Life and crunchy peaches

Last week I had some friends over for dinner. I am not a cook and I do not entertain often because I get so nervous that the food won’t turn out or something else will go wrong. Now preparing a dinner for these particular friends has an added complication due to the fact that they are vegan and I certainly am not. Last month’s dinner didn’t go too badly, I managed to cook up some mushrooms and some form of non meat chicken...whatever that is.   So this month I decided to take the easy route and do frozen pizza. How simple eh. I had no idea what to do for dessert and another friend suggested peaches. So I went and bought some the day before the dinner and without thinking I put them in the fridge where of course they wouldn’t ripen. To make matters worse the afternoon before the dinner did not go well so I didn’t bake or create anything with them as I had planned. As I cut up the peaches they were hard and crisp and I realized I hadn’t given the peaches the time or the atmosphere to mature into their ripened state and they were certainly not going to be their best. Following dinner, with not other ideas or options, I served my guests the peaches with a small bit of ice-cream.  They were good people and ate the hard, crunchy, non flavourful fruit with very little complaint. I must say there was the odd funny comment from one of them who didn’t really believe they could possibly even be peaches but it gave us all a laugh. Now a week later I have eaten the last two peaches, which I had left out to nicely ripen. They were so good, full of sweet flavourful juice. They were at that stage where they were their very best.

It got me to thinking about life and wondering, are we like those peaches?  As we journey through life are we ripening?  When we are younger we have so much to learn, are sometimes less confident and spend our time wondering what we should do with our lives. As we age we become more comfortable with whom we are and we seem to know what we want from life and what is right for us. We finally feel comfortable in our own skin and are more accepting to who we are and spend less time being concerned about what others may think. We are middle aged and beyond and we are at our best.   So it has me wondering. Is that what this life here on earth is all about? We start off like a small bloom, and grow into a lovely fruit.  When we leave home we have been “picked” to journey onward on our own. With care and love and warmth we will ripen and grow into the people we were meant to be and know we are loved for who we are. We are full of flavour, mature and at our very best. Later in life our bodies will start to fail us, like peaches left too long. As our bodies decline and prepare to return to the earth, I don’t believe our soul, the part of us that makes us who we are, will ever lose it's sweet, juicy flavourful self, it is ripened and ready for the next stage of our journey whatever that may be.

Hmmm, something to think more about. As I head towards turning 50 I hope I have reached that ripened state and have left behind my hard, crunchy unsure self. :)

It's a whole new world

I have been to Gabriola three or four times now over this past two years. The first time, I came in the summer and spent the day here visiting friends who have a cabin overlooking the ocean. We went to the Saturday market and they drove me around the island giving me a glimpse of what was here and then we shared a lovely dinner on their deck. Since that first visit I have come over twice on my own or with a friend and spent the weekend at their cabin, once in the early spring and once in the fall. I spent time exploring all the island trails but mostly stayed warm, meditating and reading in front of the cabin fire.

I am now here for an overnight stay on my own in the middle of summertime on a long weekend. Let me tell you....it's whole new world here on Gabriola in the summer. Upon my arrival I noticed all the people, many riding bikes along the road side. I arrived at the cabin and quickly unpacked my car and was on the deck eating my lunch within minutes. There was no wood to chop, no fire to light just the good sun shining down upon me bringing its natural warmth. When I come in the spring or fall I rarely see anyone about but this time I knew would be different as both neighbours were having their families over. Still it was nice and peaceful on the deck as I ate my lunch. However upon viewing the one trailer, two tent trailers, one tent and five cars next door I did not expect the quiet to continue throughout the day.

After lunch I decided to go check out the beach. Normally I would hike down there, sit in almost solitude and enjoy the peaceful sounds of the waves as they hit the beach. Today however not knowing what to expect I decided to drive down geared with swimsuit, towel, chair, a drink and reading material. As I parked my car along next to the other 21 vehicles I was thankful I had driven.  I walked along the trail and passed six bikes and a scooter and mentally prepared myself for a packed beach. I must say there were 50-75 people on the beach along with approximately 10 dogs. However it was nice and restful hearing all their chatter and laughter and I managed to go for a couple of swims.

90 minutes later I returned to the cabin and took my second shower of the day, removing all the sea salt from my skin and well, I had a nap. Following dinner as much as I was tempted to continue to be lazy on the deck I did not want to waste my time sitting around so I headed off for a hike. Now preparing to hike I realized I did not need the usua jacket, thankfully as I didn't even pack one, I did not need warm pants or a rain hat, so feeling rather lightly loaded I headed off in my tank top and shorts taking only a water bottle along just in case. 


