semi-retired and living in Calgary, Canada with my best friend and wife, Lori. Between us we have 5 kids;they're pretty good people to know.I'm very involved in the 12 Step recovery community and I am passionate about this area of my life. I live on the Eastern base of the Rockie Mountains and enjoy spending as much time as possible out there.
My daughter Olivia has been accepted into the Ph.D. program in the Faculty of Social Work for September 2017 at University of Calgary and I am very proud of her and happy for her!
Lori and I were at the Jubilee Auditorium last Thursday to take in Lyle Lovett and John Hiatt, for not just an evening of great music but one that included a great deal of banter between the two which was often very funny,but always entertaining. They have turned their travelling music show into theater
The song this week is White Boy Lost in the Blues, by Lovett and Hiatt.
Lyle Lovett and John Hiatt
The quote this week is the following from Mother Teresa.
“I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the water to create many ripples.”
Thanks for dropping in today and I hope you’ll check it out again next week! Have a great day and week ahead……….
Lori and I spent this past weekend in Banff enjoying a gift the kids got us for Christmas and of course enjoying Banff and all that it offers. We stayed at the Caribou as we usually do when we’re in Banff and we get what we expect. It’s a nice hotel and a great location. And there’s an amazing hot pool on the main floor.
The week prior it had been quite warm and I was concerned that the warm temperatures might put a damper on activity but the concern wasn’t required. We had a nice seasonal temperature of minus 15 with some fresh snow. It was a beautiful picturesque weekend in the mountains.
We got to Banff Friday at about 4PM and had a walk through the shops on main street. We spent about 2 hours searching through the shops and checking everything out. There’s a few unique hike/climb/ski stores in Banff that you wont find elsewhere or if you do find it somewhere else, like the Patagonia store, the store is bigger in Banff with a much greater selection.
We went out for supper at The Keg and then back to the room to chill for the night.
Saturday afternoon we had a guided hike in Johnston Canyon which took a total of about 4 hours and in great company, with some people from San Diego, NYC, Massachusetts and a couple of paramedics from Australia. The canyon was beautiful with all the fresh snow and so much snow off the trail. Water seeps from the rocks in the canyon in the summer but in the winter it’s frozen and presents itself as a magnificent turquoise mass of ice. There’s still lots of fast flowing open water and so clear right now because it doesn’t carry all the silt it might in summer. This is a great short hike and I recommend it for all and it’s quite doable by most people I know.
At the Upper Falls enjoying some hot chocolate
The mountain air had created quite an appetite but before going out for supper we hit the hot pool in our hotel first. It felt amazing after the hike, the mountain air and the cool temperatures of minus 15. We cleaned up and went to Pacini’s for supper and I also highly recommend this restaurant. It is neither high end or low end, but really good food, large portions and the restaurant was large, roomy and modern.
Sunday was a sleep in, grab a Starbucks and drive the hour back home. Just another great weekend with my best friend!
Don’t forget that all National Park Passes are free this year in celebration of Canada’s 150th birthday
Speaking of hockey, the Calgary Flames made it 5 wins in a row last night beating the LA Kings in OT ! I don’t want to get too excited , well actually I do. If the Flames can move past Anaheim and the sun and the moon and the stars align, we could see and Edmonton/Calgary first round playoff season! The trade deadline was today at 1 PM MST and about 30 minutes to deadline the Flames picked up Forward, Curtis Lazar from Ottawa ,along with Defenseman Mike Kostka in return for a second round pick in 2017 and Defenseman Jyrki Jokippaka. Ive already read that the 22 year old Lazar is looking to turn his game around in Calgary and Calgary gave up very little for him. Good trade by the Flames.
The song this week is from Linda Ortega. Ortega is a Canadian born country singer from Toronto who now resides in Nashville. This song is off her latest album, Faded Gloryville, and the song is titled I Aint The Girl. Check Ortega out on iTunes,Amazon or YouTube. She’s definitely country so if you like country you’re gonna like Ortega.
Expectations of myself . I need them. Reasonable and achievable expectations of myself sets a tone for personal growth and improvement.
