We can’t ignore the fact that the weather has been absolutely wonderful, amazing, and beautiful lately. This past weekend was probably one of the best weekends ever! Happy Belated Mother’s Day to all mothers at Red River College!

I don’t know about you, but once the weather is nice, I have to be outside to soak the sun, feel the warmth, get a nice walk, and feel the breeze on my face. As my lunch break was approaching yesterday, I faced a dilemma: Do I go to the gym or do I go outside for a walk. I got my gym bag and headed to the North Gym, Notre Dame Campus. Well, the gym was closed. I smiled and said “thank you”, the decision was already made for me. I was definitely going outside for a walk. I noticed the green grass, the leaves and blossoms on the trees, the pink, white, yellow flowers in the bushes. I sat by the water and watched a family of geese. The little ones were still having their yellow fur! I had a fantastic lunch walk in the cemetery and I came back to work completely refreshed. Unbelievable what a nice walk and some sunshine can do for me!

Let me share with you one of my wellness practices which does wonders for me: Every two hours, I leave my office and go outside to feel the sunshine on my face. I find a place to sit outside, close my eyes, and just feel the warmth. I can’t help but smile when I do that. It might seem silly, but this little moment of sunshine on my face is one little way of taking care of me.

On Sunday, Mother’s Day, I spent four hours at the Assiniboia Park with my son, Alec. I will never forget this Sunday. My son played at the Children’s Garden and we had to do our usual visit to see The Turtles and the Fishes (Conservatory). We took a walk from there to the Duck Pond where Alec and I sat on one of the hills and had a snack while we watched the geese and the ducks. Well, this past Sunday, was extraordinary special. My son saw 12 ducklings eating bread at the duck pond and he was absolutely fascinated. He wouldn’t leave the ducklings out of sight. It was fun watching him enjoy the cute, little, baby ducks. This moment at the Assiniboia Park is so simple and natural. I was reminded how our ordinary life can become an extraordinary adventure. I feel a tremendous amount of gratitude for moments like this one.

I will end my post with one of my favorite quotes by Joseph Campbell:

“People say that what we’re seeking is a meaning for life. I don’t think that’s what we’re really seeking. I think that what we’re seeking is an experience of being alive, so that we actually feel the rapture of being alive. ”