Make Your Soul Sing...

Hi!


Last weekend, we surprised our Mom with a party to celebrate her upcoming 80th birthday.


Under the guise of a jewelry fair, (Our mom loves her some jewelry) our niece lured her to the venue. As this was an 80th birthday, we thought better of the traditional hiding and screaming of "surprise!"

We, her six kids, four sons-in-law, three daughters-in-law, eighteen grandkids, almost all of their significant others, and eleven great-grandbabies, instead, waited in complete silence (a pretty incredible feat in and of itself).

It took a second or two for her to adjust from what she had expected to what was, in fact, happening. In true Mom form, once she began recognizing the faces that filled the room, her sense of humour always intact, "Well, where is the jewelry party?"

The rest of the day, evening, and, to be honest, into the not so early hours of the next morning, we celebrated. Celebrated Mom, of course, and just being together. The logistics of bringing everybody under the same roof can be tough when you have a big family. We tend to take full advantage when the opportunity presents itself.

Celebrations are important, and not just for the big things like weddings and big birthdays.


Celebrate.


Two very important chairs were empty at this party. That of our Dad, and that of our sister. They both have passed. Proof that time together is never a given, always a gift.

Celebrate.


Holidays, birthdays, weddings, anniversaries, new babies, game days, recitals, grads of all kinds, best efforts, lost teeth, potty training victories, learning to tie shoes, favourite movie releases.

Celebrate all of it.

The celebrations don't always have to include hall rentals, hours of travel and hilarious subterfuge, but it sure bumps up the fun factor when they do.

Sometimes, celebrations are phone calls, messages, hugs, meals, or sleepovers. Sometimes they are as simple as "I'm proud of you, you're awesome."

Families come in all kinds of shapes, are all different sizes, and, many times, go far beyond coming from the same DNA.

When you get the chance to spend time with family, whatever your definition, take it.


Life can be so chaotic, crazy busy, fraught with the white noise of running our day to day existence. The trick is to recognize the distinction between our existence and our life.

Existence is what you need to do to keep flesh and bone together. Life is what makes your soul sing.

Do yourself the favour of taking time to make your soul sing.

Manufacture some minutes for conversations, board games, cranking the tunes and dancing in the living room. Sculptor some seconds for laughing until your stomach aches, cuddling up to watch movies, and playing in the snow. Carve out some clicks of the clock to create memories, be goofy, and make cupcakes.

Celebrate.



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Until next time...


May you embrace every minute you get to spend with those that matter most.
May you celebrate everything that makes your soul sing, give a high five, make a toast.

May the white noise of life fade long enough to make some memories, have some laughs.
May you set aside time for long-ago stories, showing new eyes the black and white photographs.

May more of your precious time be spent soaking in what makes your soul sing.
May you treasure those who matter most, for time on this side is a preciously fleeting thing.





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