Tag Archive "mark-pavilons"

Trimming my material possessions just seems right

I ventured out on a limb, and reached a crossroads of sorts. It may not be the biggest revelation I’ve had, but it’s a grand existential enigma. I’ve decided to sell some of my prized possessions and trim things down a bit. As I mentioned this at home, my son said that all I would get in return is money and once it’s gone, that’s it. Well, yes, that’s the nature of commerce, I suppose.

Sending messages to those we’ve lost

How many of us think about, and even talk to, the dearly departed? How often do we miss hearing their voices or laughter? Recently, while driving home from my radiation treatment at Southlake, I pictured my mom’s face in the cloudy sky above. I began to cry.

Our parenting skills alone did not get us this far

How did we get here? No, that’s not a rhetorical question. As a tail-end Baby Boomer I flip through the blank pages of my parent ing handbook to reveal … nothing.

Let’s not grow old but continue to ripen!

This isn’t the world I grew up in, and it’s not exactly the same place as the one I raised my children in. The pendulum – the constant movement of time – never stops to wait for us. We are often left, stranded on the platform, waiting for the next train. And yet, the extraordinary experiences we amass as we age give us real clarity of the past, present and future. We become almost sage-like if you will. At least that’s what I tell my family members. And then the obvious similarities with Yoda pop up!

Hope is one thing that keeps us moving

Martin Luther once said that everything that is done in the world is done by hope. Sometimes we have to call upon rather unscientific methods to deal with modern life. We rely on our instinct; follow our hearts; muster up our faith, and always have hope. For many, hope is all they have.

Leaving a memorable legacy behind

We all know our time here on earth is limited – a mere tick on an endless clock of time. Sure, humans are among the longest-living creatures on earth and we can accomplish a great deal in the decades we walk the planet. We can also waste a lot of time, and do some damage along the way.

Knowledge isn’t enough to advance our species

Knowledge itself is power, and it’s also not free – you have to pay attention! Adam Growe, Canadian comedian and host of the TV quiz show Cash Cab, is my companion on quiet Sunday mornings. I cheer for the contestants and celebrate my own knowledge of general trivia.

Try to avoid the evil urges of consumerism

We are entering the holiday season and the infamous “Black Friday.” Sounds more like a reason to panic, than to save. And yet, millions of consumers across North America and beyond will dash to retail stores and wear out their keyboards for a flurry of shopping.

Someone should do something about this!

Someone should really do something about this! I’ve heard this phrase so often throughout my life that it’s almost synonymous with the human condition. Yes, they should. But just who is this “someone?”

Sometimes ‘doing nothing’ is something

“Il dolce far niente” is an Italian phrase, and philosophy, that roughly translates as “the sweetness of doing nothing.” To them, it can mean having a cup of coffee with a friend, heading to the beach or sitting idly on a bench watching people go by. The Dutch call it “niksen,” literally doing nothing or being idle. They embrace the idea of sitting in a chair and just looking out a window.

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