Surviving cancer. It alters so much about who you are: your values, your hopes, your mindset, and your ambitions. You become acutely aware of what truly matters in life, and perhaps, not surprisingly, the things you once placed value on and gave all your energy and time to, were not the things of importance. My son was 12 months…
Simple Pleasures
In my recent post This Is Grief I spoke about acupuncture, and the flood of emotions this form of treatment unleashed within me. I was not prepared. As a result, my summer months were spent reflecting upon and traversing through the overwhelming depths of my sadness, my anger, my grief. These dark and tumultuous feelings hovered under the surface of…
I remember when I was younger – much younger – I could not imagine what my life would be like when I reached adulthood. I simply couldn’t envision any aspect of my life. I didn’t imagine the house, the career, the family … I was just me. I was whimsical. I was living in the moment, and following my passions…
Valentine’s Day. A celebration of romance and romantic love… Valentine’s Day can be very difficult for some. It is a day in which we celebrate romance and romantic love. It is a day of grand gestures – chocolates, flowers, dinner out, cards – but for some it can exasperate feelings of loneliness, heartache, and discouragement. It can be isolating….
In my previous post Riding the Waves I touched on my overwhelming feelings of loneliness, and my personal struggle in finding that magical ‘Christmas Spirit’. Well, I have ridden the waves and am currently in a pool of calm and serenity. It is an unfamiliar feeling for me, and I’m very grateful to be experiencing this sense of peacefulness. I attribute…
‘What are we holding on to Sam?’ ‘That there’s some good in this world, Mr. Frodo. And it’s worth fighting for.’ – J.R.R Tolkien This is the opening quote of Meik Wiking’s newest publication The Little Book of Lykke. I’ve been enjoying his previous book The Little Book of Hygge, which shares the Danish concept of everyday happiness and encourages…
Today is Mother’s Day. Traditionally a day when we celebrate all those amazing moms, including our own mom, our sisters, our friends, or any woman who enriches, nurtures, and positively impacts the lives of our little ones. It is a day to honour a mother’s courage, sacrifice, encouragement, compassion, and strength; and it is a day to recognize the selflessness…
It has definitely been a difficult few weeks. I haven’t had a lot of sleep because my son is in a phase where shadows, darkness, and generally all things spooky is waking him up each and every night, at all hours of the night. And of course, when tired and run down, my own thoughts become bleak, dreary, and wearisome….
Life is fleeting. It can toss us down a chaotic path, hurtling us through our days and catapulting us through the weeks. We get caught up in this breakneck speed and forget to take a moment – a simple moment to breathe, to connect, and to just be; and we forget to be grateful for all the little things that…
The aromatic scents of cacao, cumin, toasted nuts, and caramel; the bold, rich, and distinct flavours that tickle the tongue; the soothing sensation of warmth throughout your body. There is something delectable, exotic, and comforting about coffee. And to the desperately exhausted, there is also a cruel necessity of the caffeine within. As a cancer survivor battling through fatigue;…