Block parties are usually fun, social events that unite family, friends and neighbours.  I arrived at an annual block party expecting a large gathering of people engaged in boisterous conversations, laughter and good food.  To my surprise, there was an eery quietness and only a few people standing around.  The host approached me and quietly explained what had happened.  Everyone was having fun and enjoying themselves when one neighbour’s dog attacked another neighbour’s smaller dog.  Unfortunately, the smaller dog did not survive.  Distraught residents who witnessed the traumatic incident had withdrawn to their homes.  Only a handful of people remained, huddled in a circle.

The tragedy happened at the start of the evening and as time wore on, people slowly emerged from their homes.  Even the owners of the small dog emerged, who were greeted by heartfelt exchanges and tears of sadness.  It was truly a poignant moment and I could not help but feel their pain even though I had never met them before.

This is life.  When we least expect it, tragedy strikes and takes our breath away.  It feels terrible at the time, turning our stomach and world inside out.  Then somehow, some way, we find the courage to return to living.  We find a crack of light in the depths of darkness.  We find hope and reach out to friends to help ease our pain.  We allow our tears to flow very naturally.  Albert Smith once said “Tears are the safety valve of the heart when too much pressure is laid on it”.  Tears are good.  Tears are healing.  Tears cleanse us from the inside out.

“What soap is for the body, tears are for the soul” – Jewish Proverb

Be thankful for the tears that flow.  Tears are an important part of being human.  Embrace your humanness today.

If you are a fan of board games like I am, you may be familiar with ‘The Game of Life’.  The object of the game is to endure the ups and downs of life and retire wealthy.  The spin of a number wheel determines your luck to a certain degree as you advance your vehicle through life stages.  Although every player must stop to get married and pay taxes, everyone has options for attending post-secondary, choosing a career, or playing the stock market.

Surprises are littered throughout the game board and depending on where you land, you may accumulate a carload of children or have no children at all.  Your house may burn down or be hit by a tornado; your friend may crash your car, or you may win a big lottery.  Life unfolds as you twist and turn your way to retirement and every game reveals a different experience.

As an avid fan of the game, I own two versions.  When comparing the old to new, I notice some interesting differences.  For instance, in the old version you could be rewarded $5,000 for capturing an escaped lion and then on another turn, be billed $30,000 for being rescued from the jungle.  In the new version, you could be rewarded $10,000 for winning a talent contest and then be billed $100,000 for hosting an on-line concert.  The most notable differences however were at the beginning and end of the game.  In the old version, you could have a false start in life and retire “destitute and disgraced!”  In the new version, there are no false starts and instead of retiring disgraced, you could gracefully move into Countryside Acres. Ahh.hhh.hhh!

One other amusing distinction between the two versions is the value of $100,000.  In the old game, $100,000 covers the cost of cleaning a polluted lake while the same amounts covers the cost of cosmetic surgery for yourself in the new version.  In the end, we all want to retire comfortably, whether it is at Countryside Acres or Millionaire Estates, with or without cosmetic surgery!

I am on a rocky beach that overlooks the ocean.  Islands loom large on the horizon and snow-capped mountains stand tall in the distance.   It is a sunny warm day with only a faint breeze.  The scent of salt water and seaweed lingers as I sit under the shade of magnificent pine trees, watching two preschool-aged children play together.  They giggle and laugh as they direct one another with endless ideas for moving pebbles and water.  Their stream of activities eventually leads to hunger and the call for snacks.

The little boy holds a tube of yogurt which he squeezes with delight, anticipating his sweet treat.  To his surprise, the yogurt bursts forth suddenly from the tube like a mini geyser and lands with a splat on the little girl’s head.  The little girl wails.  Her mother tries to hold back her laughter as she lovingly wipes up the yogurt with her fingers.  She tries to console her daughter by saying “It’s just like lotion!”  Unfortunately, this did not ease the little girl’s discomfort as she continued to wail.  Her cry echoed along the beach for a few minutes more until it stopped.  Then the little boy cried.  His cry was less audible but he too was visibly upset.  His mother picked him up and tried to comfort him with a tender embrace and kind words.  She held him like his baby brother, only his limbs almost touched the ground.  When the tears were all done, the two children returned to playing together.  They played happily until it was time to go and ended with a lively run through a grassy meadow, each taking turns chasing one another amidst gales of infectious laughter.  Oh, to be a child again!

Whether tears are from joy or pain, there is significance in honouring emotions.  It is a natural and healthy release of the human body.  The act of crying is as natural as laughing.  Tears offer tremendous healing power as these two children so clearly demonstrated.  Tears are liberating and free us to live more fully and joy-fully!

Street festivals are a feast for the senses.  Since no cars are allowed, people can wander the entire breadth of the road for blocks on end without worrying about traffic.  Local vendors bring their wares to the curb side as restaurant owners fire up their outdoor grills and set out tables and chairs where cars usually park.  Sights of festive decorations, the sounds of music, and aromas of sizzling food all vie for your attention.

Strolling along this festive corridor, I came across a shop filled with Latin American art.  The bright colors drew my attention and as I came closer, I noticed whimsical little figurines posed playfully in celebration.  To my surprise, the characters were actually skeletons, grinning from ear to ear and living up life as we know it.

There were brides and grooms, flamenco dancers and musicians, all dressed in beautiful elaborate costumes.  Each wore an ornate hat, from giant sombreros for the gentlemen skeletons to colorful wide-brimmed summer hats, lavishly decorated with feathers and flora for the women-skeletons.  How elegant they looked, even with their big hollow eyes and make-up free cheekbones!

A sign posted nearby summed it up perfectly: “Celebrating life through the mockery of death.”  Here is a culture that honors the passing of loved ones through celebration.  A stark contrast to western culture, which typically avoids the subject.  Regardless which cultural standpoint you take, we can all learn a lot from other cultures.  The next time you find yourself strolling down a street, be curious about what draws your attention and stay open to the experience!

I had a delightful conversation yesterday with a woman who spent a lifetime with horses.  She retired from teaching riding skills after her own horse died.  It was a career she loved and it showed in her face as she reminisced fondly about her past.  I could tell she was an expert in the field by her confident and direct speech.  “When riding, you want to stay upright.  Use your heels to keep your body back and from leaning forward.”  “If you want the horse to move forward, relax the reins and squeeze your thighs together against the horse’s body.”  “When you want to stop, pull back on the reins.”   “If you want to steer away from something, look where you want to go, NOT where you don’t want to go!”

The last comment made me laugh, realizing it is human nature to look where we don’t want to go.  Whatever we focus on, whether desirable or undesirable, becomes our reality.  If you focus on resistance, what you resist persists!  The woman’s final statement was perhaps the ‘icing on the cake’.  “And whatever you do” she said, “don’t look at the horse’s head!  That means the horse is leading!”

Who’s leading your life?  Neighh..hh.hh…