Animation is creative imagination brought to life.  When it comes to creating brilliant animations, Disney’s Pixar is tops with inspiring stories that bring humour and light to the world of human experiences.  Their movie “Inside Out” is no exception.

The main characters are pre-teen Riley and her delightfully animated cast of emotions.  These endearing characters, aptly named and designed after their prevailing moods are Anger, Disgust, Joy, Fear, and Sadness. All of these emotions share the control panel of Riley’s mind.  They intermingle and work together like board members driven by intense emotional states.  You may think this chaotic but they actually work very together in helping Riley through her turbulent pre-teen years.  Even though the dark emotions out number the bright by four to one, Anger, Sadness, Fear and Disgust reveal positive traits that support the livelihood of Joy.

One of the most delightful scenes is when Joy enters Riley’s imagination and she morphs into different shapes. The brilliance of these segment is that we too can shift our experiences of emotions by using our imagination.  Psychologists have long used the metaphor of a wandering black dog for depression.  They advise us to see depression as a black dog visiting and to acknowledge the dog and then send it on it’s way.

The imagination creates wonders and holds unlimited possibilities, both within ourselves and outside.  Imagine more ways to experience joy in your life and there is a good chance Joy will arise to be your faithful companion!

It was a beautiful day for a bike ride; the perfect day in so many ways.  Well, at least it started out that way.  I pedalled my bike along scenic False Creek to Granville Island.  This was my day to explore the world of art.  I locked up my bike securely and proceeded to one of my favorite galleries that displayed the works of various local artists.  After delighting myself for an hour, I wandered over to a ceramic studio, only to discover enroute that my bike was no longer where I left it.  I stood there in disbelief.  I could not accept what I was seeing.  The vacant spot where my bike once stood now glared back at me.  What could I do, I asked myself.

I looked around and everything looked normal.  Traffic crawled slowly as it usually did and a few people meandered about.  Nothing was out of the ordinary.  Except for my missing bike, which was only evident to me.  I knew I had to call the police to report the theft.  For now, I was physically fine.  I had all of my essentials including a good pair of walking shoes, money for transit and a cell phone to call someone if I wanted.  I even had my favorite bike helmet and cycling gloves still with me.

I walked over to the next Art Gallery and shared my experience with the receptionist.  She empathized with me and that was when I realized I did not want this unfortunate incident to spoil the remainder of my day.  I spotted a chair sitting in the sunlight, against a large floor to ceiling window.  On the chair was a brochure advertising the special event that was currently happening. I sunk into the chair and read about The International Day of the Dead event, showcasing artfully decorated human skulls made of clay.  Artists from around the world, celebrated life and art through their spirited creations honouring this 3,000 year old ritual initiated by Spaniards.

As I immersed myself into the artists works and stories, my sadness over the loss of my bike lifted.  Looking back, it is ironic how stories can shift our mind and mood.  Stories of death brought me to fully realize how much life was in me.  I rationalized with myself that today was the day that I needed to donate my bike to mental health.  What is a bike anyways, I asked myself.  A bike is a machine for transport, exercise and having fun.  What is life, I asked myself.  Life is spirit.  I choose spirit, and at that point, I released my bike.

I read somewhere that life is like learning how to ride a bike.  You need to keep pedalling else you may fall off.  Well, on this day, I chose to get off of my bike and I chose to live in spirit.  For that, I am deeply grateful.  I accept what I cannot change.  I choose to move on and let go of thoughts that do not serve me well.

Since the incident, I have grieved for my beloved bike.  I have also filed a police report.  I hope to see my bike again one day but I am not holding my breath.  My life continues, at a slower pace … for now.

Huge trees lay fallen on the hillside.  An intense windstorm had swept through the nature park just weeks before.  A family spanning three generations were halted in their tracks by the sight of fallen trees and freshly cut stumps, remnants of the massive storm.

The eldest of the clan quietly observed their surroundings, then created a story using animated body gestures showing how strong winds must have whirled through the area.  His wife on the other hand was rendered speechless, overcome with great sadness for the grove of old trees she had enjoyed since childhood.  Her son was also speechless, mesmerized by the beautiful designs and colors exposed by recent cuts across fallen trunks.  His partner did not see any beauty in their surroundings, only devastation.  Their young children danced excitedly around them, oblivious to the unique observations of others.  They pointed high above to the large gaping hole in the forest canopy, saying that someone must have turned on a giant flashlight.  The littlest one, now crouched down low in the sunlight, erupted with a holler, “Look!  A baby forest!” as she pointed to tender shoots emerging from the forest floor.

This is life.  The cycles of life are evident everywhere.  Old gives way to new just as darkness gives way to light.  All elements are valuable, important and necessary.

A large truck idles noisily at an intersection.  The license plate at the rear is encased with a silver frame and message warning all drivers behind that it makes frequent stops.  But this is not a delivery truck and instead of delivering goods, this regular pick-up truck claims to stop at every Tim Hortons to pick something up.

It seems this pick-up truck is not alone.  The line-up of vehicles at every Tim Horton’s drive-thru reveals this.  Whether picking up a favorite drink, donut, or sandwich, Tim Horton’s has become more popular than a visit to Uncle Fred, Aunt Sue, or Grandma Muriel!  No need to get out of the car, no need for family etiquette and social graces of longer visits.  Just short and sweet, a smile and thank you, then hit the gas pedal and away they go.  Easy.  Maneuver through traffic, take a sip … “Ahhh.hh.h!”  Turn a corner.  Take a bite “Mmmm.mm.m!”  Life is good.  Or is it?!

Faster is not necessarily better.  Conveniences come with a cost, some of which you can see and others you can’t.  Consider all the costs of our modern conveniences today, well beyond the wallet.  Think about the long term impact of your choices today and how they impact our environment for future generations.  We always have choices!

It is a warm summer evening.  A roomful of women have gathered together to sing in honour of water.  The instructor is a talented vocal artist who sings with passion and reverence for the planet and all living things.  The songs she teaches are simple melodies that resonate with the soul.  Some are chants from different languages and even though this is the first time uttering these sounds for many, the music unites all in spirit and reverberates through the room like echoes in a magnificent valley.

The power of twenty plus voices united in song cannot be underestimated. The walls vibrate and energy within magnifies as the evening progresses.  Music transcends all time, space, languages and cultures.  Music is the universal language that unites all people in harmony for the love of life!

Click here for a link to water song.