Today was the Toronto Waterfront Marathon and my bestest friend ran the 1/2 marathon. It was her first and she’s been training hard for it.
While I didn’t get a chance to see her off at the start of the run, I did join her Mum in celebrating her finish.
While we waited for her to come around the corner and to cross the finish line, there were many interesting participants of the race. One of the girls who crossed the finish line threw her arms up in the air and then immediately burst into tears. She was checked out by first aid, but she waived them off. I’m guessing (from afar) that it was just an emotional release having actually completed 21km. Another, a gentleman, rode a horse “gangnam style” from 100m to the finish line. How much fun was that to watch?
And then, it was my BFF’s turn. I saw her come around the corner first, then her Mum recognized her. I snapped a few pictures, and then, she crossed the finish line. I whistled my best concert whistle hoping that she’d hear us cheering for her.
I’m so very proud of my dear friend. What an accomplishment. What dedication and resilience she has!
Moments to appreciate a stranger’s accomplishment.
Moments of pride for your friend’s accomplishment.
Sunday, October 14, 2012
Saturday, October 13, 2012
Moments D171: Beer
Today was a beautiful day all around. A sleep in like I haven’t had for many, many moons, a 1.5 hour workout and then a fantastic afternoon out shopping and an evening bowling.
But the moment of the day that brought me an unexpected smile was when I stopped to pick up lunch at a local Mr. Sub. As I waited for the my sub to be made, I noticed that the fridge behind the counter had beer in it. What? Beer? When did Mr. Sub become a licensed restaurant? Very curious.
And, while I didn’t partake in a late afternoon beer at Mr. Sub, I did have a goofy grin on my face when I realized they were licensed. Such a strange thing to see! I almost thought I was in Europe somewhere for a split second!
Moments of surprise.
Moments of unexpected smiles!
But the moment of the day that brought me an unexpected smile was when I stopped to pick up lunch at a local Mr. Sub. As I waited for the my sub to be made, I noticed that the fridge behind the counter had beer in it. What? Beer? When did Mr. Sub become a licensed restaurant? Very curious.
And, while I didn’t partake in a late afternoon beer at Mr. Sub, I did have a goofy grin on my face when I realized they were licensed. Such a strange thing to see! I almost thought I was in Europe somewhere for a split second!
Moments of surprise.
Moments of unexpected smiles!
Friday, October 12, 2012
Moments D170: Relief
Today I had to take my 13 year old kitty to the vet. She hasn't been herself over the past two weeks. Eating and drinking have been minimized and while her behaviour hasn't changed (she’s still friendly and loving), I was starting to get worried about her!
I did do a little research before taking her into the vet. (for good or bad, I’m not sure!) Her symptoms were so common that she could have had anything from a common cold, to failing kidneys, to cancer! Needless to say, I was a little nervous about the appointment this morning. She’s my buddy after all!
Fortunately, the appointment went smoothly and quickly and for the most part, it was good news. She didn’t have something systemic affecting her appetite. Apparently what happened was that she chipped her canine and needs to have it extracted.
In the end, it’s a fix that means she’ll be a-okay and good until her next need of dental surgery (this is her 2nd round!) It’s a whopping $1300 between the blood work and the surgery, but hey, you do what you need to for the “kids” right? I’m just happy to hear that it isn’t super serious. I have antibiotics & pain meds for her for the weekend and I drop her off Monday morning for her surgery. Hopefully that all goes well!
So today’s moment was that moment I was washed with a sense of relief. I’m glad my buddy will be okay.
(And yes, I’ll let you know how it all goes on Monday!)
Moments with worry melting into relief.
I did do a little research before taking her into the vet. (for good or bad, I’m not sure!) Her symptoms were so common that she could have had anything from a common cold, to failing kidneys, to cancer! Needless to say, I was a little nervous about the appointment this morning. She’s my buddy after all!
