My mom loved to garden. She was an artist and she brought her creative abilities into nature. She never followed a formal structure or a plan. She figured things out as she went and tended to plants in her own unique way.
The spring before she went into long term care for Alzheimer’s disease, she planted bulbs in my beds. A bunch here, a sprinkling there. There is no rhyme or reason. Now, every March, the daffodils, tulips and crocuses pop up across my yard in the most unusual of places. They creating a beautiful collage of bright colours; and I see my mother reflected every time they appear. #JoyBlogging
Today, I went hiking with my sisters. It was a beautiful afternoon as we climbed up through the winding trails, surrounded by cedar trees, talking about our childhood memories and hopes for the future. There is something incredibly special about people who have known you your whole life: who share your life experiences and understand the complexity of family dynamics.
As we emerged at the summit, I looked across the horizon, admiring the Pacific ocean, and I felt a sense of awe and deep gratitude. We slowly descended the mountain and, after we were done, we stopped in at Mosi where we shared a delicious range of freshly baked goods (so good!) and herbal tea. It was the perfect end to a wonderful afternoon spent together. #JoyBlogging
This afternoon after work, I was tired and grouchy and fed up. It had been a long week and I felt low. But as I looked out my window, I spotted the sun making an appearance after several wet days of grey and rain. My little white dog gazed up at me expectedly with his black eyes and twitching nose; and I knew that I needed to take him out.
Sometimes the body tells us one thing but the mind knows the truth. Even though I wanted to collapse on the couch, I knew that I needed to get out and move my body to feel better. I knew that my dog deserved to stretch his legs and exercise after waiting for me patiently all day.
And do you know what? After being out in the fresh air for two minutes, my spirits started to lift. I walked for an hour in my neighbourhood in the late afternoon sunlight; and when I returned home, it was still light outside. I realized that the days are getting longer. Spring is really on its way. What an incredible gift. I am so glad that I did not miss it. #JoyBlogging
My friend Mary agreed to join me for a day hike up island today. We set off for Mystic Beach, which is located a few hours up island. It is a part of the Juan de Fuca Trail. After arriving in the parking lot, we wandered through stunning, old growth forest for about an hour until we emerged upon a pristine beach. The sky was open and blue. The air was crisp and fresh. We sat upon a log and enjoyed the view with our kombucha, hummus and cut veggies, as the waves crashed in front of us.
After making our way back along the trail, we stopped in at Shirley Delicious for lunch. We enjoyed beautiful, fresh sandwiches on house made focaccia and vegetable soup. It was warming and tasty. I am filled with gratitude after sharing a beautiful day of laughter, conversation and time in nature with my dear friend. #JoyBlogging
As a highly sensitive person, I often feel overwhelmed by the dark forces in this world. This is why I love this advice from RuPaul. Acknowledge the darkness but do not fall into its deep abyss. Focus your energy on making beauty and generating joy. Act as a beacon of hope in this dark world. We each have an important role to play, however small.
Since I was thirteen years old, and my parents split up, and then remarried, I have had a blended family. No matter the holiday (Christmas, Easter, Thanksgiving) it meant two different celebrations, in two different households. When I got married myself, we added in my husband’s family into the mix; and when we eventually got divorced, my daughter began her own complicated journey with juggling multiple families over the holiday season.
It has always been hard to try and fit everyone in, and manage family dynamics. So many people and so many expectations. This year, I decided to take a step back from tradition. I wanted to try and celebrate the holiday season in a way that felt right for me, rather than prioritizing everyone else. This meant asking myself some hard questions: What do I want to invite more of into my life? And what can I let go of?
The holidays are an emotionally charged time for everyone. Although it was difficult to make change, as it required setting boundaries, and risking the disappointment of others, I did my best to approach it with kindness and compassion.
As a result, I enjoyed the first Christmas in forty-seven years that truly embodied the spirit of the season for me: Friendship. Community. Love. Joy. Ease. Laughter. Connection. It was all of the best things rolled into one, and for that, I am so deeply grateful. #JoyBlogging
This past weekend, my daughter and I travelled to Vancouver for our annual holiday trip. It is a tradition for us to go to Grouse Mountain for their Peak of Christmas celebration. My sister and I have been taking our kids every year, since they were little. It is a beautiful, snowy wonderland at the top of the mountain. Santa is there to visit in his workshop, along with his reindeer. There is a lovely light path through the forest, which is magical to walk after dusk. Festive holiday movies play in the theatre all day and the restaurant serves a great lunch.
