Tag Archives: calgary

happiness

Look around

I have spent the last week really humbled by the amount of love and compassion I have seen in the people around me.

If you are able to stop and look around – really look into the souls of the people you walk by – are they living with love or living with fear? I’ve spent a lot of time recently with people who are in fearful situations and yet they are pouring love out of their souls. It is a beautiful thing and it is happiness.

And as an extra moment of happiness, I get to look into this face, these eyes, every single day. How blessed am I?

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A little tenderness

I was in the parking lot today and I watched an elderly man push his wife to the car in her wheel chair. She dropped something and he stopped and walked around searching for the item and then handed it back. Then he helped her out of her chair and into their car.

The tenderness this couple had towards each other made my heart smile. There are two options I figure – to live life guided by fear or to live life guided by love. I could feel the love flowing off this old couple. That was happiness.

In the middle of chaos and uncertainty there are people who react with love and tenderness. I aspire to be one of those people.

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The power of a smile

This morning I was walking through the hospital trying to both look and not look at the people I was passing by. So many people are upset, scared, sad and I never want to infringe on an emotional moment – but I don’t like to walk looking at the ground either.

As I was walking past one lady we made eye contact and she flashed the kindest smile, it lit up her whole face like a sunbeam was shining out of her. It’s amazing how good it felt to be on the receiving end of that kind smile – it cheered me up and left me smiling at the next person I passed. Pay it forward happiness style.

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Best line of the day 

I was waiting at the cast clinic beside a lady when she suddenly noticed her son was being wheeled to a different area. She jumped up and chased the nurse down to ask where he was going. 

She came back to get her things and shook her head and muttered I didn’t give birth to him just to lose  him now. 

And I replied I know and it’s a lot of work to make another one. 

And we looked at each other and shook our heads and at the same times said and God, I never want to do that again. 

I love random funny moments and this was a good one. 

As a bonus I got to see my shoulder and I’m all healed and although it’s not anywhere close to where it needs to be, I have more mobility in my arm. Slowly but surely I’m mending and I’ll be as good as new soon. And that’s happiness 

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Small kindness – big difference

The girl and I were back at the Children’s Hospital today. I had taken her back to the doctor and she was still concerned about her symptoms and discomfort, so off to the hospital we went.

I have to say, that while the wait is very long there (they go as fast as they can, there are just so many sick kids waiting to be seen), the care they have given us every time we have been there is impressive. It’s mostly in the small kindnesses they show – everyone going out of their way to make sure my kid is as comfortable and secure as possible. A few of the nurses have said that they look after the kids there as if they were their own because that’s how it should be.

And it really makes a difference. What is a long and boring and stressful event they really make much more positive. I am grateful that we have this hospital close by, that I don’t have to worry about how to pay for a hospital visit, and for the great care we have been getting. That is happiness.

Hopefully the girl is feeling better soon!

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We are both moms

I spent a big chunk of the day with the girl getting some tests done to make sure nothing inside her was about to explode. The technician at the lab we were at was awesome. She was so patient and kind and understood that my girl was a little anxious and still feeling really crappy. She had Moana playing on her tv and explained what was going to happen and how it would feel (it was an ultrasound – so no big deal unless you’ve never had one).

We actually had to stop the test and have her drink more to get a proper reading (that girl is a camel). What amazed me the entire time was how patient, thorough, and kind this lady was. She not only wanted to make sure she got all the images she needed, but she really wanted to make sure the girl was comfortable and understood what was going on.

At the end as we were leaving I thanked her for being so kind and thorough, and she replied with we are both moms. I totally get how you feel, if she was my daughter I’d want someone to care for them the way I would for my own. Kindness, it’s always the best choice. It’s happiness.

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Back in the saddle 

September 20 I saw my doctor at the cast clinic and he told me that my bone had healed well, but was concerned because I had very little mobility still in my arm. 

As I left his office I realized two things. One was that I better get my arm moving and two that maybe I didn’t have to wait until spring to ride again. 

I set a goal to be on my horse by September 30. It was a laughable goal because I couldn’t move my arm barely at all and the pain was still keeping me up at night. 

So here we are 10 days later. I’m still up at night more than I’d like, but I’ve increased mobility a lot. And so, this happened this afternoon:


I managed to tack him up myself which was no small feat. Then I lunged the hell out of him 


And when he was finally tired I grabbed my mounting block and went to get on. 

As I stood there on the block  I got super nervous as I realized how totally vulnerable I was with only one dependable arm. 

I called the girl and forced her to come hold him – which she did. 

And I sat on his back. Didn’t even walk around, just sat there for a few minutes feeling the fear, feeling the calm. Both were there. It’s what I love most,  but I have to say I’m a little scared after my last unplanned dismount. 

But mostly I was just happy. Happy I was back on, happy am facing things that scare me, happy I have Drishti 

It was a good moment. 

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