WHEN LIFE GIVES YOU LEMONS....

It is a rainy day and I am sitting here between doing some laundry, the dishes, skimming through my Tour Divide gear, watching Sportsdesk, surfing the Internet and doing some emails. I was just looking out the window thinking how dismal the weather is and feeling sorry for myself as I wasn't keen on getting out on the bike in this stuff....and I started to laugh!

Feeling sorry for myself! Are you kidding me? I laughed because I started to think how good life is and how great things are for me. As I was smiling, with the computer on my lap, I immediately thought of writing in my blog and for some reason Googled "When Life Gives You Lemons...". Take a moment and Google it and click on 'Images'. You will chuckle at all the sayings and pictures.

Make Life Shine!

My life is Fantastic! When considering Hockey and US College options with my daughter Alexis, my good friend in Minnesota said: "Visit, consider all aspects of hockey, academics, and overall community then take hockey out! Is it a place that you want to be for four years and is it somewhere that you feel comfortable (academically and socially)." He was so right! Hockey is important but it is really a small part when compared to all aspects of university and life experiences.

Back to "My life is Fantastic"! If I consider my life and take out all material possessions (which we all put too much emphasis on), it is pretty darn good...actually Fantastic! I will be brief but here are fantastic and essential parts of my wonderful life...

Family: Married 27 years with a wonderful wife/mother with four great kids of 13, 16, 18, and 20 years of age. We are tight, together, supportive, and happy pulling and pushing in positive directions. Combined with loving support from extended family members, we are in a good place and I love them.

Friends: I have a small number of close ones whom I communicate with regularly and others who I remain in touch with but not as often. I have acquaintances who I touch base with occasionally. Our interactions and communications are positive, supportive, and invested. I appreciate and care about them all.

Health: At 47 I am blessed with excellent mental and physical health as are my family and friends. Knowing that this can always change instantaneously, I always try to live in the moment, and live well doing what needs to be done and pushing personal limits with the things I want to do. I encourage you to 'Go After It!' and avoid procrastination and complacency. Dream Big, Play Hard, Have Fun and Do It!...while you are able. 

Fitness: With health comes fitness, the ability to improve while pushing personal limits of exertion and development. For me, I have always been pushing since the age of 5 whether it be in competitive and high level hockey, lacrosse, in the weight room, on an endurance run, in Triathlon, on a long bike ride, or in an adventure like the Tour Divide. It not only can keep you healthy it makes you feel alive and the personal challenge is invigorating and rewarding.

Employment: I've been working with and helping others grow and develop physically, mentally, emotionally, and socially since 1982 at the age of 16 when I first worked at a Dalhousie University Hockey Camp. Thirty-one years later I am still working at helping others find success in the school system and on the ice and I am fortunate to not only have the ability and opportunity to make a positive impact on others and their life's direction...it is nice to get paid to do it as well!

Community: The area where we live is awesome based on the people, surroundings, care for others, life-style, opportunity, sport, and the land around us. We complain about weather, winter, food and gas prices, pot holes, and traffic but you know what?...It all isn't really that bad and we have it pretty darn good compared to many areas of our world.

Ability to Explore/Experience: Taking a leave without pay is extreme (and challenging for us) but "why not"? If you can do it for a brief moment in time, like I have, without too much heart-ache to follow a dream - consider it. If you have time to do it through vacation allocations or otherwise, take time to visit other places and experience people, culture, and environments. The experience of exploring new places, people, and things is adventurous, life-changing, and takes you out of your comfort zone which fires up your senses and soul! We work too hard paying for life, we sometimes forget to live it!

Trust and Respect: I am so thankful that I have had the opportunity to positively influence and do good things for others. The reward is often further opportunity to do more upon request. For others to entrust their child's development with you is an unbelievable honor. For friends to support you from near and far and follow your progress is humbling. For companies to get behind you in endeavors you care about builds confidence, momentum, and proves that the project and person (people) matter. These are two of the most important things in our society and if you have it and are given it, great things can happen!

So, "When Life Gives You Lemons...." it really isn't a bad thing: they are fresh, natural, full of substance, colorful, are fun to squeeze and add flavour and sustenance to life! My life is not perfect and you may share some of the parts in your life that make mine happy. The key is to focus on what is good and positive in yours and allow it to lift you up and propel you forward.

Enjoy!

Focus on the Positives!