I deem these expectations of self to be necessary for my physical , emotional and spiritual growth. They’re all essential if I am to grow,as a person. Most of us strive to be better. Most of us want to be better. It could be at work. It could be as a leader , a follower , a husband or wife, a son, a daughter , a friend.
Imagine going to work and saying to yourself “yesterday was a very mediocre day . I think I will shoot for another mediocre day”. To me it’s as ridiculous as it sounds.But imagine you come into work and say ” I had a good day yesterday but I know I can do better”. What a simple concept. I can be better today than I was yesterday. Simple.
I use work as an example because that’s the place where so many of us derive much of our self worth and unfortunately, self indulgent negative thought .So to counter this I want to give myself opportunity to do well;to do good and be better.I can apply this to any job , any situation , any relationship and anything in my life I want to be better at.
My expectations of myself must be realistic if I am going to incorporate this practise in to my life. If they aren’t realistic expectations then I only set myself up for failure which is a feeling I don’t need to create for myself. I want to improve , so I’ll feel good about myself,not bad.There’s absolutely nothing wrong with having some expectations of myself and to work towards achieving them.
I’m going to share one of my favorite stories on this topic and to get to the point quicker, I will paraphrase.
This exchange took place between the famous Trappist Monk , Thomas Merton and his old friend and renowned poet Robert Lax. They were walking down the streets in Lexington Kentucky one day when this exchange took place. They had just finished a small argument as great friends often do.
The above pictures are both of the beloved Thomas Merton
“What do you want to be anyway? ” said Lax to his friend. “I don’t know; I guess what I want to be is a good Catholic” replied Merton. “what do you mean you want to be a good Catholic?” said Lax Lax was not impressed with the lame answer given him by his old friend Thomas.
Lax responded ” Why don’t you aspire to be a saint , Thomas?” Merton responded with a laugh and replied “I can never be a saint !”, to which Lax replied” I didn’t say you would be a saint ,Thomas. I only said aspire to be one”
The song this week is from Old 97’s , an alt-country band from Dallas who’ve been around since 1993. They never disappoint me. This song is titled Good With God.
Old 97’s
The quote this week is from Bruce Lee.
I’m not in this world to live up to your expectations and you’re not in this world to live up to mine.
Thanks for dropping by and I hope you’ll check it out again next week……………
We cannot change the past. We can try as hard as we want (think), but we will not change the past. That was the gist of a discussion I had with a friend today while we grabbed a quick coffee at Starbucks. We cannot change the past. So stop dwelling on it. Stop beating yourself up over the things you did that today,you can’t change. If you had character flaws, as I did and I do, as we all do, then you have done some things that you wished you hadn’t. These things are done,behind us and can’t be undone. You can make an amends for them ,you can seek forgiveness but you can not undo the action.Here’s what I know we can do.We can change our future ; we can change our attitudes, our perceptions and our actions. So don’t torture yourself over the things that you have done in the past that you find to be objectionable to you today but instead use those things, those wrongdoings ,as your guide to what you DON’T want to be or do, going forward. Every one of us can change if we want to change. I don’t know what it is about you that you would like to change but I do know what it is about me that I would like to change and I work on those things. I’ve done many things in the past that I find very displeasing to me today. Some of them embarrass me and some of them still hurt. So I don’t anchor myself there. My past does not and will not define me; unless I allow it. So I told my friend, at coffee, why dwell on these things in the past that you have done that you cannot change? Why not use this energy in a positive fashion and dwell on the thing(s) you want to change as you grow forward? So take a moment, look at your past and say goodbye to those character flaws and start being the change you want to grow into.
The song this week is from a US indie-folk singer whose star is rising swiftly. Her name is Angel Olsen and if you’re in the Seattle area you can catch her performance at the Neptune this Saturday the 18th.
The quote this week is from the GOAT Muhammad Ali
“The man who views the world at 50 the same as he did at 20 has wasted 30 years of his life.”
Thanks for dropping by and I hope you’ll do the same next week…….
Last weekend I was on silent retreat ,west of Caroline Alberta, at Sanctum Retreat Center.
