Throughout my travels as a human being, backpacking through this country called life, I've learned a lot. I'm blessed to have had access to the richness of a post-secondary education, an amazing family, a network of friends that has become a second family, and work that has come my way that has been both challenging and enjoyable. And, of course, relative to so many people, I've had it great. I've had it beautiful.
I enjoy the luxury of complaining and of making mistakes that won't cost me my livelihood, my dignity or my freedom, as so many little things could do for women beyond my cushy existence. I'm typing right now, which means I have a computer, internet access, a free voice in my country, and that I am literate.
There is nothing more life-affirming than love. And the most lasting, and the most halting of all loves I have been blessed with is a love for life. I am fascinated by desires, by survival ... the fact that we are alive and that so much of the time, we forget to ask why we are here, and just get lost in the rapture that is what we are living. And that the most beautiful and terrible thing about life is that you can't be sure we get any more of it than what we got now.
I don't know if I believe in an afterlife. I certainly believe in heaven and hell, but they tend to turn up on earth. Looking at the shattered world of a war, or the broken skeleton of a city after a disaster, you can't help but think that the devil's taken up residence there. If you've ever been laughing hysterically or felt the rushing undertow of life as you step on a stage ... there are so many morsels of heaven that we are allowed to taste every day. We, as humans, are allowed to feel happy without any reason.
The funny thing I've noticed is that we never sensationalize the millions of moments of beauty. And I think we could stand to spend more time thinking about it.
It isn't New Year's, but I'm re-affirming a resolution made by so many of us, on a conscious level, but kept by so many who take no pains in forgetting to complain: I'm going to celebrate beauty, life, and the world I'm lucky enough to be a part of.
This is all I have.
Showing posts with label love. Show all posts
Showing posts with label love. Show all posts
Sunday, May 15, 2011
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Tasty, Tasty Melodies pt. 4
Life is what happens when you're busy making other plans ...
So, the date with Roommate did not go as planned, but hey. That's life!
We did make chicken, but it was a little undercooked and was bookended by some hard discussion. So, while productive, it wasn't the pseudo romantic Valentine's Day we'd expected.
This is a song my mother constantly references. As I am sure most people my age have, I grew up on the Beatles. My parents are still very open to us exploring various religions and spiritualities. The fact that the Beatles dabbled in transcendental meditation (a practice that my family has been engaged in for decades), and that John is kind of the patron saint of acceptance and love for the millennials made them the soundtrack for our house.
Whenever something went the other way, Mum would reference this song. And it's so true. Whenever I find myself thinking or second-guessing a decision, I always resurface to find that life has kept on going.
And even though Roommate and I didn't get our lovely little dinner, we still had something of value.
Love is action. Love is motion. Love is not just going forward, but growing. And there are growing pains that go with it.
All my life, I'm trying to reach back to that place where all I did was trust. Where my entire life was a free-fall into my parents' arms. When love was law.
So, no recipes this time. But there will be more food blogging soon, I promise. But I hope this has been some food for thought.
So, the date with Roommate did not go as planned, but hey. That's life!
We did make chicken, but it was a little undercooked and was bookended by some hard discussion. So, while productive, it wasn't the pseudo romantic Valentine's Day we'd expected.
This is a song my mother constantly references. As I am sure most people my age have, I grew up on the Beatles. My parents are still very open to us exploring various religions and spiritualities. The fact that the Beatles dabbled in transcendental meditation (a practice that my family has been engaged in for decades), and that John is kind of the patron saint of acceptance and love for the millennials made them the soundtrack for our house.
Whenever something went the other way, Mum would reference this song. And it's so true. Whenever I find myself thinking or second-guessing a decision, I always resurface to find that life has kept on going.
And even though Roommate and I didn't get our lovely little dinner, we still had something of value.
Love is action. Love is motion. Love is not just going forward, but growing. And there are growing pains that go with it.
All my life, I'm trying to reach back to that place where all I did was trust. Where my entire life was a free-fall into my parents' arms. When love was law.
So, no recipes this time. But there will be more food blogging soon, I promise. But I hope this has been some food for thought.
Monday, February 7, 2011
A Tasty Prequel
So, amidst all of the papers, monologues, film scenes, architecture readings, class presentations, masques and mainstage work ... the fact that Valentine's Day is coming - and is on my mind - is baffling.
And oddly enough, not in a "OMGZ IM SINGLE SO I HATE COUPLES" or "This is a bullshit Hallmark holiday" kind of way or even "What will I get for my manboy this year?"
