yet... With all the baby boomers reaching their 70s, one cannot avoid talking about, planning for one's earthly departure. As someone who nearly met with an untimely death a decade ago, I wanted to ensure I had made proper arrangements come the time in the future - the far future, thank you very much! I also wanted a sense of control over the entire affair.
It was an interesting process last spring, meeting with the professionals who help arrange remembrance services, who document what you want to be done with your "earthly remains" and help you decide on a final resting place.
Two out of three ain't bad.
I'm still struggling with the final resting place concept. I want to decide on an option other than expecting my adult children to take turns keeping Mother's urn on the mantle - or tucked away in the linen closet. Some folks are taking the care of deceased loved ones into their own hands, due to the corporatization of the funeral industry and their need to reconnect with the ritual of death. According to one professional, "...it’s important for our humanity to rediscover this sacred rite of passage in ways that each person is comfortable with and is comforted by.". Death is a part of Life. Some of us want to lessen our ecological footprint even after leaving our earthly bodies. A recent article cites the increasing number of cremations in Canada, the growing demand for "green" funerals, and the advertisement of eco-friendly burials to attract customers. One of my darlings once joked that come the time, about putting my ashes in a pot and planting a tree in memorial. I kind of like that. During the planning process, one can also purchase travel insurance. Yep, that's right. You can pre-arrange for your remains to be returned home if you meet your demise while exploring the world. I like that too because once the kids are out on their own, Momma wants to travel more - and not just jaunts about town and city parks or bus trips through wine country.
Let's see how well these guys live up to their promise if they have to bring me back from some deep jungle trek or a tour of the great pyramids of Egypt. On a slightly related note, I invite you to read an excerpt from my novel where young Sera Fletcher discovers a beautifully carved casket in her father's workshop. It's called Life After Death.
Thanks for dropping by. Next time I'll have something a little more lively to offer.
I appreciated my recent days off to celebrate the beginning of my favourite month after many busy ones in the working world.
It was a welcomed break from the long, cold winter in the Ottawa Valley. I was ready to celebrate a renewal of life and was hopeful for decent weather. This Beatles song always comes to mind.
Sure, let's celebrate and encourage the sun for growing those lush gardens and bountiful crops during summer. This fair lady will be sporting a large brimmed hat and taking opportunities to enjoy cool drinks and charming company under the shade of large trees.
It has been a wet May so far in the Ottawa Valley. The Year of the Rabbit: Happy Beltane, Nature Lovers http://t.co/OoR06BpoRB My fav month! — Florence T Lyon (@FloTLyon) May 3, 2014
This weekend brings the tradition of Jane's Walk in many North American cities, presenting good opportunities to get outdoors and explore urban greenery. Considering the weather forecast, I'm going to pack sunglasses and an umbrella. You can't be too certain.
In this world nothing is certain but death and taxes. - A quote attributed to Benjamin Franklin. After you've participated in the outdoor activities and walking exercise you can breathe easy knowing the CRA has extended the filing deadline to May 5th due to that inconvenient web security certificate issue.
You probably don't know many people who need to take time off just to get their income tax returns filed. Some of us can't focus while working with complicated forms and would prefer to pay someone else to process them on our behalf. At least I know well enough to dump receipts into a shoe box during the year.
Hmm... I'm running out of spare shoe boxes. I should buy a new pair of shoes. Justified?
Things seemed to come together nicely one evening once I forced myself to sort documents, list items and calculate totals. CRA didn't answer my question about claiming dependents that I still shelter and feed.
Hey @CanRevAgency I have 5 roommates that I shelter n feed. 3 are over 21 years. 2 have furry tails. How can I #claim them as #dependents? — Theresa J (@tjamone) May 1, 2014
My visit with the tax preparation services was relatively short and sweet. The gentleman was impressed with my organized files, notes and totals. I was relieved that after the computerized calculations, I would receive a modest return. Whew! There was no opportunity or need to shout obscenities.
Stranger Than Fiction - a wonderful romantic comedy in which Will Ferrell was bearable and sweet. Authors struggling with writers' block will love it!
Another bonus was that I felt the liberation in stating a single status while filing under my new name. That's another topic to share on another day.
I'm running out of steam and must prepare to head outdoors. You're likely thankful I have wrapped up anyway. Thank you for reading this far. Permit me to offer a detour to an earlier post titled "What's in a Name". It will lead you into some interesting family name history and suggest you obtain a copy of The Year of the Rabbit - a novel about fate, family and forgiveness. Please indulge with me.
