Life at 47

You know you're getting up their in years when you have to do the math in your head to figure out how old you are.  Born in 1967, it's 2014 now.....2014 minus 1967.....that makes me 47!  I honestly had to work out the numbers in my head before writing this post.

What a difference a year makes.  Twelve months ago, I woke on this morning and saw pictures of the flooded Syncrude Sport and Wellness Centre.  I remember thinking that someone was playing a practical joke.  The day before I had gone to Heritage Park to see the rising of the Hangingstone River - which was pretty dramatic - but I still had a hard time processing what I was seeing. I broke my pattern, slipped on my clothes, and beetled it to Keyano College to see for myself.  The images that were taken in the minutes that followed started showing up all over social media and in newspapers across Alberta.

I broke my pattern again this morning, though quite deliberately and intentionally.  Instead of starting my day online, I started in the kitchen, where I cooked myself a small breakfast.  I'm embarrassed to say that I had fallen into a pattern where the last thing I did in the morning was think about eating.  Nine times out of ten I didn't bother.  So, on this special day, and on my second day on the job at the United Way of Fort McMurray, I thought it was time to make a change.

My body has evolved into my best early warning system.  I've learned to listen to the signals it sends me and adjust things accordingly.  So, for the first time in forever, I'm writing this morning with food in my stomach.  I feel better already.

As I've drafted a number of private messages to friends, family and colleagues on the changes that have occurred in my life in recent days and weeks, I can't help but feel an overwhelming abundance of gratitude.  Things have worked out, as the Universe intended, putting me in this exact place and time to leverage all my skills, knowledge, energy and passion to best contribute to this community, the organizations I serve, and my family.  That is the best birthday present of all.