Running for a van...

"When the solution is simple, God is answering." -- Albert Einstein.

...and the answer I received is "Get out of your own head and take a look at what's going on around you." Simple solution indeed.

I was inspired by several stories I read in the newspaper this past weekend. One in particular moved me to take action. Stick with me on this...

Amanda George is a local woman, a single mom (widow) raising two kids. Her youngest one, Geordi, has special needs. Geordi was born with severe cerebral palsy, scoliosis, an abnormally small skull and a seizure disorder. As a result of unbelievably tight muscles and dislocated hips, his body does not bend. He has a wheelchair that allows him to always be reclined. Problem is, the chair doesn't fit in a car. To go anywhere, Amanda George has to carry her 12-year old son. Amanda George needs a van... and she's gathered up the courage to ask for help.

As I went for a run on a beautiful Sunday morning, the story of this gutsy family stayed with me. I reflected on how difficult it has been for me to get motivated to get out and run. The motivation just wasn't coming from within... so I decided to get out of my head and give myself a reason to run. Are you still with me??

I'm registered to run an 8Km race in Philadelphia on November 18th. (Hubby is running the marathon.) I've never run 8Km before... and I'd like to run this race for Geordi's Van. I want to finish the race in less than an hour. I run 5Km in about 30 minutes at race pace, so factor in fatigue, and I think that's do-able... if I train and build up my stamina. For every minute BELOW an hour, I'll donate 10$ to one boy one van. Can you see where I'm goin' here?!

Will you join me? Not in running :-) but in helping Geordi and his family get their van. You may choose to pledge an amount per minute below an hour, as I have done. Or, you may prefer to simply make a donation. If you can't participate in this way, please keep us all in your prayers... especially on November 18th!

Read the story the inspired me here.
Find out how to donate here.

Pace e bene,

Finding joy in Anne...

"I am well in body although considerably rumpled up in spirit, thank you, ma'am."

Ah yes, no one can tell it like it is quite like Anne Shirley... Anne (spelled with an e), otherwise known as Anne of Green Gables.

While in Italy this past summer, I met a lovely woman named Ann; she was from Oslo, Norway. When she found out I was from Canada, she immediately said: "Anne of Green Gables! This is my dream, one day, to go to Canada and visit Green Gables!!" I was struck with the intensity of her desire. I think she planted a seed... it would soon be time for me to rediscover the charm and exuberance of the little red-haired girl from PEI.

I picked up the book on the weekend and devoured it, almost as if for the first time. It truly is a laugh-out-loud kinda book, and as I began to read some of the familiar stories, I would giggle in anticipation of what I knew was to come. How can one forget Diana getting drunk on the "raspberry cordial"? Other long-forgotten stories came as a surprise and I took great delight in becoming reacquainted with them.

Next year is the 100th anniversary of the publication of Anne of Green Gables. Lucy Maud Montgomery's writing is timeless... as alive and colourful today as it was a century ago. If, like me, your copy of Anne has been gathering dust on a shelf somewhere, do yourself a big favour. Take it down, brush it off, grab a comfy blanket and settle down for a wonderful read.

Allow me to leave you with a sampling of my favourite phrases...

"There's such a lot of different Annes in me. I sometimes think that is why I'm such a troublesome person. If I was just the one Anne it would be ever so much more comfortable, but then it wouldn't be half so interesting."

"Oh Marilla, I'm so glad to live in a world where there are Octobers. It would be terrible if we just skipped from September to November, wouldn't it?"

"If you'll only call me Anne spelled with an e I shall try to reconcile myself to not being called Cordelia."

"I'm so glad my window looks east into the sunrising. (...) It's new every morning, and I feel as if I washed my very soul in that bath of earliest sunshine."

"Isn't it good just to be alive on a day like this? I pity the people who aren't born yet for missing it. They may have good days, of course, but they can never have this one."

Pace e bene,

Swimmingly...

Today is another day, and I am encouraged to honour where I'm at. For today, that means in a place of low energy and indecision. Thanks to those of you who sent messages of support. I am reminded that I can choose to be alone - I may even feel alone at times - but I'm not. Like the fish who is unaware of the water around him, I swim in a deep ocean of love & friendship. And for that, I am grateful.

I'm posting a couple of photos that make me smile. This is Sis & me. We had our photo taken by a professional photographer, Bonnie Findley, as a gift for my parents' 45th wedding anniversary. We had so much fun during the photo shoot... I just have to look at these and I can hear us laughing and giggling as Bonnie prompted us to "work it, girls!". :-) We'd just look at each other and burst out laughing. "Huh? Work it?! How the heck do we do that?!!" It was a fun time...

Pace e bene,

Being where I'm at...

Yeah. I know. It's been a while...

I've been laying very, very low lately. My energy cycle is at a low point and I've been limiting my activities to a minimum. I'm not quite sure how to deal with it, or talk about it, or even be OK with it. I've gotten into some bad habits and am trying not to be overly judgemental about it. Thing is, are these really habits truely "bad"? Or, are they where I need to be right now? Are they simply choices that are not in my best health interest right now? Or, am I being over-analytical about how I'm spending my time? (I suspect this last one to be truest...)

What are these so-called "bad" habits, you may wonder? Probably not-so-bad, actually. But I know they are not supportive of a return to full health and energy. Habits like:

• skipping my regular grounding practices, such as meditation and exercise...
• procrastinating on commitments I've made to others - and to myself...
• not checking email for fear of what I might find there (ie. more stuff I need to do)...
• sitting in front of the TV for hours at a time, watching something - or nothing...
• isolating myself...
• not blogging regularly (ie. getting out of my head)...
• eating copious amounts of potato chips...
• not sticking to my optimum diet (ie. eating things that I know are toxic to my body)...

A while back, a friend of my sister's shared some wisdom she had received and wrote this on her blog:

Fatigue can do many things including making us feel old and spent when really we're not. When really we're vibrant, beautiful and ambitious, yearning for the excitement and challenge that feeds our soul. When really all we might need is a few good nights' sleep, nutritious food to replenish our bodies (preferably prepared for us by someone else!) and walks along the Canal. When really we could use unscheduled, free time to explore possibilities, be, and dream up our next adventures. Yup ... fatigue will curb that in a flash!

Those words ring so true for me...

Whether I call it fatigue, low energy, low-grade depression, or whatever, one thing I know for sure. It sucks. And I need to trust that this too shall pass...

Pace e bene,