Go to the Water

Amazing is defined as very surprising,  makes you feel pleasure, approval or wonder. Have you ever thought of developing an "Amazing Person List"? Who would you put on it if you did?  I could have a much longer list, but I decided to keep it to a list of three.   1. Terry Fox: Terry lost his leg in 1977 after he was diagnosed with osteosarcoma. In 1980 Terry began the "Marathon of Hope" which was a cross-Canada run to raise money and awareness for cancer research. His dream was to raise $1 for each of Canadas 24 million people. On April 12, 1980, Terry started his run quietly on the east coast, with a goal to run 26 miles every day. By the time he reached Ontario he was a national star. Terry refused to take a day off. He had frequent skin splints and inflamed knee. He developed cysts on his stump and experience dizzy spells. At one point he had a sore ankle but continued on for 3 days before getting help. He refused regular medical checkups. By late August he was e...

For whatever reason some people feel they have the right to comment on the appearance of others. It is great when it is a compliment, but often it is not. I heard a talk show host say,  "people's comments have shaped generations". They went on to say,  "y ou don't have to comment on people's size, complexation, hair color or anything else about them, they already know. I t is evident that people believe some things are their business, when in fact it isn't".  I don't remember how old I was, but I do remember an elderly aunt say to my mom, "Faye is stout". I equated the word stout with massive. I really didn't have any idea what that word meant, I just knew how it made me feel. I am now 68 years old, and I remember that moment like yesterday.  It was the first time someone had spoken about my size right in from of me. People's comments do  shape you.  I have found as we age  it becomes meaningless how people look, but more of how...

It was announced on the news that in Manitoba and Saskatchewan, 49% of residents are $200 from declaring insolvency, and 30% are already there. That leaves 20% of residents that have enough money to live comfortably. Manitoba and Saskatchewan are in line with the Canadian statistic of 50% of people are $200 from insolvency.  Homelessness is a result of not having enough money to afford a home. In the cold of January, I think of those living on the street. The new 2024 Canadian statistics are staggering, and almost hard to believe.   On any given night in Canada, between 30,000 and 35,000 people are homeless. Toronto has the highest population of homeless. 66.7% of homeless people are males. 33.10% of homeless come from Indigenous communities. 86% of homeless shelters are in Ontario, British Columbia, Quebec, and Alberta, and 40% of them are in Ontario alone. The annual cost of homelessness for our country is over $10 billion. There are around 50,000 hidden homeless in Can...

By definition to "show up" in life is to be fully present and engaged. Presenting your whole self to tasks, having self-awareness, and making yourself available to the moment and to life itself.  My personal definition of showing up is: if you said you were going to do something, you do it. Do it better than you ever thought you could. Be on time and don't ever complain about it.  Twenty years ago, I made the decision that if I was going to get anywhere in life I was going to have to live by the mantra, "Get Up, Dress Up and Show Up". There were so many days, I hated that decision, but I did it and I am so thankful that I did. I didn't realize at the time that my mantra was helping me to show up for myself.   My favorite story of showing up happened several years ago now. I was on a plane just after Katrina happened in New Orleans. My seat partner was a member of the US military. He told me that it was the Canadian Mennonites that saved the people of New Orl...

On one episode of "Schitt'$ Creek", David described his partner's behavior as "spiraling in all directions". I grabbed right on to the line as I could see lots of potential use for it. My old line, "I know I am doing stupid things; I just can't stop myself" has served its time. It needed to be replaced, and I am now moving on to, "spiraling in all directions".  In reflection, the spiraling began right after I turned 68. Not one 68-year-old admitted that there is an adjustment period to go from 67 to 68, so I was taken off-guard. As I write this, I am now in my new phase for several weeks, and I think the adjustment is made. Although, I may have only gotten used to the spiral and consider it my new normal, but things are better.   I was two weeks into being 68, when I really noticed an issue. It was the day I had made an appointment for my  covid and flu shots. It was an important appointment; important in that I had an appointment car...

What you are about to read may not be new facts to you, but they are to me. Since it is the start of a new week, I am sharing three facts for you to ponder.   #1: Have you ever heard of "Rucking"? It is part of military training and has been picked up by civilians for its calorie-busting and strength-boosting benefits. It is walking with a backpack with 10% of your body weight. It burns 13% more calories than not wearing a vest. Rucking burns two or three times more calories than walking. It offers a unique blend of cardio, strength training and mental resilience. By wearing a weighted backpack while walking it will provide a full body workout, with your core, legs and shoulders put to work. It is recommended to start with a load of 10-15 lbs. Gradually increase the weight and the distance you walk to avoid putting stress on your joints. No one has more appreciation for people that have a walking regime than I do. Walking has so many health benefits. As we age, we are reminde...

The "Canadian housing crisis" is the term used to describe a lack of affordable and adequate housing for many Canadians. This has led to Canada becoming one of the most expensive places to buy a home. I found several reasons for the crisis. The first is obvious,  high demand increases the supply problems. Canada is known for its good quality of life and low crime rate which has made it a desirable place to live. Canada’s free immigration policy allows people to move to Canada very easily. Investors are looking to make a quick buck. This creates multiple parties vying for the same small number of houses. Canada is known to have strict government regulations regarding building a home, which creates long delays and increases cost. Lastly, is affordability, it costs a lot of money to buy and own a home.   The average price of a home in Canada has rocketed to over $710,000. I found it interesting to see the provincial cost breakdown to purchase an average home.      ...

I realize many of you have already read about my simple retirement plan. The plan went like this, I promised myself that when I turned 65, I wasn't going to work anymore. Whatever financial, health or emotional state I was in on my 65th birthday was going to be the way it was.  I never developed a "list of things to do when retired". In other words, in true Faye fashion, I gave this life altering time of my life very little thought. No doubt, it has been a work in progress, but right now I feel like I am rocking retirement.     Before I retired, it seemed that people would share their concern about having enough money to retire. I would ask how much a person would need, and no one seemed to have the answer. Some wanted to make sure they had enough money to continue to live the lifestyle they were accustomed to. Others wanted to make sure they were financially secure to live in a retirement home when that time came. I had no concern about either of those things. I hav...

Here is a concept to think about today, "If you want 2025 to be good, make it that way". I read that and thought what a great blog post. The article included some suggestions, I picked out the ones I liked, added some of my own and developed a list. Here are 25 thoughts that may help guide you to make 2025 one of your best years.      1. Stop panicking, j ust let things happen. If you are someone who likes to panic this will be very difficult for you to do. I think what this is really saying is, let go of control. I have come to realize once I try to control a situation, the situation controls me. It takes on a life of its own, and before long I have lost all control of what I want.     2. Do what you want to do. Go for it, learn a new language, change careers, go on that trip. Your worst enemy is hesitation. This is paramount in retirement, one simply never knows what is around the corner, so do it while you can. As we age, we tend to talk ourselves out of...