Death. That 5 letter word which can translate into so many emotions: sadness, fear, relief, anger, shock. It’s inevitable. When faced with an uncertain situation, particularly a difficult one, I believe there are always lessons to be learned…
Recently, my Grandma passed away. Awake for over 24 hours, and sitting at her hospital bedside in the middle of the night, I found great clarity.
Until the past 6 months, I had always been a nervous individual. Public speaking, a date, job interview, even watching a close sports game would get me anxious. It was unfortunate because I hid my true self to most. After deciding last year to pursue my passions, it immediately impacted my confidence and I’ve made great strides in this area. However, sitting in that dark emergency room, the message was reinforced. I promised myself that I would never again sweat over the small stuff. Life is too short to spend it worrying over what is not even worthwhile. Do your best; believe in the highest benevolent outcome and surrender.
A photo taken at my grandparent’s cottage. The far shore at sun rise at Sheridan’s Rapids, Nancy Hall in 2005.
I love vacations, fashion shows and would never turn down an invite to a gala! Nevertheless, there is a charming house on Brookfield Avenue, and a cottage overlooking Sheridan’s Rapids, that brought many moments of delight to my large extended family. Painting in the workshop, road hockey games, fishing off of the rocks, playing on the big swing; these were simple every day events which I now reflect on with great happiness. After showing my Grandma a picture slideshow of her life after her 95th birthday, she admitted “those days are gone forever.” She was right. Enjoy the little things, because these are the moments that add up to create a lifetime.
Deadlines: they exist in both professional and personal life. Have you ever set an end date for a project completion, to weigh the optimal amount, to run a first half marathon? I’ve even heard numerous individuals say the age they want to be married and have children. How many people accept the adequate instead of aspiring for the great? Take the familiar and give up on ambition? I forget sometimes that my Grandma, with only her Newfoundland passport, had an eventful life before marrying at 34. So I’m not going to be fussed if I skip the odd workout, attend a wedding solo, make a career change, or have a toddler when my friends have teenagers. I’m living life to the fullest and refusing to settle.
These last couple of years, my Grandma loved hearing about my recent Contest Wins and wished she was younger so that she could come out with me. But then, she would tell me about her latest win as well…..of $2 at bingo night at her retirement residence.
Yet, Alice Hall really was the biggest winner I knew. With many friends, nieces, nephews, siblings, a loving husband, 6 children and their spouses, 14 grandchildren and 4 great grandchildren. We’re all going to miss her.
