falling flakes that were big and fluffy at that point. She and her husband and son had been up early that morning to play in the snow, as evidenced by the miniature snowman sitting in the middle of the front lawn. I scoffed when I heard her gush about how beautiful she thought it was, and I made some comments about how it wasn't too bad now but wait until it gets colder, (they didn't realize that it can and will get much colder.)
Then I stopped my disparaging remarks for a moment and looked at the blanket of white that lay cold and frozen over the lawns and trees in the neighborhood. I thought what it must be like for this family in a new country, experiencing things for the first time. And I realized it was beautiful, very beautiful in fact. I'm still not a big fan of snow or cold, but it reminded me that if you try you can always find beauty and wonder in everything around you. You may not like what you see or experience, but you can find a way to appreciate it.
I guess it's that eternal, or terminal as some people would say, optimism that has always kept me going. But even sometimes I lose sight of the "glass is half full" mentallity and need a little something (a brick or a brick wall to fall on my head) to remind me that nothing is ever as bad as it seems.
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