A Sad Post Today

Remember I told you about the 'Stranger a Day' thing the girls and I were doing when we first got to camp? Well, one night, Sherri picked a young guy sitting alone and we followed suit. Poor guy was stunned when we descended upon his table and was so tired he could hardly keep his eyes open.

After our rapid-fire questions, and his obvious residence of Sydney Mines, him and I discovered that we had very close mutual friends in the Browns. So he and I hit it off and yakked and grabbed tea whenever we could. He was just a kid (23 or so) so I don't remember him hanging around while being around the Browns, but he spent a lot of days on Jessome Street. He had to cut out early since he'd worked so hard in the heat that day and was basically sleep-walking, but after that, we'd hang out when we saw each other, had the same gym schedule etc. Really great kid - educated, funny, great story teller, wanted to get out of his town and move to Calgary with his sister; was truly trying to move forward in life.

Anyway, long story short, he, and I'm very short on the facts here, overdosed the other night and was found deceased by his girlfriend.

I am so saddened by this. I saw him at my current camp as recent as November and we'd eaten a few meals together and he was having trouble sleeping so I gave him homeopathic pellets to put under his tongue to settle him, but I didn't take the time, against my intuition, to sit and 'talk' to him. I knew he was sad because we'd touched briefly on his life over our dinners.

I was in my office one day texting him as he was struggling so badly with 'too much going on in his head' and going days without proper sleep. I was going to ask him if he wanted me to go over to the lounge area to chat with him just so he could unload.

And I didn't.

I was too busy. I was a 25 second walk away from him and I was too busy.

While its true my job is the most intense I've ever had and I've never so honestly earned a paycheque in my life; what was so important about my spreadsheets and flight bookings and whatever else I do that I couldn't have taken 30 minutes out of my day to listen to someone?

Now I don't know if this overdose was intentional or an accidental mix of perscriptions he was on, and I don't feel that my not walking across the sidewalk to talk to him has changed the end result.

But it's a really sad lesson learned. I had the chance to help him and I didn't take it. I did a little bit, sure I texted him during the day, but I was too afraid of 'getting in trouble', 'getting a reputation of being lazy at work' to physically go over to where he was.

Pretty sure my work can wait; those engineers and transport managers and flight coordinators can wait a minute or two while I tend to my friend.

Makes you realize how precious a life is. He left a sister and a neice and nephew and a newborn (nephew maybe) who worshipped him and he likewise.

Weird for me to ask - but can you send a little prayer rocket up for them? I don't know what you'd say because asking for them to find comfort right now seems like a long shot ...

Sorry for the sad post and I don't quite know what its purpose is; probably to try and absolve myself.

We are called to love. Truly. I know I missed this chance, just how many do I not know about?

My prayer for myself right now is that my eyes, heart and ears would be tuned in a little finer for next time.

Theres no way to end this on a positive note, so I'm just going to sign off.

LLM

Somethings Are Just Too Special To Let Go

Back, way back in ... 1989? Maybe? My cousin, and soul sister at the time, Gwen ( of http://risebeforedawn.blogspot.com/ fame) lived in Labrador and (if my memory is correct) people came to her school one day to teach them how to craft things out of leather.

While everyone else made little knick-knacks, she set out to make me a pair of slippers (insert size 10 feet joke here, Mark?). She laboured far longer than her peers on my slippers, and I was so flattered when she gave them to me knowing how much love (and most likely, regret haha) went into them.

They've travelled all over Canada with me all these years and I put them on the other day and got  sentimental.

I haven't seen her in close to a decade as life and miles have made visiting not very user-friendly; but it doesn't diminish my pride in knowing she is my blood and how she she went from this spunky little kid who yelled "HELLO BONNIE" at a wedding when we were really little to truly being 'the change she wants to see in the world'.

Love you Gwennie! Proud you're mine. xoxo

Silly Surfers

HAHA - they loved my tattoo!!

A Cabo Christmas!

These are mixed up and Blogger is slow and silly, so my update won't be thorough, but FB has more pics.

Tassie and I being silly - based on a viral YouTube video about the silly things girls say and do.

Where we stayed. It was cold the first couple of days so we were pretty white for a lot of our trip.

 Melted candle wax structure in one of the two a la carte restaurants. There was an Italian restaurant and a Mexican one as well. So good. And free. Well, not really free, as we completely overpaid for a week away! haha. But all you had to bring was tip money.

 We were taken out on a pub-crawl with our surf instructors. This was the key to the bathroom at The Jungle Bar

 Can you spot the Canadians??

 SNORKLING!!! was amazing!

 These creepy elves were EVERYWHERE. What nighmares are made of!

 Tassie and I making fun of Sherri's famous 'get ready' pose. (she did this one day on the beach before attempting a carthwheel)

 Our first night there! Look how bundled we are! It was so cold. And we're so un-tanned, we look sickly.

 Our (handsy) surf instructors

 Our surf instructors in a totally different situation! haha

 Now I could care less about Sammy Hagar (of ... Van Halen fame, I believe) buuuut,,,, TOBY KEITH!! was in town and at this bar two nights before. He is really the only celebrity that I would walk up to and talk. But he wasn't there the night I was. Boo.

 Tass and I pretending (posing) that the giant waves were scary.

 Sherri and I not pretending to marvel at the sand nearly moving us back with it

Almost successful picture  ... CABC?

It was such a fabulous time! We went ziplining too and that was so scary - flying down a metal cable with just a helmet over canyons and each ride (we did 7) were higher and longer than the last. At least I face my fear of heights!! Still scared of edges, but can say I did it and would do it again, no question!

The girls were so much fun to travel with. Very easy-going. We did our own thing when we felt like it. I went for a walk down the beach by myself a couple of times. They went off to the Infinity pool while I lounged and read.

I'd def go with them again - and I think they'd say the same. Hope so anyway :-).



My Lil Dad

Dad came to visit for a couple of days. I think it was just to collect his Christmas presents, but whatever, a girl has to get a paternal visit in when she can. ;-)

All his children contributed to (both parents) Christmas present, so as much as it pained me, I took him shopping.

HeeHee.

I am a shopoholic and to help someone get clothes, it helps with my addiction without the guilt of shopping for myself.

So I took him to the store I always shop at. Espy (a fab boutique in Inglewood). Ashley and Clarke helped him pick out a gorgeous pair of Mavi jeans.

Then we went to O'Connors (Calgary's answer to Duggers) and hit up the Boxing Day sale and got him two super funky shirts. One is a real pale lavender and the inside of the collar and cuff are PAISLEY!!!!

I know! Paisley! Dad! Paisley!

I kept saying to him "stop me if I'm steam-rolling you'. (its a default, I'm afraid)

Then we went to Banff and he bought himself a LULU hoodie!!! I know! LULU! Dad!

We had a great dinner with Auntie and Uncle Lloyd one night.

Had breakfast at Rickys near my house on Wednesday morning, I went to my naturopath and Dad went on his way.

Awesome way to start the year!

Now to meet up with Mom to give her her gift (a spa day!! mudwraps! herbal baths! manicures! pedicures! 

(i'm not wearing my glasses, so if theres typos, please know that is the reason)