Wherever You Go…

“Wherever you go, go with all your heart.”

– Confucius

I hope this post finds you happy & healthy & thoroughly enjoying summer!

I am SO sorry to have gone missing for a few months there…again! I haven’t sent out a blog since early April. Yikes!

I had an incredible trip in the spring, traveling to Hawaii, Fiji, Perth, Bali, Singapore & Japan. The last blog I sent out had a few photos from Fiji. But then after that, I think I just got too busy traveling and working on larger writing projects, so I didn’t get another blog sent out. Again, my apologies 🙁

Moving forward with blogging, I must confess, I’m not quite sure how best to proceed. I am so far behind on my travel blogs now, it seems kinda crazy to even try and catch up!

So I think what I will do instead, if it’s okay with you, is move forward with where I am at right now in life…which is happily hunkered down at home on Vancouver Island, writing & gardening to my heart’s content – with plenty of beach, yoga & hiking breaks thrown in for good measure 🙂

Over the summer, I will try and put together a short video with photos from my Europe trip last fall – as well as a short video of my spring trip to Southeast Asia.

On a much sadder note, I was back in my hometown of Calgary recently to attend a Celebration of Life service in memory of a dear friend’s sister. Her name was Stephanie Laird and she died in a car crash at the age of 48.

I mention Stephanie’s heartbreakingly beautiful service because that’s really what this blog is about: a reminder to go wherever we are going with all our heart.

I held together fairly well during the service, but after the service…not so much. When the speeches were finished, I followed my heart and went up and introduced myself to Stephanie’s mom, then told her how sorry I was for her loss. At least, that’s what I tried to say…but I was sobbing so uncontrollably, I doubt that’s what she heard. What I hope she felt was my love and compassion and sorrow – for her horrific loss.

I don’t know what it’s like to lose a daughter. But I do know what it’s like to suddenly lose someone you love very much. To be able to feel someone else’s hurt with such intensity was…rather extraordinary, to be honest.

In hindsight, I guess what I experienced was empathy. 

“Empathy is shown in how much compassion and understanding we can give to another. Sympathy is more of a feeling of pity for another. Empathy is our ability to understand how someone feels while sympathy is our relief in not having the same problems.”

– Psychiatric Medical Care

After sobbing on Stephanie’s mom’s shoulder, I moved on to my friend’s shoulder…and sobbed uncontrollably there, too. Then on to his wife & kids’ shoulders…more sobbing.

Oh boy 🙁

Life is so precious and can end in an instant. We all know that. But there’s nothing like a Celebration of Life service for a car crash victim to give us a powerful reminder. Our time here is sacred and sometimes in the busyness of everyday life, we can lose sight of that. And sometimes when our own heart is healed, we forget what it’s like to be in the depths of grief. And that’s a good thing. But to be able to temporarily tap back into that hurt now and then, when supporting others going through a loss, is also a good thing.

Speaking of backyards 🙂 here are a few photos of my garden: 

Happy Hikers! This is a great shot of my friend, Susan, and I at the Lantzville Lookout…check out the view! The hike up nearly did me in 🙂 but I did it!

Maryanne Pope is the author of “A Widow’s Awakening.” She also writes screenplays, playscripts & blogs. Maryanne is the CEO of Pink Gazelle Productions and Co-Founder of  the John Petropoulos Memorial Fund. To receive her blog, “Weekly Words of Wisdom,” please subscribe here. And be sure to visit our PinkGazelleCards Etsy shop.