Beautiful daisies along the trail


The trails were dead quiet. There were no people walking with their dogs only the silence of the forest. I could hear what I hoped were little birds rattling in the bushes as I passed by. The scenes were totally different from what I was used to. Where there usually was short green moist grass there was long dry grasses, where I used to jump around puddles there was dried hard dirt. There were flowers blooming along the way. The whole place looked different. I was a bit concerned on whether I would find my way. I had decided to take the upper trail and then head back down to the beach further along but totally missed the first turnoff, as nothing looked as it had in the fall. I then reached my favourite place in the fall....which I quickly decided, is not my favourite place in the summer. It is all dried up and brown. Eventually I came to the next turn off and headed down and back towards the ocean. Upon approaching the beach I found, what I have decided is my favourite summer spot. In the winter it is flooded and one has to hop from little log to little log to avoid stepping in the marshy grasses. In the summer, one can walk through the grasses stepping over the logs and the view. It is beautiful with the ocean peeking through the trees.

My favourite summer place


The tide was now in and there was no one in site at first glance. Soon however down they came...adults loaded with towels for their evening swim. I rested for 15 minutes enjoying the sounds of the waves hitting the shore. On my way up I passed a few more adults on their way down. Obviously they preferred the cool evening waters and the quiet beaches over the sand, children and dogs of the afternoon.
Upon returning to the cabin I took my third shower of the day, as it has become very muggy outside and well I needed a shower and a cold one at that. The neighbours to the left all seem to be back and it was kinda like being in a campsite...lots of laughter and chatter as they sat around in a circle enjoying each other’s company. I sat out on the deck, in my pajamas enjoying the night air enjoying reading a book. Eventually I went to bed but had to keep getting up as the moon was quite full and its light reflecting off the water was so wonderful to see. Five hours later I must admit I was up again watching the colours of the sky change as the sun slowly rose. It was an amazing site with beautiful oranges and reds.


Sunrise

 I am just so amazed at the difference in the island life from one season to the next. They all their good points and their downsides and I am not sure which one I prefer but am leaning towards fall. I love the warmth of a fire, rather than the heat of the sun and the quietness of the beaches in the fall give me lots of space for reflection. However I have to admit it was nice to be able to go swimming in the ocean and sit out on the deck and enjoy the beautiful view.
 
I am so very thankful to be able to go to Gabriola and see all the many differences of the seasons on the island...it truly is like coming to a whole new world and exploring somewhat familiar territories with new eyes and thankfulness for all that God provides for us on this earth. (And I am also very thankful for such generous friends who are willing to share their island paradise)

Car decals

Last year my youngest daughter decorated the back window of her vehicle with the members of her household....not of all her family but of those she lives with. She had herself, her partner, his cat, her fish and has now added two rabbits. I think it is so cool. Now when I drive or walk around town I can’t help but notice the decals...it is amazing to me all the children and pets some folks have.

I myself am not one to put stickers on my car but I love these family decals. It makes me believe that in this world of violence, crime and wars there is still so much love. The people that place these decals on their cars are proud of the people in their home and are placing the stickers on their vehicles with love.

I once lived in a household with two adults, three children, two cats, a dog and a rabbit. It would be so cool to place all these stickers on my window but my life has since changed. My children are all adults and have moved out, the pets have all passed on except for one and I moved out on my own many years ago.  So here is my problem. I love the decals. I want to put them on my car, but I live alone with a fish.  I have a fairly large family, I have loads of wonderful loving friends but the fact is I live alone with a fish. It is all basically by choice but I am too embarrassed to only put myself and a fish on the back of my car for all to see and I am not sure why. I feel it might make me look unlovable and although I used to feel that way at times, I certainly don’t now.

A friend of mine wrote a wonderful blog about humility and being humble and it has given me lots to think about.  I guess I need to be humble about who I am and face the fact that I live alone with a fish. I always seem to have so much pride. It has gotten me into so much trouble and in some cases caused me a lot of pain. Hopefully these past experiences have taught me something. Yet, I am not sure what I will do....swallow my pride and get the two decals, go and buy a dog so I have at least three decals, or just drive around envious of all those out there with their back windows full.

In a few months I will celebrate my birthday and move into the next decade. I would like to think that it will bring great change in myself and that I will be a wiser, better and more humble person. I mean really my life is more than half over, it is time to “grow up”.  Its not that I walk around being boastful about myself, nor do I think I am this great wonderful person, but the thought of having only myself and a fish on the back of my window does somehow bring embarrassment to me.

So the question is....will I do it? Will I be brave enough? And most importantly can I be humble enough to let every who sees me in my car know that , well....I live alone with a fish?