There were 29 men who attended and the retreat was a 12 step retreat although Sanctum itself holds many retreats for many groups or organizations. It’s a beautiful center with great facilities and rooms and the food itself is definitely a spiritual experience. Check them out.
I love the silent retreat. I might pick it up to a 2 a year pace this year and get in a summer retreat also. It is an excellent opportunity to de-stress, rest, reflect and think ,or a number of other things you might want to do with the time. This year I enjoyed the silence, read a book I have wanted to read and got a good start on another book. With 29 men the silence is huge and it’s far more noticeable with that many men around than if there were just a handful. Saturday night I went into the dining hall to have a cup of tea and read my book. After about 15 minutes I realized the room was quite busy so I looked up, and counted 13 men in the room. Some men were snacking on an orange or an apple, some men were having a coffee or tea and some were just sitting. One table had 3 men sitting together, but not a word was spoken. That was a very cool moment. Everyone has their own private room at the retreat ,which was small, but very comfortable with a small table to write on if you wished to. The silence is in effect from dinner on Friday to lunch on Sunday. There was guided meditations on Friday night, Saturday morning and Saturday night and Sunday morning. Nothing is mandatory and all of it is up to the individual. I highly recommend taking it all in though if you ever choose to go on retreat. It was like getting my battery pack recharged! There are many types of retreats and retreats centers everywhere and I suggest it to anyone to take an opportunity and retreat; even if you only do it once.
The following is from Andrew Holecek who completed a 3 year Zen retreat and is the author of Dream Yoga.
“Retreat is not for the faint of heart. It takes courage to stop and face one’s mind so directly. But if you want to be unconditionally happy, which is one way to talk about enlightenment, there is no other way. Sooner or later you have to relate to your mind instead of from it. Otherwise you will forever be held captive by the contents of your mind, shackling yourself to every shiny thought that pops up,a prisoner of your own making.
To be truly free, to cut the shackles, you have to block all the conventional exits and be with yourself, retreat into yourself. Once the initial hurdles are crossed and the mind begins to settle in retreat, the benefits unfold. The mind sharpens and the heart opens. Stability and equanimity develop. Kindness and compassion blossom. The world softens because you soften. Discipline, patience and accommodation mature.”
I had a nice chat today with my good friend Dan who lives in Kelowna. He sent me, via Facebook, the funeral card from our old friend Ivor Lundin who was killed in an industrial accident on Okanagan Lake on Monday the 30th. Ivor ran a boom boat on the lake pushing logs into the mill. He went down with his boat that night. Rest In Peace Ivor.
What a wild Super Bowl game! Congrats to Tom Brady who, like him or not , has to be the best QB ever. He deserves all the records he set. It pains me to say it but he is great! Looks like hockey and the NHL are now front and center for me until baseball season begins.
The song this week is from one of my favourites, The Felice Brothers. Their journey began in the NYC subway system where they played for change and now they tour the country. Painting pictures for my mind with their lyrics. I would love to see these guys live and I will, first chance I get. This is the title song from their latest album, Life In The Dark
“You have to find some way to not become a cynical or negative person, a person who keeps walking around and opening your eyes in the outside world but inside you close down, a person who stops expecting tomorrow to be better than today. “
Thanks for stopping by and I hope I’ll see you next week………….