Fortunately, the appointment went smoothly and quickly and for the most part, it was good news. She didn’t have something systemic affecting her appetite. Apparently what happened was that she chipped her canine and needs to have it extracted.
In the end, it’s a fix that means she’ll be a-okay and good until her next need of dental surgery (this is her 2nd round!) It’s a whopping $1300 between the blood work and the surgery, but hey, you do what you need to for the “kids” right? I’m just happy to hear that it isn’t super serious. I have antibiotics & pain meds for her for the weekend and I drop her off Monday morning for her surgery. Hopefully that all goes well!
So today’s moment was that moment I was washed with a sense of relief. I’m glad my buddy will be okay.
(And yes, I’ll let you know how it all goes on Monday!)
Moments with worry melting into relief.
Thursday, October 11, 2012
Moments D169: Compliments
Today was volleyball day. It’s quite the car ride to get there, but I swear, the level of competition is well worth the 1.5 hour drive in rush hour traffic. (Besides, it’s really the only time I am ever in traffic and I get a chance to either call and chat with my friends (via Bluetooth of course) or simply sit back and sing along to some great tunes. (like Rob Zombie’s Dragula which came on tonight - the louder the better!!)
But today’s moment isn’t about the music (even though I do really love those moments of great music and singing along). Today’s moment is about a team that wasn’t playing so well together, nor were the majority of the players playing very well as individuals.
We lost our first two games and badly at that. From my perspective, I played well. Two solid blocks, a stream of serves and a few hard hits. We rallied ourselves for the second match (a set of best of 3 games) working a cheer in before we started our game. It seemed to work. We WON…and yet the team still felt flat. As we went to shake hands, I decided enough was enough! We were going to “high five”! We WON after all! There was laughter and smiles and the next thing you know we’re riding better energy in the 2nd game to an easy win.
I find it pretty incredible how energy affects us. It’s tangible.
My biggest moment of the day was when the convener and our team captain called out to me after the game while we were getting ourselves dressed for the cold outdoors. She said “Thanks, you saved our butts tonight. You played really well.”
Sweet. I’m the newbie. It’s nice to feel more a part of the team and of course I was so happy to hear that my efforts were appreciated. And hey, I certainly had a ton of fun too, so it’s a win-win.
Moments with teams.
Moments to dig deep and find positive energy.
But today’s moment isn’t about the music (even though I do really love those moments of great music and singing along). Today’s moment is about a team that wasn’t playing so well together, nor were the majority of the players playing very well as individuals.
We lost our first two games and badly at that. From my perspective, I played well. Two solid blocks, a stream of serves and a few hard hits. We rallied ourselves for the second match (a set of best of 3 games) working a cheer in before we started our game. It seemed to work. We WON…and yet the team still felt flat. As we went to shake hands, I decided enough was enough! We were going to “high five”! We WON after all! There was laughter and smiles and the next thing you know we’re riding better energy in the 2nd game to an easy win.
I find it pretty incredible how energy affects us. It’s tangible.
My biggest moment of the day was when the convener and our team captain called out to me after the game while we were getting ourselves dressed for the cold outdoors. She said “Thanks, you saved our butts tonight. You played really well.”
Sweet. I’m the newbie. It’s nice to feel more a part of the team and of course I was so happy to hear that my efforts were appreciated. And hey, I certainly had a ton of fun too, so it’s a win-win.
Moments with teams.
Moments to dig deep and find positive energy.
Wednesday, October 10, 2012
Moments D168: A step back in time
Tonight I had a double date with my dear friends who I miss terribly since my separation. My ex and I spent many a fun evening or weekend or week with these two beautiful souls.
Tonight’s date started at the Bus Terminal Diner. It was delightful step back in time. Beers in bottles. Diner food served quickly with a smile. Not awesome, but not horrible. Records aligned the ceiling as decoration. It was perfect really.
