Go to the Water

I watched an inspiring piece of news about a 71-year-old man who had lost his wife of 45 years and his daughter. As a retired social worker, he was encouraged by his granddaughter, that lost her mom, to turn his pain into purpose. What this man does is: he sets up two chairs and a table in various public places and encourage people to sit and talk. He is taking a step towards hope and kindness shown by a total stranger. He is traveling all across Canada and is doing what he calls "lean into love, lean into life".  I was at coffee with a friend whose husband had passed away just before Christmas. She said that everyone had left from Christmas and it was the first day she was on her own. She had no expectations of herself; she was just going to "see" how she made out. She said, "this is the process, this is how it's done and something I have to go through". One thing she was planning was to return to her volunteer positions; she was ready to give back. S...

What are your first thoughts when you think of starting a new year? This year my first thought was the fact that we have one quarter of a century behind us. I also did the math and realized when we are halfway through the century, I will be 94 years old. I feel honored to come from female longevity, but it scares me to think of a 94-year-old me.   My "write 6 things I am going to do in my 70th year journal on the 27th of every month" is already derailed. I started on November 27th, and I never made it one month without forgetting to do it. This may not be as easy as I thought, it wasn't until Dec 30th that I remembered. I should have kept writing all the great ides I had in November because so far, I have only been able to come up with one thing out of the 6. Clearly, I have no trouble creating a deadline or identifying a specific date to make sure I stay organized. I have come to realize it is the follow through that is the issue.    I had planned all through the Ch...

Today is the last day to decide what needs to stay in 2025 and what is going into 2026. This is it; how you are going to step into the new year should be established, locked and loaded, and ready to go.  I would assume that the majority of people will just roll from one year to another, just like they roll from one day to the next. I realize there are people that calmly go about their lives not making or even considering making changes on New Year's Eve. I will refer to them as content with life. For the rest of it, today and tomorrow are exciting days.    A friend of mine who is only 40 said that 2026 is going to be her year. She has suffered with some serious health issues for the last 3 years and she has decided things are going to turn around for her in 2026. She is ready to kick 2025 to the curb. There is power in positive thinking, and this girl has it in spades. If you have had a tough year, I am hopeful you are ready to leave that in 2025 and go for it in 2026. I ...

At the start of 2025 I read an article that said to do three or four things with gusto instead of trying to do a bunch of things and end up with all of them not successful. I have always thought of myself as a gusto kind of person. I am all-in when it comes to an idea about lifestyle or organizing an event. At the start of the year, way back in January, I started writing this post. I felt it would be perfect for an end of the year blog. I added a bit from time to time, and when I was ready to finish it, I thought this is not gusto, this is a mess. The meaning of gusto is "enthusiastic and vigorous enjoyment or appreciation". That definition was not even close to what I had written. I wanted to stay true to myself and finish what I started, which meant I needed to rethink this post and do considerable rewriting. So, as lame as it is, here is my gusto. What you are about to read is 3 subtle changes I have made throughout the year, not with gusto but with appreciation.     ...

"May Your Days be Merry and Bright" is a heartfelt expression shared during the holiday season to lift spirits, spread kindness, and create lasting memories. It is hope that  the coming year will be filled with blessings.  So far this Christmas season has been "Merry and Bright" for me. I seem to be busy with invitations. It is hard to imagine that at my age there are things I have never done before. I wore an ugly sweater for the first time, yes, I have dodged that bullet so far. I borrowed a sweater; it was not an investment I wanted to make. My second new thing was, I joined my good friend's grade 5/6 French class for a raclette lunch. I am familiar with raclette, but it was amazing to see it through the eyes of a young student. I was in absolute awe of the ability the students had to speak French so fluently. Such a fun day for me. My lunch contribution The weather has messed a bit with my merry and bright. It seems every time I attempt to go out of town to ...

I just wrote a message to a dear friend thanking her for a homemade gift. I ended it with, "I hope you get back in life what you give". This woman is an inspiration. We met through paddling, and she is well into her 80s.  She is a giver; she never misses a thing and always does her part and more. She is one of those people that you can always count on. Her wisdom and knowledge are unbelievable. She has led an exciting life of travel and living in foreign countries. She shares stories with such a tremendous recall of years and places. She always has a big smile and even bigger laugh and heart. She is the queen of giving more than she will ever get back in life. Most people her age are unable to give like they used to. It is their time to be on the receiving end of giving.    I am sure without a minute's hesitation everyone could  name someone that gives more than what they will ever get back in life. The way they conduct their lives is an inspiration to others. Givers...

A random gift is a surprise present given without specific occasion, often to spread joy, part of a pay it forward moment. I believe that random gifts are the best thing ever! For me, what is most meaningful is the thought that a person puts into a random gift.  I am always moved when someone gives me a gift, and it is a reflection of what I love.  I'm reminded of how transparent I am, people pick up on what I really like, and they bless me with those things.   I never feel compelled to go out and get them a gift in return, I just enjoy the moment. I do feel compelled to get something for someone else, so they can feel that feeling of just getting a random gift. Paying it forward is a big part of random gift giving.   I got this sweet little ornament from a paddling friend. We are soul glitter sisters. When she saw it, she said she knew I had to have it. It was all rolled up in one decoration, the experience we had at the rodeo, the pink, the glitter and not to ...

I often end conversations or text messages with "You got this girl". In my world, w o men simply can't encourage other women enough. The power of a woman is incredible, and I want to make sure all women have the confidence to use their power and be successful.  This mantra needs no explaining. I have said it to myself many times. It helped me to move forward, when I had self-doubt and thought the best solution was to give up.    Successful women use these three little words, and have people in their world that say, "I'm on it". "I'm on it" means, of high importance, I will do that right now, you don't have to worry about it one more second. I like to be able to say to others, "I'm on it". I drop everything and quickly resemble the cat in the picture.   A big part of being successful is reaching out to others for their help along the way. Asking for help is one of the most difficult things we do, it comes with an uncomfortable ...

I have been retired for four years now, how that is even possible is beyond me. I spent the first two years trying to figure out what being retired meant and the next two years appreciating the true meaning. I am proud to say, I think I got it! I have settled in nicely to my new lifestyle. To be honest, I couldn't possibly work, it would take up too much time, and who would hire me.  I often find myself in a conversation about retirement. Many people use the word "busy" to describe it.  That busyness seemed to revolve around grandchildren or helping their parents. Volunteering is a very common activity for retired people. We like the routine of every week, going to the same place, at the same time, on the same day, and very often doing the same thing. Then there are those that retired to travel. They are true to themselves, and they will be found either on a vacation or planning to go on a vacation. Some retirees do all of these things and more. Being retired is definitel...