Dear friends,
Last Wednesday I had the great pleasure of celebrating my mom’s 90th birthday together with her and our family. We had so much to celebrate! The incredible life she’s led these past 90 years, and all that she’s experienced.
My mom is the matriarch in our family and a huge inspiration to me. She was the eldest of 15 children, born and raised on a farm in Prince Edward with no electricity, just a wood fire to heat the home. They had an outhouse and a horse and buggy, and she went to school in a one-room schoolhouse.
It was a simple life, living off the land and yet she never felt as though she went without.
Everyone was welcome in their home. There was always food on the table. It didn’t matter what you had or didn’t have; the importance was who you were. My mom recently said how she finds it funny how no one just pops into people’s home anymore. Everything has to be planned and scheduled.
It was a different time, a different way of life and yet as times have changed, my mom has continued to adapt, embracing new ways of thinking, and living. Recognizing that each generation brings something new.
And in some ways, she was ahead of her time!
When I was a teenager (some forty years ago) my mom had a yoga practice and took me to my first talk on meditation. Just writing about this brings joy in my heart and appreciation for who she is. She was out of the box, and she planted the seeds for the next generation - my generation.
When my father passed away 6 years ago, (see photo of them above) we suggested my mom learn how to use Facebook so that she could more easily keep in touch with family. At first, she resisted, but once she agreed she picked it up quickly and it’s enriched her life and her family’s life.
Today she has her own iPad and is on Facebook and messenger as a way of keeping in touch with the people she cares about. It’s a wonderful way for her to stay connected and to better understand the world her grandchildren and great-grandchildren are living in. She’s not without concern about all the new technology, but at the same she says change is inevitable.
She, once again, has adapted.
Things change, big and small, through the duration of our lives.
How are we with change?
How do we embrace change?
Whether it be in world affairs, our personal or professional life.
Maybe we stay stuck in our ways or points of view. Maybe we find ourselves in a state of flow and openness.
One thing that is guaranteed - change.
Change is inevitable. Each moment is new. Each breath is new. Never to be the same as the last.
The consciousness on the planet is forever evolving as is the consciousness of our sou
We may or may not like things that are happening in the world or in our life. It is, however, possible to find acceptance, learn, grow and adapt.
For me, an important piece is choosing to be present and knowing I can stay grounded and connected in this ever-changing landscape called life – another thing I learned from my mom.
For my mom, her faith grounds her. Finding comfort in prayer, it acts as her anchor. During the two years of COVID, my mom continued to pray and do her daily practice. She was grounded. In this grounded place she was able to support others through her prayer and presence.
Spending this past week celebrating my mom, on her birthday and then Mother’s Day, I’m so thankful for the amazing role model she is for multiple generations within our family.
An inspiration to love deeply, to value each person for who they uniquely are, and to keep learning and evolving year after year.
I'm not sure if my mom will ever truly understand how much she is loved and adored but my hope is that sharing how wonderful she is with all of you, is one more way to honour and celebrate her 90th birthday and the tremendous woman she is.
With love,
Diane