Burlington Festival of Lights and 'The Way to Love Anything'.....
The season is upon us once more. That time of year when many hearts fill with compassion, generosity and love. Those who have much reach out to those who have little,
or at least some do.
At no time greater than now is the gulf between wealth and poverty, love and hate, happiness and sorrow more evident. It is a season where a strange light is cast for us all to see, if we only dare to look.
This is a post about the Burlington Festival of Lights, but more importantly, it is a post about what those lights stand for.
The past 3 years have been very hard for me. I came very close to the possibility of losing four of my family members.
Through a series of miracles, outside intervention, family support, healthcare, hope , love and belief, they all recovered and are here today shining their lights brighter than ever.
They have not only been given a new lease on life themselves, they have given new eyes to those around who love them.
I loved them before, I love them now with an even greater tenderness and appreciation for who they are. Their inner beauty has transcended outwards and I find that even their smiles now glow in a way they didn't before. 
When we come close to losing someone, we are suddenly and painfully reminded of the fragility of life, of the fragility of the people around us, of how easily and quickly it can all be lost, they can be lost.
Life hangs on a thread. It waves gently in a fickle breeze and often when we try to grab the end and swing out into the clear fine air along with it, we miss and fall to a hard landing.
If we are lucky, we stand up once we catch our breath and, dusting ourselves off, we climb the tree again vowing that this time we won’t let go of our toehold on the branch until we have a firm grip on the frayed end of the thread we are trying to grasp.
There is always another ‘this time’; or is there?
A person can be taken from you in an instant.
One day you are sitting across from them sharing a fine meal and discussing the day's events, the next day their seat at the table is empty. They will never sit there again.
And you never saw it coming.
How precious is this very moment you have right now?
How precious is the person sitting next to you that you have the ability to share and connect with?
How precious is it that you have the technology close at hand to be able to reach out to anyone, absolutely anyone and say ‘I love you’ and you are important in my life. ? How much do we take for granted these things?
I remember long ago visiting my youngest brother, a true philosopher in his own right, and sleeping on the pull-out in his den.
As I gazed around the room at the myriad of inspirational photographs with sayings written on them, one that caused me to rethink everything in my life from that moment on, was this :
'You don’t ‘have’ to do anything, you ‘get’ to do it.'
Suddenly I found myself applying that principle to everything
I ‘had' to do.
I no longer saw it as something I ‘had’ to do.
Instead I began to see everything, absolutely everything as a gift and something I ‘get to do because I am here, because I am alive, because I am connected with the world around me, because I matter!
Every single thing I do is a gift. Think of that concept!
It is not a new one. Old-timers have a saying and a belief that having ‘work’ to do is having a gift. As long as you have a purpose, or feel you are contributing, life will have value to you.
This is one of the main reasons that the elderly deteriorate so quickly once they are put out to pasture in senior’s homes. They no longer feel that they matter, that they are contributing, that who they are is of importance here.
In Okinawa, an island off the coast of Japan, the world's longest living people are found. What is one of the main secrets to their longevity?
They are valued and are never put out to pasture. They maintain their jobs and dignity as useful members of society for as long as they wish to and as long as they are able to. They are revered by the younger generations as valuable teachers and are truly listened to and respected.
What has happened here in western society? Why do we not place this same importance on our elderly ? Why are we not taking advantage of this most amazing and important legacy and resource we have living right in our midst, the wisdom of our elders?
They are gone so quickly.
One day we may be sifting through old photos or genealogy files and stop with an ache in our hearts as we regretfully realize we never got around to taking the time to really know that person who was an important part of our legacy and of our children’s future.
They had so much to say, and no one took the time to ask them what it was.
I apply this to the younger people around myself too. As I think of my children, I realize I have not spent enough time determining the answers to so many questions.
Who are they?
Beyond their clothes and their friends and their hobbies, who are they? Do we ever take the time to really find out?
