Monday, April 20, 2009

Finding Balance?



How do you find balance? This question has come up a few times over the last week and so I'm going to put it out there. We all get swept along by jobs, time lines, relationships, and emotions. How do you free your mind, find solitude, connect with your inner god/goddess?! Now, now, I'm not getting all hippy-dippy on ya. I'm just saying we all need balance. Too much is too much.

As this question arises I hear a multitude of answers. Some look to writing/reflection, yoga, meditation, cooking, physical activities, soaking in a bath, spending time with loved ones, etc. But, I want you to go further than simply coming up with one of your past times that helps you unwind and relax. Why and how do these hobbies or quiet spaces provide solitude? Why do we need balance? What occurs when we live unbalanced lives? And what happens when we get lost in our experiences?

Create gaps in the stream of thinking! Without these spaces your thoughts become repetitive, uninspiring and not very creative. Boring! And who wants to live a boring life?

I was cloud gazing today, out here on the Saskatchewan prairies, and I discovered that we can learn a lot from a simple cloud. My Mom taught me the delights of the cloud game, many moons ago. We would search for images and make believe objects while lazily watching the clouds drift apart from our perfect spot lying on the grass or beach. As I grew older I used that game to help calm myself and others. I was often viewed as the mediator at school. Kids would run up to me, at recess, to ask my advice or opinion on different arguments. I felt special that they chose to ask me and I would listen to the dispute and tell them my advice. Sometimes, I didn't have a clue what to tell them and when I didn't know what to say I would lead the little group to the back of the school ground and tell them to lie on their backs and look up at the clouds. We would gaze up, pointing and telling each other what funny shapes we saw and the dispute would drift away, too.

Now, I find myself relating to cloud wisdom once again. As an adult I see the beauty and I am still in awe, mystified by their wonder and shape shifting abilities high above.

"How surely gravity’s law
strong as an ocean current
takes hold of even the smallest thing
and pulls it toward the heart of the world.

Each thing—
each stone, blossom, child—
is held in place
Only we, in our arrogance
push out beyond what we each belong to
for some empty freedom.

If we surrender
to earth’s intelligence
we could rise up rooted, like trees.

Instead we entangle ourselves
in knots of our own making
and struggle, lonely and confused.

So, like children, we begin again
to learn from the things
because they are in God’s heart
they have never left him.

This is what the things can teach us
to fall
patiently to trust our heaviness
Even a bird has to do that
before he can fly.


- RILKE (Book of Hours)

Tuesday, April 14, 2009

My Fun, Fun, Fun Farm!


While Wayne was running the highway I wandered into Indian Head, pop., approximately, 1500. There was lots going on in this small town on a Saturday afternoon. A tea bazaar was being held in the armories, a new hardware store was holding a grand opening bbq celebration and the main street was closed off to allow people to stroll along to shop or talk to friends. I had an extra bounce in my step as I made my way along Main Street in search of coffee and a place to write in my journal. However, I passed the two coffee shops as I felt propelled to venture to the end of the strip. I came up to a new/used trinkets shop and felt mesmerized standing in front of the quaint little window display. It was nothing out of the ordinary but it was just one of those moments, like, "yeah, this is where I need to be". I'm not really a shopper/browser yet I felt pulled to enter this store. Once inside I looked around for a bit before I was asked by the owner where I was from and how I had come about wandering into her store. We started to talk and sure enough this wonderful lady had lots to say. When she heard about the Cross Canada Run project she piped up about her history of being a foster care parent and the trend in her life to attract mental health causes. People who suffer are drawn to her and she has helped many affected. We kept chatting, I told her about couchsurfing and asked her advice on where we could shower and plug in the RV for the night in her town. Within minutes she was drawing me a map to her farm and inviting us to stay the night! I was blown away and also excited to explore her farm 10 miles north on their isolated land.

The next 24 hours was pure bliss! We had great conversations, a lovely meal and well deserved rest in their comfy, cozy farm house. Dixie and Robert Kleine moved from BC to Alberta to Indian Head, SK over several years after several jobs. They wanted a base after many years of wandering, living out of their funky bus and raising their kids. They found their paradise here on the Kleine Commune! They call it Whoville Farm and there's tons of cool, antique farm stuff, equipment and nick knacks that fit their wacky, free spirited lifestyle. What a wonderful couple! I'm so glad I wandered into Dixie's store that day!

Here's a few pictures to display my absolute gratitude and love for the farm, Dixie and Robert and all their fun, fuzzy friends who gave me hours of enjoyment!





Monday, April 6, 2009

Antique Saskatchewan



I have been fortunate to experience the beauty and antique side of Saskatchewan over the last week. It all started with a hotel stay at the 102 year old Wolseley Hotel in Wolseley, SK. Wayne was a bit skeptical at first since they were hesitant to give us a room. The hotel is full of old antiques, paintings, copper doors and frames, an ancient piano, books, one "lavatory" per floor, gorgeous, old radiators and funky carpets.
The hotel is located above a bar and the owners live in half of the building. We had been living in the RV for four days so it was time to find a real bed and shower. Luckily, they agreed to have us stay for two nights at a discounted price. At first it felt like we were staying in a haunted house. The walls creaked and moaned, the radiator tapped all night long and the dark hallways seemed to whisper of past affairs and long forgotten travel adventures. Cool!

That same night we were invited to Sandra and Ken Dobra's home in Grenfell, SK after our speaking engagement at the Grenfell Health Care Center. Sandra is a social worker and Ken is a retired teacher who is working on setting up the new 9-11 services for the province. They are a lovely couple with huge hearts, open minds and an active lifestyle! We spent a wonderful evening chatting, philosophizing and wining and dining over a fabulous homemade meal! Again, I was lead through an old, beautiful home with tons of Victorian flair! Sandi and Ken rescued their 100+ year old dream home over 20 years ago when they decided to settle down in the quaint town of Grenfell.
There was a great structure in place and with a few additions and new pieces they created a fabulous home for themselves and their two kids. I was in awe all evening and managed to capture some good shots on my way to the bathroom. Wayne and I left town energized and drunk on good vibes! Thanks Sandi and Ken for being our angels in Grenfell!