“You’re just not that important Mike” were some words spoken to me by Morley almost 24 years ago. Morley Moger was my first sponsor, or mentor, when I showed up to the rooms of recovery and he remained my sponsor for 21 years. I was reminded of the time Morley said this to me when I was speaking to a friend tonight who is from my 12 step group. He’s new to recovery and as it turns out these same words were said to him on Monday night by another man. They were spoken word for word although the first name was different. Many of you who aren’t in recovery already know this about yourselves and for those that don’t know it the opportunity to learn it is a must. You’re just not that important. Morley said these words to me out of kindness and love, not out of malice. I needed to hear these words, learn these words and understand what these words meant. Those words weren’t used to put me down. Those words were said to help me right size myself and to begin to learn and understand some humility. You see when I was active and deep in my alcoholism I thought I was so very important. I tried to control the world. Well that is I tried to control that small space that was my world. I had family to control, or at least what they thought of me. I had work situations and problems, of my own making, to control. I had a need to control everything around me so you wouldn’t find out I was an alcoholic. I didn’t know that you already knew this about me.I was such a great liar that I ended up being the last to know how bad I was because of the lies I told myself. I was sure that if I exercised enough control I could keep doing what I needed to do and that was to drink. I was also pretty sure that this world I was trying to control revolved around me. So by the time I showed up to the rooms of recovery and got sober I still believed the world revolved around me and that I was in control. The 12 steps taught me not only that I wasn’t in control but that I didn’t have to be in control. The world did not revolve around me. People, places and things would do quite well without me. Some would even thrive with my absence. Morley would remind me to count the stars in the sky if I was feeling too important. Or remind me how many people have lived on planet earth before me, who no one remembers. Those words spoken to me were not spoken to suppress me but actually to provide me with the relief I needed ,to know I didn’t have to run the show. It was like the world was lifted off my shoulders for the first time since I was a child. You’re just not that important. And it feels great to know it.So don’t worry,you’re not that important.
I am sharing this Ted Talk with you because it’s worth sharing. Some of you will listen for a short period but for those that listen to it all, well you’ll get it. Lidia Yuknavitch is an American writer and teacher from Oregon. She’s also a misfit! I love misfits.
The song this week is from a band called XXwho I first heard when I bought their album Coexist in 2012 after reading a great review. I love this band and I am looking forward to buying the new album, I See You.
The quote this week is :
“As we are liberated from our fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”
Well it’s week 4 but only my second blog of the 2017 and an otherwise bad start to a weekly blog. I was in Austin, TX last week and between hotels and airports I wasn’t able to pull off a blog post. That brought about the thought that it might be nice to have a couple of posts written and on the shelf ready to post for times like that. It was a short consideration though because I prefer the spontaneity of how I write now. This is, I don’t know what I will write until I sit down to do it and I never have plan or hidden motive. I also get a bit of a thrill from the self imposed sense of urgency I get from feeling I must post on Thursdays. It reminds me of college and studying for a final about 12 hours before it is to take place.
Austin was good as always but a very quick turnaround. We got to Austin last Wednesday at 930 PM, got our rental car, went for supper and to the hotel. We were up early the next morning as our meeting was for 745 AM. We and they were on time for our meeting and it ran to about 10 AM. We wrapped up and went downtown and wandered for a little while before getting to Lambert’s for a BBQ lunch. If you’re in Austin check it out. It’s fantastic food. Then it was back to the airport to catch our flight to Houston then Houston back to Calgary and we landed at 930 PM in Calgary. That is a quick turnaround!
My daughter Olivia moved to Whitehorse, Yukon at the beginning of the year and I’m really proud of her for stepping way out of her comfort zone and leaving the big city for a small northern city (far north) for an opportunity to advance her career and gain experience she might not otherwise gain. She’s on a one year contract with the Yukon government. Olivia just graduated from U of C last June with a Master’s in Social Work so it’s great timing. I’ve never been to Whitehorse so I am looking forward to visiting her this spring. I’ve never heard anything bad about the city and I’m already excited to see it.