After dinner the four of us moved up the street a touch to Danforth Bowl. OH MY…what an absolutely adorable place. My moment today was stepping back in time into this tiny bowling alley. No automated scoring, there were no vending machines or a fancy kitchen/bar. This place (seriously) looked as if you were in someone’s basement (albeit a long basement)! There were 3 sets of kitchen tables (and chairs) aligning the 6 lanes and fold out chairs for goodness sake!
Norm greeted us with a smile and warmly and quickly suited us up with shoes and a clipboard and pencil. We made our way to lane 1. I was giddy. Such a cute sweet place. I had no idea it existed. I LOVE when that happens. And, to top it off, this place was FULL of happy, fun energy. Debbie dropped by to give us advice on aiming straight down the middle. Another gentleman on our way out was selling us hard on the Wednesday night league. You could tell that this crew had fun. What an incredible experience and so much fun with three people that mean so much to me. I can’t wait to revisit Norm and his bowling alley again soon!
Tonight’s date started at the Bus Terminal Diner. It was delightful step back in time. Beers in bottles. Diner food served quickly with a smile. Not awesome, but not horrible. Records aligned the ceiling as decoration. It was perfect really.
After dinner the four of us moved up the street a touch to Danforth Bowl. OH MY…what an absolutely adorable place. My moment today was stepping back in time into this tiny bowling alley. No automated scoring, there were no vending machines or a fancy kitchen/bar. This place (seriously) looked as if you were in someone’s basement (albeit a long basement)! There were 3 sets of kitchen tables (and chairs) aligning the 6 lanes and fold out chairs for goodness sake!
Norm greeted us with a smile and warmly and quickly suited us up with shoes and a clipboard and pencil. We made our way to lane 1. I was giddy. Such a cute sweet place. I had no idea it existed. I LOVE when that happens. And, to top it off, this place was FULL of happy, fun energy. Debbie dropped by to give us advice on aiming straight down the middle. Another gentleman on our way out was selling us hard on the Wednesday night league. You could tell that this crew had fun. What an incredible experience and so much fun with three people that mean so much to me. I can’t wait to revisit Norm and his bowling alley again soon!
Here’s a photo I took:
And yes. That’s it. That’s the ENTIRE bowling alley. I think I may need to organize an official Lebowski tournament in the near future!
Moments from the past.
Moments of good, fun, down-to-earth people.
Tuesday, October 9, 2012
Moments D167: Sharing love and energy
Today was a day of professional success for me which in and of itself is a wonderful moment, but it feels somewhat selfish for me to share that moment on a day when two friends of mine struggle with family health issues. Both serious. Both with family members (a father and a mother-in-law) who have been admitted into the ICU over the long weekend. Both situations make me stop and consider my own life and how fortunate I am that my father survived his ordeal last year at this time. They both remind me to be thankful for another year of time with my father. He is a beautiful soul and has taught me much over the years. I am so grateful that he survived.
Instead, today’s moment is about sharing my love and energy with these two individuals, and, hopefully by extension, their families.
My friend’s friend’s father (for I have only recently had her come into my circle) has ALS (more commonly known at Lou Gehrig’s disease). In May, he found the strength to travel to Bahamas to see his daughter wed. I’ve seen the video. You can see the pride and joy in his eyes. This coming weekend his daughters and their friends run the Toronto Waterfront Marathon in his honour and to raise funds for the ALS Society of Canada. His condition has deteriorated quickly since last week. This family is in their darkest hours as they sit and wait.
I sent this new friend of mine a brief note via email. I never knew if or when she’d receive it, but I had hoped it would give her a breath of light in her time of darkness. She replied late today thanking me. I can only hope that my simple words have offered some solace; some moment of pause in the pain.
