Moira

I am very proud to share my new morning routine. I start my day in my recliner with my coffee, watching "Schitt'$ Creek". The rule is before I do anything, I watch my show. I don't allow myself to open my computer or check my phone. It is a self-imposed exercise in self-discipline, I put my total focus into the show. I am hopeful by focusing early in the day I will carry it forward for the rest of my day. The best part of my new routine is, early in the morning I am already laughing, the show is just so funny.     

If you haven't watched Schitt'$ Creek, I recommend it. It is a Netflix series and is right up there with Grace and Frankie. Give yourself time to get into the series, it can seem silly at the start. But when you realize you are hooked you will be binge watching until 2 am. Schitt'$ Creek is shot in Orangeville Ontario, and the "Rosebud" is a real motel in the town. It is an exaggerated series of a very wealthy family that went bankrupt and have ended up in Schitt'$ Creek living in the town's run-down motel. The show is about the Rose family learning to live without their wealth and to fit into a small community. Schitt'$ Creek is considered one of the most acclaimed Canadian TV series of all time. 

My favorite person in the Rose family is Moira. Moira made it big in her mind as an actress. She is dramatic in every aspect of her life, as are her children. Every day she dresses like she is going to an elaborate event. She has a collection of wigs and each of them has a name. When she starts to speak, I can't wait to hear what is going to come out of her mouth. It is doubtful that anyone ever talks like her, but to me she makes the show. She will strike off in a wild explanation using big and inappropriate words that no one can make sense of. Her line that has stuck with me is, "life is but a strand of happy accidents".   

After Moira planted her line in my head, I started to think of some happy accidents I have had in my life. I recently went on a road trip with a friend to Winnipeg. After our visit to Costco, we stopped at Polo Park to shop. I haven't been shopping in Winnipeg in forever, and being in a large shopping mall has been even longer. Although I enjoyed wandering around looking at things and the people, it didn't take long for my feet to start to hurt. I had purchased nothing because I was overwhelmed with decisions. If I did want to buy something I couldn't remember what store I had seen it in. Even though I had considered my footwear for the day, I was unsure if I would even be able to walk the next day. 

The next day I could walk and one of Moira's happy accidents had occurred as I read my email from my Fitbit. Apparently, my shopping spree had put me over 10,000 steps, and I received my "FIRST" sneaker badge. I realize many of you do 10,000 steps every day but clearly, I don't. I know that because the email stated I had received my "First" badge. I have never strived to walk 10,000 steps/day, and that is unchanged even with my second sneaker badge on the line. 

Part two of the day trip was to go to Portage and watch my friend square dance. There were 2 full squares of dancers. When my friend and the 15 other people started to dance, they were like a human Rubic cube as they moved about following the caller. I was so impressed with their ability; I couldn't understand a word he was saying. I was hoping everyone knew I was only an observer. I was clearly wrong, when one lady yelled at me from the dance group, "do you want to dance". It is amazing how quickly panic can take over in some situations. I am not sure who screamed quite loudly out of my mouth the word "No" with a very weak "Thanks" to follow. That person also added a tinge of fear. There was no doubt everyone got the message; some even commented that my response was very clear, I was not dancing. I can't even imagine the pile up that would have occurred, had I thought I would give it a whirl. Everyone was so kind and would come over and asked the same question, "so you don't dance". I said I dance, just not square dance. Of course, everyone had to hear my story of how as a child I square danced and that my parents had square danced on TV, but I was not leaving my chair. Even though they said I should try, I did not. I really enjoyed watching them dance, they knew what they were doing. What a great way to get exercise and look at the steps one could accumulate.  

As I watched the dancing, memories of square dancing as a child came flooding back to me. On practice day we would all get off the bus at the Mains house and dear Lil would teach us to dance. We practiced in their small living room and moved about to the caller which was a record. When we were ready, we performed at the Legion program and the Christmas concert. I do remember it being fun and we looked so nice in our black skirts/pants and white shirts. I always wanted to be partnered with one of the bigger boys, but I was tiny then and my partner was always a boy in my own grade. Square dancing is a fond memory of mine. 

I have always loved the Christmas program, "Adopt a Senior". There are various ways of doing it but the most common is for community members to draw a name of a senior to adopt. They will ensure that senior will receive a gift at Christmas. I worked in long-term care for many years and one of the saddest things to watch was the seniors that never receive anything at Christmas, not even a card. Since I was on the lookout for happy accidents, I realized I just had one when I read about the senior program at the Bow Valley Villa. They asked community people to adopt a resident and fill a sock for them. I was delighted to know that every resident was adopted. My family became acquainted with this wonderful facility when Mom spent a couple of months there recovering after her heart attack. It is such a wonderful place to live, and the staff do so much for the seniors. It was no surprise to me to know the community responded to their need. 

Another thing that has been a happy accident in my life, was the day I read about the program, "Teddy Bear Anonymous". It is a program in Saskatchewan started by Luke after he lost his wife and daughter at a young age to a rare genetic stomach cancer. He wanted to honor his daughter's death by making sure every child in a Saskatchewan hospital received a teddy bear. That is what drives this nonprofit organization. The request I read about was for knitted Teddy Bear slippers. Luke now wants every child to receive a pair of Teddy Bear slippers to keep their feet warm, during their stay in the hospital. I didn't realize it at the time, but a happy accident occurred the day I dropped off some slippers and met Summer. She is Luke's niece and has the genetics for the same type of cancer that caused the death of his wife and daughter. To survive Summer has had her stomach removed. For some reason the few minutes we spent together talking about the program will always stay with me. I guess it was a happy accident that brought us together, I felt like I knew her all my life. I think about this family often. What a wonderful way of turning a tragedy into helping others. 

Up until now have you ever thought of happy accidents that have occurred in your life. I am now on the lookout for more of them, like a strand. I feel the first step is to define what a happy accident is, embrace it and name it. Because as you know, "Life is but a strand of Happy Accidents".