Random Ramblings of a Roaming Rebel .....

It has become increasingly obvious these past two months, that this gypsy spirit's adjustment to the mainstream is not exactly running smoothly. If I ever felt part of a mainstream life, I think it is most certainly apparent that I no longer do. There appears to be a hurried kind of pace here that I never quite noticed to the degree I do now. Kind of an organized busyness .... If you stop and ask anyone "how are you" ..... a common response would be "keeping busy" ..... as if that is something to aspire to. Strange. Retirement age has everything to do with it. I want to breathe in more serenity, less hurry, worry ... take time to savor rather than gulp.

Shortly after my arrival home, I tried to organize a summer celebratory picnic and hike in the mountains with extended family. Silly me, I thought everyone would love the idea!! Summer makes a rather fleeting appearance in this part of the world and I thought to make hay while that summer sun was shining ...... after three failed attempts at dates, I realized it was not going to fly. One family member emailed saying they had one afternoon available in July and a 4:30 pm slot in August!!! Dear God, I thought this was a joke, a typo, but sadly, it was not. ...... Sigh, double sigh ..... Lives are full of schedules ...... summers are booked and paid for, long before the season gets underway :) ..... children shuffled from one camp to another, all summer long ........ I find myself in a nostalgic space ..... Sigh....... what has happened to the spontaneous, lazy, hazy days of my childhood summers? ... of a time when dreams take flight in quiet moments of "being" ..... a time when people would arrange a picnic on a whim ......... Some days I feel like I have been dropped into an alternate universe, one that makes little sense to me .... perhaps it never did, but in all fairness, I suppose I too, over the decades, was once caught up in the busyness and the preoccupations of the average Canadian .......... surely though, during those busy years of raising a family, I left time for the unexpected, the spontaneity?? I was a bit of goof ball as I recall, and would more often than not, literally rush through the work to allow for time to play with the kids ..... arm twisting was rarely necessary :)

The saying is that one has a chance for a happy childhood three times in a lifetime. My first was filled with work from the time I can remember ...... We had a large family and Mother assigned jobs to all her six girls, starting from age 6 or 7 .... It is perhaps why I did not assign many chores except the most basic of ones to Sarah and Tim as young children. I wonder if they will remember as they go about their lives, raising their own children, the many times I would pack the car to head to the mountains, a park, to the river, to splash around in Riley Park's pools, to Kelowna, Invermere, Sylvan Lake or wherever, if we had even a spare hour or day :) ........ of course I also worked hard but ahh, time out with my children seemed to be such a priority, always ...... holding down a part time job for some of the years, mixed in with raising kids who were involved in all manner of team sports, hiking, golf, lots of free frolic with friends, took a lot of organizing to fit it all in ..... great for Sarah and Tim and also allowed me to enjoy a second childhood from a different perspective ..... what fun it was! ..... the third opportunity lies as grandparents and I can hardly wait .... the play minus the serious responsibility ..... cool!!

As I reflect, my year away was filled with so many warm human connections ...... warmth sometimes from complete strangers, be it from folks at an orphanage, a school, a hike in the back country of Vietnam, the vast empty wilderness of Mongolia, where I was met with the happy smiles of it's many nomadic herdsmen, days on the Ghan train through central Australia, the colorful vibrancy of India, sharing meals and life stories with people from all over the globe, the wonderful island ambiance and warmth of Rarotonga's Maori people, where families would often drop whatever plans they had to enjoy a good visit, or invite me into their midst to share a meal, a friendly chat, a church service together ... full of heart, full of goodness. Old fashioned community life ..... my kind of pace, my kind of universe :)

The imminent arrival of our first grandchild fills me with awe!! .... Sarah and Rob radiate that special kind of love, only parents expecting a child can radiate. It warms the heart and soul and circles us with love. In just a few short weeks, Brian and I will become grandparents and Tim, an uncle :) Life, Jiva ..... Ever Beautiful!

With all my heart, I will try and live up to my mantra, made up of little philosophical tidbits:

SEE FOR YOURSELF. Go Places. Seek out the good. Tread lightly. Worry less. Take chances. Face your fears. Do what you love. Give Back. LOVE. Make a Difference. Laugh a lot. Breathe Deeply. Know peace. ENJOY THE JOURNEY. LIVE WHILE YOU LIVE!