My other friend is a dear long term friend. (So long we are like family really!) Her mother-in-law was also admitted over the long weekend. A terrible case of gall stones and pancreatitis. As old as she is, she’s started to recover, even though she was on life support only a day ago. With every update, it seems MIL is improving steadily. A different outcome, sure, but no less painful for the family as they waited through the dark days of the weekend. Again I sent a message filled with love and energy to my dear friend - I also sent some love to her husband (a gent I know well!). I know she will absorb it and share it doubly with her husband and his Mother. I can know that this sharing of love and energy will help to penetrate the darkness they are in. I know they will amplify all of the energy they are receiving from many around them and put it too good use. It’s all I can do to stop and think of them as often as I can and send them a bit more.
So today’s moment: Share your love and energy. Why wait for something tragic to happen. There is much darkness around us every day. How easy is it to breathe light into it?
Moments outside yourself.
Moments of love, light and energy.
Instead, today’s moment is about sharing my love and energy with these two individuals, and, hopefully by extension, their families.
My friend’s friend’s father (for I have only recently had her come into my circle) has ALS (more commonly known at Lou Gehrig’s disease). In May, he found the strength to travel to Bahamas to see his daughter wed. I’ve seen the video. You can see the pride and joy in his eyes. This coming weekend his daughters and their friends run the Toronto Waterfront Marathon in his honour and to raise funds for the ALS Society of Canada. His condition has deteriorated quickly since last week. This family is in their darkest hours as they sit and wait.
I sent this new friend of mine a brief note via email. I never knew if or when she’d receive it, but I had hoped it would give her a breath of light in her time of darkness. She replied late today thanking me. I can only hope that my simple words have offered some solace; some moment of pause in the pain.
My other friend is a dear long term friend. (So long we are like family really!) Her mother-in-law was also admitted over the long weekend. A terrible case of gall stones and pancreatitis. As old as she is, she’s started to recover, even though she was on life support only a day ago. With every update, it seems MIL is improving steadily. A different outcome, sure, but no less painful for the family as they waited through the dark days of the weekend. Again I sent a message filled with love and energy to my dear friend - I also sent some love to her husband (a gent I know well!). I know she will absorb it and share it doubly with her husband and his Mother. I can know that this sharing of love and energy will help to penetrate the darkness they are in. I know they will amplify all of the energy they are receiving from many around them and put it too good use. It’s all I can do to stop and think of them as often as I can and send them a bit more.
So today’s moment: Share your love and energy. Why wait for something tragic to happen. There is much darkness around us every day. How easy is it to breathe light into it?
Moments outside yourself.
Moments of love, light and energy.
Monday, October 8, 2012
Moments D166: Nephews
Today’s moment is a quick, cute moment to be shared that warms my heart as I write the words.
This past weekend was Canadian Thanksgiving, and first and foremost, I am thankful for all of the beautiful people that surround me. I have an amazing family, incredible friends, and brilliant co-workers. I am fortunate and I am thankful.
After arriving at my brother’s place today and saying hello to the adults in the living room, my Mom & I made our way downstairs to the playroom where the kids were. As we started down the stairs I yelled out “HERE COMES TROUBLE!!!” and my 8 year old nephew yelled out “AUNT XXX, AUNT XXX”, and I laughed and said “No way, trouble is Grandma!” He giggled and ran into my arms for a big hug and a kiss.
Best moment of my weekend.
Moments to be thankful.
Moments with loving family.
This past weekend was Canadian Thanksgiving, and first and foremost, I am thankful for all of the beautiful people that surround me. I have an amazing family, incredible friends, and brilliant co-workers. I am fortunate and I am thankful.
After arriving at my brother’s place today and saying hello to the adults in the living room, my Mom & I made our way downstairs to the playroom where the kids were. As we started down the stairs I yelled out “HERE COMES TROUBLE!!!” and my 8 year old nephew yelled out “AUNT XXX, AUNT XXX”, and I laughed and said “No way, trouble is Grandma!” He giggled and ran into my arms for a big hug and a kiss.
Best moment of my weekend.
Moments to be thankful.
Moments with loving family.
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