Do we know what their favourite colour is and why ? This alone can tell you an amazing amount about a person. Have we asked them what they think life is all about? Or what their dreams and aspirations are?
What they truly would love to do with their lives?
Have we asked our brothers, our sisters, our closest friends ?
They can be gone in an instant.
Seize the moment and gather in the pieces of those in your life that matter to you.
By doing so you will find that not only will you be
adding immensely to their self-esteem and feelings of well-being, you will also be enriching your own soul immensely.
Ask any centenarian; they’ll be glad to talk to you about the real meaning of life and the secret to a long and happy one.
G. K. Chesterton said it best when he said “The way to love anything is to realize that it may be lost”.
This year, when going about your holiday shopping and merry-making, stop and consider those words. Consider how we each have the ability to live them day to day, not just at Christmas when the essence of love seems so strong around us, but always.
The Festival of Lights in Burlington will start at 5pm at Spencer Smith Park on Sunday, December 6th. The festival will run for 40 days and the Tree of Hope will hold 3,950 tiny sparkling lights.
This year, as you watch the ceremony and witness the lighting of the tree, think on what the tree stands for and what each tiny light signifies. Carry this forward with you, for not only the 40 days of the festival, but every day of this coming year and beyond.
The difference in the world begins as an almost imperceptible difference in our hearts and grows outwards from there.
You'll never know, but it will be there. Just believe.
©2009JoSmith
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Jo-Anne Smith, the author of this article, is a REALTOR® with Brekland Realty Group, Oakville, Ontario and welcomes your real estate inquiries. To contact her, visit www.Oakville-BurlingtonHomes.com |
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Jo-Anne Smith, the author of this article, is a REALTOR® with Your Choice Realty , Mississauga, Ontario and welcomes your real estate inquiries. To contact her, visit www.oakville-burlingtonhomes.com |
Jo, This brought tears to my eyes. People are gone in a heartbeat and even when you know it's coming, the finality is crushing. I wished I had taken more time to listen to stories or go through old albums....Our elderly ARE 'put out to pasture' and they are the ones that carry the most amazing stories. They are not disposable.
Carole,
I always have a tear in my eye too when I think of how quickly the people I love may be gone. In fact, I can't bear to think about it and my heart aches with the thought.
Yesterday, at the Toronto airport about 30 minutes from here, a woman was holding her 15 month old son in her arms. They were standing on an upper level which was open to the lower floor and had a railing for safety.
She turned for a minute to say something to her other child and the baby squirmed out of her arms and fell over the balcony. He died and the parent's grief is unimaginable. One minute they were planning a wonderful trip home to Argentina to have him baptized, the next minute he was gone. It CAN and DOES happen that fast.
I cherish your friendship, in case I haven't told you lately.
Jo
Jo, It is almost inconceivable to me to hear that story. I know that people you love can be gone in a heartbeat....a woman I used to work with called me the "I love you" person because I never hung up the phone without telling someone I loved them. It's a heartbreaking story.
Btw, I treasure our friendship just as much...in case I haven't told YOU lately!
And so...we remain ever so vigilant to live each day as if it were our last... HI JO!
Jo,
That was a beautifully written post, and the message is very clear and very imporatnt. You are absolutely correct. Now is the time to cherish the people we love.
Brian
Jo, like Carole, this brought a tear to my eye. We so often take things and people for granted. We know we care about them and we 'love' them when we have them, but when they are gone, our world falls apart. In fact, I can tell you from recent experience, that it's torture, to lose someone you thought would be around forever. I think I now know what people mean when they say people can die of a broken heart. Moving on is difficult, but I guess we should be thankful for the time we had together, and hopefully, in time, the memories will still make us smile.
Carole,
You and I are so much alike in so many ways. I always end phone calls with loved ones by saying 'i love you' too, and also emails.
Life can change in an instant.
Jo
HI SALLY !!
Yes, you're one of the wisest women I know.....
