Beneath My Feet

Pedestrian cross walk, Tofino, B.C., 2019 This has to be one of the most creative crosswalks I've encountered since the Beatles' Abbey Road album cover. So appropriate for the west coastal town of Tofino, B.C. -- Canada's mecca for surfers and fish enthusiasts, alike. I'm imagining that these are salmon swimming with all their might, upstream, as they migrate back to the place of their birth to spawn and start the cycle over again. The fish expend so much energy, they soon expire after their arduous journey. It seems like their life could be easier.  S ome of us need to constantly challenge ourselves to feel 'alive', hence the saying, "o nly dead fish go with the flow."   But, I think. s wimming against the current by resisting the uncertainty of life (worrying) makes life harder. Trusting that things will work out, and accepting and adapting to what is allows us to embrace life and flow with it. Everyone's circumstances are different. Ult...

Near sculpture garden at U of SK,  2020 We were surprised to have dinner guests when we took our picnic to a riverside bench. These cheeky fellows immediately surrounded us, and we were soon highly outnumbered. They curiously stood upright on their haunches, and gently nudged at our feet and ankles to let us know they had food radar! Obviously, they had training from previous bench-warmers.  We delighted in their presence and crazy antics like squeals and tumbles that provided dinner entertainment. Currently, without any pets, we miss those special interactions. But, we can find connections with animals... by feeding the squirrels, tossing bread to the pigeons in the park or to seagulls at the beach,  playing with our  neighbors ' dogs,  observing the birds in the trees or at a  bird feeder, snuggling a purring kitten , and maybe even trying a  goat yoga class  ... We have much to learn from animals. Bonding, spending time with, or just appreciati...

  Long Beach, near Tofino BC, 201 9 Ironically, even when on holiday we can feel like we need to be active all of the time. With only blue skies on Long Be ach, and  driftwood and logs forming small private coves, we decided to kick back. Humans need rest. Without it, we can be stressed or feel weighted. Give yourself permission to take a break, put your feet up,  or take a nap. Taking care of ourselves is not a selfish thing. When was the last time you did nothing? ... Not reading, not watching videos or scrolling on media, literally doing nothing. After a busy time, I'm one to say, "I can't wait to just do nothing for a while." But, I rarely step back from doing. Busy-ness can be a habit we feed into -- wanting to be productive all of the time. The importance of being should not be ignored. Try it. Do nothing. No Netflix, just chill!

It was the perfect sunny morning and people of all ages were out for the event along Saskatoon's beautiful river trail.  It was to be the  World's Longest Sidewalk Chalk Mural !  I hadn't touched coloured chalk since our kids were small, but  attempted sketching Canada Geese and their nests that are so prominent along our waterways. What fun to look at everyone's artistic creations wind along the path as far as you could see. Our 'masterpieces' would soon be eroded away by time, bicycles and rain; their impermanence being part of their charm. We  happily took up the challenge, not for the sake of competition, but for something the world needs more of... the spirit of creativity and cooperation. I have endless gratitude for the people with a unique vision, who follow through with their idea and all the proposals and planning that goes with it! 'We' were slightly short of reaching the goal of 5 km that day, but it didn't matter. It was a ...

Photo by Marge McFadyen, 2020. “Grandma, grandma, look at my new shoes!”  She proudly showed me her hand-me-down sandals. At five years, she couldn’t have been more thrilled with her footwear if they’d come freshly purchased from a high-end store. Looking down at her little feet made me think of my sister’s  Beneath My Feet blog. I asked her to snuggle close and we’d take a picture of our feet. Where will those little feet take her on her life’s journey?  And where had mine been in my 66 years? My bare feet seemed appropriate for the photo, as some of my happiest moments have been strolling barefoot ... in the sand on some warm, tropical beach searching for unique, colourful seashells. Or, wandering here at a nearby beach with a grandchild looking for the prettiest stones. All that matters in those moments is finding a little treasure from nature. It’s the simple things that can bring us the most joy. Seize those moments, and the (little) ones we are standing wit...