A Good Time For a Long Walk

It’s good to have something to look forward to … 2009 was a challenging year. After more than five year’s of living with a diagnosis of pancreatic cancer, 26 stent procedures, quadruple bypass heart surgery, a broken hip, and becoming diabetic – all of which she survived with grace and tenacity, good humour and love as the “energizer Buddy” – my mom died on July 12. My brothers, sister, brother-in- law, nieces, cousin, and Allison and I had precious time with her in the final weeks of her life. I still want to phone her most days of the week, to tell her about my day and see how she is doing. I miss her gentle loving spirit very much, and I am so grateful to have had the gift of the last five years with her. I have never experienced such loss in my life. I think of my mom every day. I am ok, but I miss her very much.

My beloved Allison is better now, but since last June (when she needed to stop working because of severe burnout) she travelled dark days of depression, adrenal fatigue, and exhaustion. Days when she found it difficult to find the energy to gather words and speak, week upon week when she didn’t want to leave the house, and a profoundly uncharacteristic loss of inspiration to do most things. With tenderness, patience, and faith, she grew well. She found again things that she loves to do and that are good for her soul – baking bread, reading, sewing, gardening, more time with our god kids, friends and family, and the capacity to sit in the sun and simply be. Yesterday she returned to work and will co-lead Winter Session, a program she loves, beginning Jan 10 and ending April 9.

We have experienced a great deal of support from family and friends, gifts of love and care, times of intentional retreat and renewal, times away.

And the gift of perspective … on life, and work, and making time for what is important.

After 11 years of working at Naramata Centre, I will be taking a sabbatical from Feb 1 – May 31! I have wanted to do a BIG walk for several years. It’s a dream that has ebbed and sparked and cycled over the years. A couple of years ago I read Joyce Rupp’s book, “Walk in a Relaxed Manner” about the Camino and I thought I would like to do it one day.

That day is now circled on the calendar. We booked our flight on New Year’s Day as a symbol of the beginning of the New Year. We fly to Paris April 19 and will start our walk on the 21st.

It’s a good time for a long walk. And I am so looking forward to doing this with Allison.