For the love of Jeanne..

My wonderful, spirited, funny and determined friend Jeanne left our world in the midst of peacefulness and contentment on December 19th. An amazing girl by all descriptions - I learned so very much from Jeanne over the too few years I knew her. She had an incredibly open heart, wouldn't judge an ant, huge compassion for herself and others, loved the great outdoors and everything in it and from what I understand played a mean game of euchre! And funny... we shared the same unbalanced sense of humour!! So many laughs and quite a few routines Jeanne & I... and of course Jeanne in her own right. And let's not forget how she loved to dance.. and dance.. and dance.

Jeanne and I sat in many Callanish circles together - on two retreats, three Callanish Writes series and many meditation days. The depth of her writing contradicted what passion could be held in such a little body - each word carefully chosen as the truth of her spirit. Jeanne's passing leaves a hole in my heart at the same time as I appreciate how much I received from her. I am a better person for knowing Jeanne - she was truly a "Phenomenal Woman"...



Rest easy Jeanne...

A Gift to Me

I used to be a great Christmas shopper, loving to buy things I wanted others to have - I could always find the funny, the odd, the weird and sometimes what people wanted but not always! I loved the evenings wrapping gifts with a glass of wine and my cat trying to undo what I was doing and chomping on the ribbon. Wrapping bottles in socks, money given in rolls of coin, small gift = large box and my favorite - wrapping itty-bitty stocking treats individually! Over the years as 'my kids' get older shopping has became about what they might need not necessarily what I think they should have. So we've gone from plastic tool belts & dumptrucks and dolls & games & glittery makeup to fundamentals - excellent for them - not as much fun for me. Mind you there are traditions I just cannot break and those gift will go on for eternity!!

One of my traditions over the last several years is a 'Gift Card' from World Vision. Over the years our family has given the gifts of mosqito nets, roosters & hens, cozy blankets, textbooks, wood-burning stoves and fruit trees among others. These are life-changing gifts for other less fortunate children and/or communities and a beautiful thought to hold on Christmas morning amid the laughter, the gift opening and the sheer joy of being with your family. http://www.worldvision.ca/

So the gift to myself this year is John Paul Tuyizere from Rwanda - my latest World Vision sponsored child. Look at that face and those eyes - how could I not bring him into my heart? He's 6 years old and within the next two weeks he will learn from WV that he will be able to attend school and get medical attention until he's 18 years old - a life changing situation for him and for me as I get his updates and watch this little boy grow up.

Today's post is reading like a World Vision promotion but it's not - it's just something I do and feel like somehow I am making a change in this world of ours however small.

Stay well my friends

What to do??

Pretty much every day I look at this lonely little blog that just wants to be loved and wonder what am I going to do with it. When I started to blog it seemed like such an easy thing - just a note or two every couple of days or so, a little this, a little that with the odd rant thrown in. But you know it's just not that easy and my life just isn't that exciting nor am I a particularly fascinating person - in fact my life can be downright boring and uneventful!

There's a certain quality of 'nothingness' to my life that I really quite love lately - a kind of quiet shuffle through the days and weeks. A freedom from all the chaotic years of working, doing and being. I deserve this! And so maybe just to write about the mundane is the key - most of life I think is mundane but it's what you see and appreciate about the mundane (did I mention mundane??). Because at the end of the day you just don't know how what you say or what you do will affect the world around you or the world within you. And there is a point to everything we do.. sometimes we simply don't know what that might be. My world is filled with amazing people that I cherish even tho I may not see them on a regular basis and is also filled with much love and laughter. If that defines mundane I'll take it any day.

And so I'm back on the blog - it just might read a little differently now. Next quandry... to keep the Ipod or not??

Rest easy Diane..
Rest easy Jacqui..

Stay well my friends