Chronics Get Pool Action

 I LIKE THAT the Chronic Disease Management team at the Strathcona Gardens Recreation Centre has included water aerobics to our fitness regime. Today was our first day of exercising in the pool, but the moment I stepped into the change room, I thanked God for my anti-anxiety medication.
     The converted men’s room was now being heralded as the family change room and everyone was invited to participate. The low bench in the middle of the room was covered completely in baby blankets and babies. Laughing, crying, staring, sleeping babies all were being attended to by their mothers. Men and women clad in their swimsuits stood in front of lockers depositing quarters into the attached slots. I watched as coats, sweat pants, and shirts, along with towels and shoes were pushed into the tiny cupboards and the doors slammed shut. The noise in the room reached a crescendo that pushed me into the nearest change cubicle. I replaced my outdoor attire with my pool suit and stepped out into the family room. I stuffed my belongings into locker number 355, pinned the key to my bathing suit and stepped under the shower water. In the main pool area, I located the floatation belts and strapped one on snuggly around my waist. The moment I stepped into the tepid pool water I knew I had made the right decision not to fear the sights and sounds of a new adventure. I rolled onto my back and let the water surround me. Ah, it was utopia.

Water Aerobics

Gentle water action

Blue floatation belt

Water noodles

Vivacious Volunteer

I LIKE THAT my sister, Julie, was voted Volunteer of the Year, twice! She lives in Turner Valley, which she refers to as a ‘cowboy town’ in southern Alberta. Her passion for Christ is her glory along with her strong work ethic. Some might say that she is burdened with Epilepsy while others who know her dismiss the restrictions that apply to the disease and see a woman who is dedicated to her children, her family at large, and her friends. She has a strong singing voice and sings like no one is listening but the people in her church are paying attention and ask her to belt out Christian tunes at weddings, christenings, funerals and praise to God.

My sister inspires me to pursue good character and deeds. Her upright character, virtuous acts, like donating her hand-made crafts to seniors, is purposeful and simple.

I am inspired to share with you today’s reading from ‘Reciting the Versus of God”.

“The fruits of the tree of man have ever been and are goodly deeds and a praiseworthy character. Withhold not these fruits from the heedless. If they be accepted, your end is attained, and the purpose of life is achieved. If not, leave them in their pastime of vain disputes.”  Baha’u’llah

Julie and her surroundings

Susan, Julie and Marc

Julie, Rose and Susan

ALL YOU NEED IS LOVE

I LIKE THAT if you have trust, then all you need is love. Trustworthiness is a natural quality of men and women, and so is love. You present trust when you express your faith in someone, including yourself, and something. For example, I trust my husband. Trust can also be expressed when you say that you believe in someone or something. I believe in God. Hope is another word for trust. To be hopeful is to have trust. These days, I am hopeful that my son will find a job and a safe place to live. Trust also represents your conviction. For example, I have a passion for writing. It is my conviction. Expectation, a synonym of trust, used to bring negative connotations to my mind because of something I was told many years ago.
     “Don’t have any expectations and you won’t get hurt.”
     I’ve been struggling with that statement for many years and today, with love, I’m letting it go. I trust that I will be a reliable and dependable person with expectations.
     Confident in my trustworthiness, I attract love and feel affection for people. I adore nature and worship God, the creator of all things. I love being in love with my husband, and am devoted to my son. I care for my family and friends, and find young children irresistible. I’m human and am keen on material things as well. 
     I trust that all I need is love.

All you need is love

Ruby-throated humming birds

LOVE YOUR GREY HAIR

I LIKE THAT I have grey hair because it provides me discounts that otherwise may not come my way. The trick to getting a price cut at the Campbell River Health & Drug Store located on Merecroft Road is to love your grey hair and to ask for a senior’s discount.

The other day, Frank and I went on a hunt for cross-trainer replacement soles for our walking shoes and came across the PolySorb brand in a local drug store. The nice sales lady allowed us to try them in our footwear and we were pleasantly surprised at the comfort. We walk the one kilometre gauntlet from our apartment on Dogwood Street to the Strathcona Gardens community centre at the top of the hill, and we need to cushion our steps there and back.

Frank stepped up to the counter at the drug store and went through the motions of paying for our purchase. From behind, I approached the cashier and asked, “Is there a senior’s discount?”

“Oh, yes. I can give you a senior’s discount,” he said.

The man behind the counter recalculated the purchase refund and passed a ten percent discount in loose change to Frank.

I’m not officially a senior citizen. I’m fifty-five years old but I do have a head of grey hair and I love that it gets me a senior discount. When I’m challenged to show an official British Columbia Senior Citizen gold identification card, I defer to Frank who promptly presents it for a senior’s discount.

Don’t hesitate to ask.

Baha'i Feast of Dominion

I LIKE THAT Frank and I hosted the Baha’i Feast of Mulk – Dominion, on Sunday, February 6, 2011. We welcomed our friends to the gathering honouring the one Deity as Mulk - Sacred Dominion. Baha'is believe in the oneness of all humanity. We spoke readings that focused on the Feast of Dominion, followed by prayers.

The subtheme was nature, so after the readings, we shared what nature means to us, how it affects our life, and how we use nature to improve our life.

I came to the Baha’i faith in 2004, after years of searching for an avenue to speak directly to God. What a spectacular surprise it was to be introduced to progressive revelation, where mankind honours the spokesman of God and adopts their teachings. The Baha’i faith reveres Christ, Buddha, Zoroaster, Krishna, and other High-Prophets as its greatest leaders.

“Religion should unite all hearts and cause wars and disputes to vanish from the face of the earth, give birth to spirituality, and bring life and light to each heart. If religion becomes a cause of dislike, hatred, division, it were better to be without it,….”`

Abdu’l-Bahá.

Blue jay in Maple fall

Firefly

Monarch caterpillar

Painted Lady butterfly

Peek-a-boo raccoon

Trade India for Nepal

I LIKE THAT Frank and I escaped from India into Nepal in the summer of 2007. We had our patients frazzled by having to trudge through three levels of body searches to leave the Delhi airport. I got a big surprise when I tried American mustard, and patted myself on the back for having toilet tissue on hand.

The flight scheduled from the Delhi airport in India to the airport in Katmandu, Nepal, was delayed an hour which doesn’t require as much patients as does a taste for hot mustard, which I sampled at the airport Subway outlet. I thought that yellow mustard was mustard, but American mustard was offered and it was not a familiar taste to my Canadian pallet. Another thing that was not familiar at the Delhi airport was an ATM, those must-have automated teller machines. Sadly, there was not one in the Delhi airport.

What was also not familiar was the filthy condition of this international airport. It was difficult to stand near any of the windows to watch the jets come and go to pass the time. The windows were so filthy with handprints of all sizes that you couldn't see out.

Another surprise came when I visited the washroom, because the acid smell was not as strong as I’d experienced everywhere else in India. And oh, here’s the exciting news – there was a toilet paper dispenser in the western-style toilet stall. But, ooops, it wasn’t working so take a squat and love the fact that you always, always carry toilet tissue. Indian women don’t use toilet paper. They supposedly douche themselves with the hose that protrudes from the wall. I suspect it’s still a bit tricky, what with all the clothes they wear. 

Smart travellers always carry tissues

Ladies walking about in Mumbai

Life in Mumbai