This past Saturday my home group, the group I belong to in my 12 step fellowship, celebrated our 15th anniversary. This isn’t a long time for most groups but we’re kinda proud of our group. When we started 15 years ago we started in a relatively new community called McKenzie Towne. And McKenzie Towne was about as far south as Calgary went on the East side. There were just a couple of regulars when this group started in August of 2001. But the word got out that there was a meeting now in the Deep South and more and more people started coming. As Calgary grew, many more communities started to spring up south of us and we grew some more. We have 3 meetings a week in the McKenzie Towne Church. The Church has turned out to be great hosts to us and this Church is always reaching out to many groups and organizations in the community. They themselves have a strong sense of community. I’m not 100% sure of how many members our group has now but if I were to guess I would say about 170 members with many more people than that who drop into our meetings. It’s not uncommon to have 50 people at our Saturday morning meeting at 10 AM, which is a great way to kick off a weekend. Our celebration this past Saturday was pot luck and we invited anyone in 12 step community and I would say with friends and family and members we had about 160 people at our anniversary party. There was a band playing in the background, lots of opportunity to visit and enough food to feed everyone a couple of times over. Towards the end we had 3 scheduled speakers who all had approximately 20 minutes to speak. Each of the speakers was assigned one of the 3 legacies of our fellowship, to speak about. Those legacies are Unity, Recovery and Service. I thought all 3 speakers did a great job of speaking to and addressing the legacy they had. It was a great Saturday afternoon. I came to these rooms 24 years ago in the hopes I could stop drinking and stay stopped. I had no idea I was joining the greatest fellowship in the world or that I would end up with a few million really close friends-hahaha. It’s often said that AA is the only place where you can walk into a room full of strangers and reminisce. I’m very proud to be a member of the McKenzie Group in Calgary and very humbled to be surrounded by such great people. I have a real sense of belonging.
Moving along and over to football ,in my week 2 blog I predicted with confidence a Patriots Seahawks Super Bowl. Ummm, I was very wrong. But it has shaped up to be a great game, or at least it should be by the performances so far by the two participants. That would be the New England Patriots and the Atlanta Falcons. I am pretty indifferent as to who wins. It would be great to see the Pats win another and it would be really good to see the Falcons win this one. I’m looking forward to enjoying the game; it should be great one and a lot of scoring.
If you’re a regular reader you know that I love The Players Tribune. The stories are about athletes and almost always written by the athlete themselves but rarely are these stories about their sport and more likely about an aspect of their life. The following is a wonderful story by Paul Holmgren and its called My Brother Dave. Paul Holmgren was a very tough competitor and a very good hockey player .Holmgren was an American in a game that was predominantly played by Canadians, with a few exceptions. Paul Holmgren is presently the President of the Philadelphia Flyers of the NHL.
The song this week is Holland Roadby Mumford & Sons.
The quote this week is:
“Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life.”
– Steve Jobs
Thanks for reading and I hope you’ll drop by next week……….
My first post of 2017! Unfortunately I was unable to post last week.
Around this time every year, I have take time to reflect on my past year and the many years that have passed since 1993. This past Saturday, the 7th of January, I was 24 years clean and sober. I can not help but think back on my life and how different it has become for me. I am so far away from the person who drank alcoholically everyday that I recall certain painful and damaging events to reminiscence and remind myself how much gratitude I have for the life I have today. For me this second chance at life has been a rebirth. I always think of the first verse to John Denver’sRocky Mountain High when I’m thinking of my rebirth.
He was born in the summer of his 27th year
Coming home to a place he’d never been before
He left yesterday behind him, you might say he was born again
You might say he found a key for every door
The gift I have received from my Higher Power is so great, it can be overwhelming at times. The gift is this rebirth; this do-over that I have been Graced with. One, that in a different lifetime, I never knew was available to me. Not all my days were bad prior to January 7th 1993 but with a few exceptions, like the birth of my children, the best day I had back then would still be worse than my worst day today. It was never what was going on around me but what was going on inside me that was so damaging. These past 24 years have been exceptionally great and gratifying. Not so much because of outside changes but because I changed. I have a new perspective on life and I continue to allow it to change. I came to believe in a power greater than myself and I do my best to turn my will and my life (my thoughts and my actions) over to the care of that power everyday. Today it’s not about what life owes me but it’s about what I owe life.I’m no longer a bystander watching my life pass by but I am fully engaged in every moment. I do not have to control every outcome or situation in my life and this has certainly been healthier and less stressful because I am leaving the heavy lifting to my Higher Power. I have a peace of mind today instead of an anxious mind. I have an ability to accept an outcome instead of continue to battle a decision. For any of you who have ever coached kids or been coached you have said or heard the words “Leave it all on the field “or “give everything you have” or “leave it all on the ice” and if you do that then the outcome is irrelevant because you tried your hardest. Well this is kind of how I try to live. I do my best in my actions and after that I have to leave the results up to my Higher Power. I do the footwork and leave the results to something much more powerful than I. My 12 Step Fellowship and Program never once gave me the promise or thought that they would teach me how to not drink.What they did promise was they could teach me how to live. That promise has been fulfilled over and over and I am not sure I can ever pay back my debt. These past 24 years have been amazing and I’m grateful to everyone who has played a part in my recovery.