To top the day off, you get to ride the gondola back down to the base: enjoying a breathtaking view across Vancouver and the Burrard Inlet as you make the descent. I cherish the opportunity to make these special memories with the ones I love. They are much more valuable than any present left under a tree. #JoyBlogging
There is something beautiful and sacred about the quiet, uninterrupted early morning hours. Although it is hard to get out of bed when the alarm goes off, I cherish the time it offers me to read, write, reflect and move my body. It is a pause before my day starts up in earnest: an instance when I am not a mother, sister or daughter. I am simply a woman taking a moment back for herself. #JoyBlogging
One of my favourite things about living in Aix was the daily outdoor market. I love that markets remains a central part of the French culture. It is a beautiful thing to be connected to where your food comes from and the people who bring it to you.
After dropping my daughter at school, I would shop with the vendors every morning. The larger market took place three times a week on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. It sprawled across most of the old town, and it included clothing, antiques, housewares and fresh food. The smaller food and flower market took place on all other days.
I would wander from the larger gathering at Place des Prêcheurs to the smaller square at Place Richleme, visiting my favourite vendors. It was such a gift to choose from an ever changing, seasonal selection of fresh, locally-sourced produce, cheese, fish and meat.
Throughout our eight weeks spent in the city, I became friendly with many of the people who worked the market stalls and in the local shops (e.g. fish monger and bakery). In a place where I knew very few people, I looked forward to seeing their smiling faces brighten when I approached their stand, or wave their hand in recognition, as I passed by.
Although we did not know each by names, a familiarity grew, and we would warmly ask after each other’s health and well being. They were very kind to me and I deeply appreciated the human connection and a sense of community that came from getting to know all of them. #JoyBlogging
My two sisters and my niece came to visit us while we were living in Aix this spring. Our plan was to spend a few days together in the city and then head down to the coast to stay in a popular seaside village, Cassis. Our family had vacationed there fifteen years previously, so it holds a special place in our hearts. We booked our accommodation months in advance, as it was a school holiday, and a very busy time of year in France.
The night before we were to set out, the VRBO owner called to cancel our booking. No real explanation was provided. He just cancelled. Needless to say, it was very upsetting, and everyone was incredibly disappointed as my family had travelled all the way from Canada to return to this special place.
We started researching our options. We looked at hotels. AirBnb. VRBO alternatives. At first, it appeared that there was nothing, as most places were booked up. It looked like we were not going to be able to go. At the last moment, I reached out to one owner on AirBnB, and I explained our situation. It turned out that she had just joined the site, and her rental was not quite ready, but she was willing to make it available to us, due to the circumstances.
The house was located in Saint Cyr-sur-Mer, a charming little town on the Mediterranean. It had a pool and it was within walking distance of the ocean. The place was lovely and it actually surpassed our original booking with its amenities. We all felt very fortunate to have found it and we enjoyed our time there together immensely. During our stay, we took a day trip to Cassis to ocean kayak in the calanques, and we visited our special town.
Although it was a bumpy start to our vacation, the experience turned out to be very memorable and wonderful in the end; and this was entirely thanks to the kindness and generosity of strangers. #JoyBlogging
Now that the time has fallen back, and there are less hours of sunlight in the day, my friends and I are back to swimming in the ocean in the early morning hours. Rich in magnesium, seawater helps release stress, relax your muscles and promote deep sleep. Swimming in the sea has also been linked to stimulating the parasympathetic system which is responsible for rest and repair and can trigger the release of dopamine and serotonin.
Exposure to full spectrum sunlight in the morning causes our bodies to produce serotonin, which not only helps later on with nighttime sleep, but improves mood throughout the day. Bright lights have been used for a long time as standard treatment for seasonal depression. Outdoor light, even on a cloudy day, delivers considerably more lux than indoor light.
I love this special time with my friends. We always laugh a lot and it is a great micro opportunity to catch up on each others lives. Although I never want to go into the cold water (and it does not get easier), I never regret doing it. It makes my body and mind feel electric for the rest of the day. #JoyBlogging
After having the rare and privileged opportunity to travel the world over these last few months, I realize that no matter how wonderful it is to be an explorer, nothing compares to coming home and belonging to a community. #JoyBlogging
“We are all longing to go home to some place we have never been: a place half-remembered and half-envisioned. We can only catch glimpses of it from time to time. Community. Somewhere there are people to whom we can speak with passion without having the words catch on our throats. Somewhere a circle of hands will open to receive us. Eyes will light up when we enter. Voices will celebrate with us. Arms to hold us when we falter. A circle of healing. A circle of friends. Someplace we can be free.”
Breath by Breath 