It's in a "So, I'm going to need a stick of butter, some prosciutto, a roasting chicken, thyme, rosemary, garlic, sea salt, crushed chillies, smoked paprika and some potatoes."
Yeah. I'm letting the St. Whoosits day friend date take over.
I've never really seen this day as one for couples, actually. My strongest memories are of those little boxed cards you'd fill out for every kid in your class, and my mum putting pink foil-wrapped Kisses in my lunch bag. Also, cinnamon hearts contests at the back of the bus (I came in second with fifty-seven in my mouth at once). I've not been in a relationship when the day has come around, so it's never meant romantic love to me.
Last year, a bunch of us girls went for a dinner at Pags, followed by seeing the (awful) movie Valentine's Day, and then Cheesecake at QV. All in all, pretty good. But it required some forethought, just as a real date would have.
This year, the elaborate dinner is homemade, and for Roommate. She and I are calling it couple this year, and deciding to forgo the "eff you, we can go out, too!" mentality that so many people seem to take.
I'm going to post the recipe (and hopefully pictures) of the chicken I'll be making. It's a marriage between Jamie Oliver's roast chicken, and my own. So, of course, with due credit I'll try and find a link to that and add my modifications.
The best thing about Valentine's day? Discounted pink candy on the 16th. Aw yeah.
And oddly enough, not in a "OMGZ IM SINGLE SO I HATE COUPLES" or "This is a bullshit Hallmark holiday" kind of way or even "What will I get for my manboy this year?"
It's in a "So, I'm going to need a stick of butter, some prosciutto, a roasting chicken, thyme, rosemary, garlic, sea salt, crushed chillies, smoked paprika and some potatoes."
Yeah. I'm letting the St. Whoosits day friend date take over.
I've never really seen this day as one for couples, actually. My strongest memories are of those little boxed cards you'd fill out for every kid in your class, and my mum putting pink foil-wrapped Kisses in my lunch bag. Also, cinnamon hearts contests at the back of the bus (I came in second with fifty-seven in my mouth at once). I've not been in a relationship when the day has come around, so it's never meant romantic love to me.
Last year, a bunch of us girls went for a dinner at Pags, followed by seeing the (awful) movie Valentine's Day, and then Cheesecake at QV. All in all, pretty good. But it required some forethought, just as a real date would have.
This year, the elaborate dinner is homemade, and for Roommate. She and I are calling it couple this year, and deciding to forgo the "eff you, we can go out, too!" mentality that so many people seem to take.
I'm going to post the recipe (and hopefully pictures) of the chicken I'll be making. It's a marriage between Jamie Oliver's roast chicken, and my own. So, of course, with due credit I'll try and find a link to that and add my modifications.
The best thing about Valentine's day? Discounted pink candy on the 16th. Aw yeah.
Monday, September 27, 2010
Love
I walk down the red and white and brick halls, and see the places where she was.
I never met Eva, but she is everywhere. She's a part of this building, and these people, and she is therefore a part of me, in some way.
Our department recently had a memorial for her, where we saw a screening of her documentary, 65_redroses, which was - for a lack of better words - amazing.
Her blog can be found by clicking here. The last few entries are from her family, and everything previous makes it very clear what a brilliantly creative person Eva was. And the impact she will continue to have on the world.
Here is a link for more information on her documentary, which is now available on DVD.
And finally, much of Eva's legacy is in the increase of those who have signed up to be organ donors. Here is the link to the BC Transplant website.
From the memorial, I remembered and resonated with the fact that she was here to love. She has inspired so much love in this world, and I remember hearing her talk about how she survived because she had so much love in her life. And if she can touch so many people, without even having known them, she's done much, much more than she ever set out to do.
Just. Love.
I never met Eva, but she is everywhere. She's a part of this building, and these people, and she is therefore a part of me, in some way.
Our department recently had a memorial for her, where we saw a screening of her documentary, 65_redroses, which was - for a lack of better words - amazing.
Her blog can be found by clicking here. The last few entries are from her family, and everything previous makes it very clear what a brilliantly creative person Eva was. And the impact she will continue to have on the world.
Here is a link for more information on her documentary, which is now available on DVD.
And finally, much of Eva's legacy is in the increase of those who have signed up to be organ donors. Here is the link to the BC Transplant website.
From the memorial, I remembered and resonated with the fact that she was here to love. She has inspired so much love in this world, and I remember hearing her talk about how she survived because she had so much love in her life. And if she can touch so many people, without even having known them, she's done much, much more than she ever set out to do.
Just. Love.
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