I believe it’s never too late for me or for you to change our lives. It’s never too early either. I have heard people say I’m too old to change and I have heard people say I’m young; I have lots of time to change. We need to be honest with ourselves if we want to change and I find these two statements to be very opportunistic for us to lie to ourselves. I had to get very honest with myself 24 years ago. I had to admit I had a fear of change. I had to admit that I had so many resentments that were blocking me from the sunlight. What was worse was my fear of living without my resentments. All I had to change was everything. Everyone has the ability to change. They might not have the willingness but everyone has the ability. Honesty, Open-mindedness and Willingness, these are the keys required for personal change. Not everyone I know believes in God and although I find God to be essential for my change and growth, the lack of belief in God shouldn’t hold anyone back from making the changes necessary to live a complete and rewarding life. Identify the changes you want to make and start today.
I’m going to change gears and tell a little story about the youths in my neighborhood. I keep seeing a meme on Facebook that shows some teens carrying shovels in a snowstorm and the meme asks “where have these people gone?” And it goes on to berate them for their video games,texting, etcetera etcetera etcetera. It get’s tiresome listening to people complain about kids texting and gaming. It reminds me of my dad telling me I was wasting my time in the pool hall and wasting my money on pinball machines. Last week I was sick and was man down for a few days and my sidewalk was covered in a few inches of snow and some was now hard-packed from being trampled on. We live on a large corner lot and our sidewalk is a chore at the best of times. I found the kids with the shovels! I went to my community page on Facebook and said “does anyone know a kid in the neighborhood who wants to make $20 shoveling a large corner lot sidewalk”. I had 3 responses within 10 minutes and I gave the work to the first kid who responded. I texted my address and I also said this is a large corner lot and I need it taken down to the concrete. His only response was “it pays $20 right?” A real nice 17-year-old showed up and went to work in minus 26 weather. 30 minutes later it was done and done very well. He gave me his cell number in case I needed him again. So those kids are out there we just need to know how to reach them.
Changing gears again it’s over to football.We’re down to the Divisional Playoffs in NFL which leaves 8 teams vying for the Super Bowl. Games on Saturday will see Seattle vs. Atlanta and Houston vs. New England. On Sunday we have 2 more great matchups with Pittsburgh vs. Kansas City and Green Bay vs. Dallas. I’m predicting a Seattle/New England Super Bowl. But regardless there should be 4 very good games this weekend.
The song this week is from the Dexys Album Dexys Do Irish Country and Soul and the song is titled Carrickfergus
Kevin Rowland with bandmates on the album cover
Most of you will know the Dexys as Dexys Midnight Runners and their very well known song Come On Eileen.I’m a huge fan of the band and even more so of Kevin Rowland. Although Kevin was born in England both of his parents were Irish and in this album he pays great tribute to his parents.I would love to see these guys but they play about 1 gig a year.
Christmas 2016 is in the record books and it was another good one. I am always filled with so much gratitude at Christmas. Especially when our kids and their significant others are in the house. The opportunity to see family and have some quality time with them really makes me grateful for what I have been given .The kids were over on Christmas Eve for about 6 hours. Enough time for supper, a visit and a couple of games. They were back over Christmas morning for a couple of hours while we exchanged gifts and then on Boxing Day at my in-laws for an awesome supper served up by Marge. Christmas Day Lori and I went to my sister Debbie’s home. The food was great and so was the company. There were only about 15 of us this year but in my family it’s always quality over quantity and it was a good visit as per usual. Often my family is louder than a football stadium packed with fans so despite the smaller crowd this year there was still a lot of noise. I actually counted a couple of people who were in on more than one conversation, at the same time! That’s us; not too shy. But now it’s time to enjoy the few days off we have until we are back to work on the 3rd of January.