This past week spun through with a whirlwind of family, work, volunteer and social activities. I survived while practicing patience, professionalism and kindness. “Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.”
Attributed to a Scottish preacher and writer Ian Maclaren. According to this Wikipedia article, it is often misattributed to Plato or Philo of Alexandria. Regardless, it is a good maxim or axiom for anyone to follow.
It was also one of the themes in the Noah film I saw on Easter Monday. In addition to the reminder to take care of the creatures and not misuse earth's resources, the words had particular impact while emerging from the kissable lips of a ruggedly handsome actor.
I digress.
Continuing with the theme of kindness... My writing women friends met on Friday for our monthly gathering at our usual restaurant. In addition to my late arrival thanks to a public transit snafu, I learned that the establishment had not renewed its liquor license after recent renovations. To add insult to tardiness, I would not be able to join some of them in a toast with wine. Instead, we made do with ice tea or water and carried on. We made do. In-between rare visits from our waitress, we took turns with the usual introductions, stating our recent accomplishments, future plans and to ask for help with challenging situations. My OCD nature had to be quelled in that we were not able to complete the circle around the table due to interruptions and side conversations.
One concern and distraction was the waitress's mood and (a-hem) service. This became a topic of conversation while empathizing, offering possible reasons for the attitude and blunt treatment. One guest later mentioned that while she returned from the restrooms, she overheard a loud conversation between our server and one of the young managers. We knew something was out of balance, was not quite right. Most were forgiving of the ensuing service with attitude and carried on with the meal. We continued to enjoy each other's company and practice the art of conversation.
While paying my bill directly to the waitress, I asked her name, stating that in all the months that we had come to this restaurant, that we had not learned her name. That seemed to soothe her a bit. The generous tip may have too. Prior to leaving, I took the opportunity to speak with her alone, asking how things were going. After her generic response of "Okay, okay", I asked again how things were going with her - and with work. Her eyes watered as she expressed her frustration of being an older woman, working for some young thing who didn't respect her and that she wanted to discuss the matter with her but was brushed aside. Wow, she was expressing feelings similar to those of many friends and acquaintances.
I offered words of hope that things improve, a hug of reassurance, and that we looked forward to seeing her next month. She said thank you.
Most people would not be that patient with or understanding of someone who provides poor service. Some would not have the imagination to consider the surrounding circumstances or be empathetic (benign interpretation). Some would complain to the management. Some would walk out, announcing their intentions to never return! What would you do?
Well, Eastern Ontario was pelted with snow and ice pellets once again.
Half-way through April and Old Man Winter is still sticking around. I had to pull out my little boots and holey gloves.
Many of us are ready for refreshing greens, spring flowers and a gentle breeze. Give me colour, sunshine and hope. Of all seasons, I would like spring to linger - and not be rushed out by stifling summer heat and humidity. I generate enough heat on my own, thank you very much!
I am no longer a spring chicken but I find it one of my favourite seasons. It is a time to celebrate renewal and rebirth.
As a former Catholic, I occasionally will read the bible, follow the Pope on Twitter and enjoy learning mythology from different cultures. In particular, I really appreciate the one about Eostre, the Goddess of Spring. My drab workstation is already decorated with an Easter Egg Tree and eggs painted by a creative, former co-worker.
These eggs were decorated almost 20 years ago and are still in good condition. The act of putting those eggs on display has rekindled a spark, a desire for creativity. Recently, I had one of the young folk dig a box out of the storage area because I knew that within that box was a protective case containing concept art I had done many years ago.
I created that Yin Yegg during a feverish winter cold in 1999. It was during a time that I was learning about the art of Feng Shui, looking for ways to harmonize our then unhappy and cluttered home.
It has been a while since I have painted or drawn. Over the past few years, I have mainly illustrated with words in various blog posts, opinion articles and my bittersweet novel. At least the latter is going through changes in preparation for the next print edition, with the help of a resident artiste.
As we approach the Easter weekend, I will encourage my family to pause for reflection. My offspring are too old for childlike craft activities so I doubt we will decorate any eggs. I still like to look at ideas that others have come up with - especially those that use non-toxic materials and don't create waste.
Pinterest is a great place for exploring decorating ideas, wardrobe collections and options for self adornment. Being a low-maintenance gal, I think I'll create a board for cool summer blouses and comfortable shoes.
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