Posts Tagged ‘Community’

I’m Ready

Posted: January 2, 2016 in Uncategorized
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So I have no ‘resolutions’. A resolution seems to have no margin for error; it’s defined as a firm decision to do or not do something. Well there are days my friends that the resolve to perhaps not eat that amazing meal may just not be that important. I’m kind of flawed so I best scrap the perfection plan. Instead I will have things I will ‘challenge’ myself to do. Some may be outrageous and some will not be. In fact I have given a motto to one of my ‘challenges’ for this year; “The thing is so difficult I can not help but attempt it.” Others will be a little more ordinary.  Can I allow myself to once again enjoy a love of reading?  That is achievable.  I just have to allow myself the time.  I’m going to be less about more and more about less. If it can be said with less or done with less than so it will be. Will 2016 be my best year ever? Every year I have lived has taught me something and helped me to be the work in progress that I am.  What I have learned in 2015 is that the value of family and friends is not cliche…it has in fact saved my life.  So my 2016 new words to live by are ambitious and resilient while never losing sight of the ones that got me through 2015; dignity, purpose and most importantly hope.

Gratitude Began At Walmart

Posted: October 12, 2014 in Uncategorized
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BeautifulSunsetthankful               

 “As we express our gratitude we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words,                                   but to live by them. ”  John F. Kennedy

So on a last minute trip to Walmart today to buy an oversized roasting pan for my oversized turkey a gentleman in the check out line behind me said,  “Thank you for the work you do for our community.  I really appreciate it.  Politicians work hard for their constituents and are under appreciated.  Have a wonderful Thanksgiving.”  I was pleasantly surprised by his comment and although I don’t know him I am very grateful for his words.  This last few weeks have been difficult politically (and I get it times 2). There have been some controversial issues and sometimes disagreements.   What am I grateful for?  The fact that I live in this amazing country where I have the freedom to choose my own point of view, honour another persons opposing views and move forward.  I’m grateful for my amazing family; a husband who works hard to support his family and children who make me proud.  I am grateful for the gift of parents who taught me the value of service, hard work and open mindedness.  I am thankful for my mentors who have forged roads I can now travel.  I am grateful for my friends and sisters who are always there; to pick me up, to raise me up and to walk beside me.  I am grateful for the wonderful community of Drayton Valley but remain grateful for my Maritime roots. Gratitude means thankfulness, counting my blessings, noticing simple pleasures, and acknowledging everything that I receive. It means learning to live my life as if everything were a miracle, and being aware on a continuous basis of how much I’ve been given. Gratitude shifts my focus from what my life lacks to the abundance that is already present. In addition, behavioral and psychological research has shown the surprising life improvements that can stem from the practice of gratitude. Giving thanks makes people happier and more resilient, it strengthens relationships, it improves health, and it reduces stress.  Gratitude helps those who practice gratitude to be more creative, bounce back more quickly from adversity, have a stronger immune system, and have stronger social relationships than those who don’t practice gratitude. To say I feel grateful is not to say that everything in my lives is necessarily great. It just means I am aware of my blessings.
I try(not always successfully) to practice giving thanks to appreciate life more fully and to use gratitude to help put things in their proper perspective. When things don’t go my way, I try to remember that every difficulty carries within it the seeds of an equal or greater benefit. In the face of adversity I ask myself: “What’s good about this?”, “What can I learn from this?”, and “How can I benefit from this?”  This is more often than not a challenging exercise for me.  But as I  become oriented toward looking for things to be grateful for, I find that I begin to appreciate simple pleasures and things that I previously took for granted.  Today, I will start bringing gratitude to my experiences, instead of waiting for a positive experience in order to feel grateful; in this way, I’m on my way toward becoming not just grateful but maybe; just maybe a master of gratitude.

Communities In Bloom-Time To Get This Right

Posted: August 4, 2014 in Uncategorized
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CIB
Today I’m a little defensive.  That feeling relates to comments I am reading on social media about Communities in Bloom.  There is criticism of the the Town of Drayton Valley  for it’s involvement in this program.  So let’s set this straight once and for all!  First of all Communities In Bloom is a Canadian non-profit organization committed to fostering civic pride, environmental responsibility and beautification through community involvement.  People, plants and pride….growing together. A Community In Bloom is one that pulls community together and speaks to economic development, social development, historical preservation and all other factors that contribute to a community in ‘bloom’.  In Websters Dictionary we find that the the verb ‘bloom’ (yes it’s a verb; not just a noun) is to change, grow, or develop fully, to mature into, achievement of one’s potential.  I have been involved with this program for 3 years as a VOLUNTEER.  There is some financial support from the town but most of the planning and preparation is driven by non paid individuals and non municipally funded initiatives.  The ‘flower’ part that everyone talks about are generally corporately sponsored flower beds.  Through our communities involvement in this program we have identified gaps in our community such as attention needed to historical preservation and an off leash park;  both of which are or were addressed as a result of this. We won Provincially two years ago with specific credit to youth involvement.  We are competing Nationally this year with our competition including town’s with significant natural beauty such as mountains or the ocean and some with history dating back hundreds of years. How do we compete with that?   If this was just about how our community looks we couldn’t plant enough flowers.  Perhaps some of you only see the negatives around you.  I came to this community eight years ago with a focus on making a difference and darn it I will keep doing that through initiatives such as Communities In Bloom. As one of the judges said when they were here in July; “It’s not what you see in Drayton Valley; it’s how you feel.”  So folks we don’t know until September if we win any award but I can guarantee those words from the judge were prize enough.