A very good friend of mine has ALS, Lou Gehrig’s disease. She was diagnosed just a couple of months ago.Yesterday she asked me if I wanted to join her team in Betty’s Run for ALS. Of course I will! I will most likely be asking you to donate to this run. From $1 , $5 to that million you have stashed.From The Player’s Tribune I want to share this article about Steve Gleason , a former safety with the New Orleans Saints of the NFL. In 2011 Gleason revealed he had ALS and for 5 years recorded his challenge of living with the disease which is now captured in a documentary titled Gleason. There’s a movie trailer below.
Here’s the article from The Player’s Tribune– Steve Gleason.
It appears that the frontrunner for album of the year will go to Beyonce for her album Lemonade. I would normally shrug this selection of because it would be from Billboard or Rolling Stone.But when I researched I found that this album is on the top of the charts for most music critics and magazines. I’m confident I won’t be buying this album but I will go to YouTube and give it a listen and see what the hype’s about.
I would like to share with you my top 5 albums of 2016. These are my picks and based on my music preferences and many of you music lovers will have many other selections.
Mike’s Top 5 Albums of 2016
Leonard Cohen – You Want it Darker
Wilco – Schmilco
Bon Iver – 22, A Million
Richmond Fontaine – You Can’t Go Back if There’s Nothing To Go Back To
Drive-By Truckers – American Band
The song this week is from is the title track from Leonard Cohen’s newest album, You Want It Darker
The quote this week is from Brad Paisley.
“Tomorrow is the first blank page of a 365 page book. Write a good one.”
Have a fun but safe New Years and I wish for everyone that 2017 brings happiness and contentment
I love Christmas! It’s my favorite holiday of the year by a long shot. It’s very meaningful and although at times very busy it is also a relaxing time. My company actually closed the office from the 23rd to the 3rd which was a nice surprise and good Christmas bonus in this horrible economic situation Alberta finds itself in.
The kids are all coming over Saturday afternoon for the evening and they will be back Christmas morning for a couple of hours. Christmas Eve morning Lori and I go to a 12 step breakfast with some speakers and great fellowship, at The Deerfoot Inn. There’ll be a few hundred people as usual. On Christmas, after the kids have left to go to their respective dinners, Lori and I will go to my sister Debbie’s place for supper along with so many others. On Boxing Day, we will all head over to Marge and Gabe’s for supper and by about the 27th I will be needing a big nap.
The reason for this holiday is very important to me also, as I am a Christian. But this holiday time is always a special time to celebrate friends and relatives with food and gatherings and for the large part people are softer during this holiday. Sharper, rougher edges are replaced by additional patience and kindness. It’s just a really nice time of the year. It’s also a very emotional time of year and there are some people who really struggle at Christmas, with sadness, because of loved ones who are no longer with us in body. Be gentle with these people. Be kinder than necessary.
We live in Canada with an awesome mixture of Faiths and cultures and not everyone celebrates Christmas as the birth of Christ, but I don’t know anyone who doesn’t celebrate the spirit of the holiday. Be respectful, be kind.
Not everyone has as much as others and the food bank, Mustard Seed, Drop Inn and these places need money to clothe and feed people. Help where you can and if you can’t help financially, then share a smile, a handshake or a hug.
Be patient with the children. They’re excited, happy and playful. Yes, they will make more noise, eat more sugar and run a little harder. This is the joy they add to the holiday. Be kind to the old. They may not have their memory or physical capabilities but they were the ones who raised us. Show patience. Be kinder than necessary.
So no matter what your Faith, your beliefs or how you celebrate this holiday, know that I wish you a Merry Christmas, from my home to your home.
Our Home
The song this week is my favorite Christmas song and I love this version.
The quote this week is :
Christmas waves a magic wand over this world, and behold, everything is softer and more beautiful.
Norman Vincent Peale
Have a great Christmas and I hope I’ll see you next week………..
Disappearing From View 