((-;
Jo
Thank you Brian. (-:
Jo
Sylvie,
I'm sorry to hear of your recent loss....please call me anytime if you would like a friend to share with. I'm always here.
Thank you for taking the time to read this long post.
Jo
Hello Jo. I took the time to read what you wrote and am touched by it. My family members and i just last week had a conference call with siblings reporting in from different States... it is the beginning of what we plan to do regularly. We are all excited about it because we have all gone our separate ways for so long! In this family project, we will participate for a specific cause, but the sharing and fellowship is more important. Life is truly a gift... we need to see it as you shared it so beautifully.
Jo you are so right. This was shown to me when my son was diagnosed with leukemia at the age of 18. One minute he was going off to university and the next he was going to the hospital. After 3yrs of chemotherapy he was still with us. The experience changed us all but we are forever grateful that he is still with us.
We definitely should not take life for granted. You just never know what waits around the next corner so make the most out of the NOW.
Jo-Anne~
THANK YOU for sharing your reflections on gratitude and wellness. As they touched me, so I think they will touch others...so I am reBlogging this post...and I know your special energy will make a difference to those who read....THANKS for knowing you.
This is so beautiful and so important... we all need to seize the moment to glean the precious gifts that those who have gone before have to give to us. I can't believe the way we treat the elderly in this country.
Jo
I respect anyone with a new lease on life; God Speed to them all in their futures. I love the cardinal in the picture.
Diane,
The importance of keeping in touch with family members is something that should be paramount in all of our lives, as long as we're able and there is respect and love. I'm so glad to hear that your family will be connecting regularly...
thanks so much for stopping by with your lovely comment!
Jo
Janice,
I'm very sorry that your son and your family has had to go through this. I can't even imagine....
I'm glad to hear he is doing well and still with you and I'll hold thoughts for him in my heart that he has a long and very happy life.
Jo
janeAnne,
Thank you sooooo much. You're a sweetheart and one amazing lady....
Jo
Joan,
The lack of respect for the elderly saddens me greatly.....I admire those who are older than myself so much and are drawn to them for their warmth, knowledge and wisdom. They have so much to offer the generations behind them.
Jo
Tom,
You and I know what 'new leases' on life are all about.....they're miracles really, and there is a reason for each one of them. You're certainly a testament to that....
Cardinals are amongst my most favourite birds, next to crows and loons.
(-;
Jo
Jo - Life indeed is very fragile and often hangs on a thread. That thread can be strengthend by the actions of others and for them we are very thankful. Unfortunately at the moment we are dealing with some who are so self centered that they do not care that their actions threaten that fragile thread.
Hi Kathy,
Thank you for adding such beauty to this story....the thought that others can strengthen our thread and that we can strengthen the thread for others is a very powerful one.
I'm very sorry to hear that you are having trouble in your interactions with someone and I hope it will be soon resolved....it's especially hard to deal with conflict this time of year.
Jo
Hi Jo - for two years the action of others have strengthend that thread now the actions of one and the resuling actions that one have caused others to take is definetly affecting that fragile thread.
Hi Jo,
Beautiful!!
I try to make sure that everyone know that I appreciate them. I really liked that saying " You don't have to do anything You get to do it" Just reading that really opened my eyes, I am always saying I have to do this or I have to do that, but the saying is so right I don't have too. I am so lucky I get too!! Thanks for this post.
Take care,
Trace
What a story! Jo, this truly is a time of thanksgiving for you. Enjoy this time of holidays!
hi Barrie,
I'm sorry to hear of your troubles and I hope that everything gets peacefully resolved.
Jo
Hi Trace,
Thank you for your appreciative and inspiring comment. ((-;
How's Winnipeg these days? Any snow yet? We're having a beautiful early winter season with no snow yet and mostly mild temps.
Jo
Hi Marzena,
I hope you have a wonderful holiday season...
Jo
It is indeed that time of year again!!!! Where did 2009 go????
Barbara Jo,
I've been wondering that myself!
Jo