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I took a trip out to Okotos, Alberta recently and ended up at a baseball game at Seaman Stadium, home of the Okotos Dawgs. It’s a great spot to watch a game, but what really caught my attention wasn’t the baseball, it was two words painted right on the field: “Don 100.”
I had no idea what that meant at the time. Later I learned the stadium was built by Don Seaman, a local philanthropist who had a personal goal to live to 100. He actually missed it by just 17 days, which somehow makes the whole thing even more inspiring.
When I first sat down in those stands, I’ll be honest. I was feeling every ache, every creak, every reminder that I’m not exactly getting younger. I wasn’t thinking about big dreams or long futures. More like wondering why my body seems to have developed its own collection of sound effects.
But sitting there, staring at “Don 100,” something shifted. Here was a guy who set a huge goal for himself and chased it with everything he had. He didn’t quite make it, but he lived toward it.
And meanwhile, I was sitting there… kind of wallowing.
So I made a decision, nothing dramatic, just a quiet promise to myself. I might not care about hitting 100, but I do care about making the years I have feel more like something I’m actively living, not just drifting through. Less worrying about what I’ve lost, more focusing on what I can regain, maintain, explore, or just appreciate.
Don Seaman didn’t reach his goal, but he reached for it. And that’s the part that stuck with me.
Funny how a baseball game can give you a little nudge to get moving again
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Snow blankets the street with transformative beauty. The promise of fresh starts and renewed hopes.
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Bribed myself into a walk today with the promise of a pitstop at my neighborhood treatery. Once there, my eyes devoured all the sumptuous options, but I was happy with just a coffee. I am such a liar.
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Notable by his absence in this photo is me. It’s sadly funny how I can be so invested in doing something and a couple months later not even making an effort. Well, perhaps this little post is the first step in kickstarting my mobility goal once again. We will see.
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Opportunities abound when you live downtown. Last night, in a candlelit sanctuary, we were immersed in the music of ABBA. The Vintera String Quartet filled our hearts with joyful sound.
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Despite the category, this guy is not walking around today. My knee is protesting the whole walking around concept. Random body parts are taking turns reminding me that I’m not 35.
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A new perspective on something familiar. Reminders for me this morning of the value of seeing something from a new point of view. Of actually listening to what someone is telling me instead of dismissing their thoughts and opinions as wrong.
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I’ll miss these marina views. RV season is drawing to a close. Daylight hours are shrinking and nighttime’s temperatures are visualizing our breath as we burrow beneath the blankets in our bed.
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Happy Thanksgiving! This weekend, I’m celebrating family, friends and all the good things that fill my life with meaningful purpose. We may feast on food, for sure, but we also feast on the bountiful relationships and resources that are possible because of the freedoms we have in this great country.
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I am such a chicken. Signs like this make me want to hightail it back to the car and just go home. Or maybe become one of the gray heads walking circuits at the nearby mall, dodging shoppers and wondering why my feet are killing me. On this day, however, I kept on walking, passed the sign and entered the woods.
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I had completely forgotten about this walking trail. As I walked it the other day I determined to visit it regularly. All Trails app makes it easy to see where you’re going and how long it will take you to get there. There will be no need for search parties to rescue this directionally challenged trail walker.
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This is likely the last camp fire of the season. We bought our RV as an escape during Covid and have never regretted it. Four years later, we’re settled in and enjoy having a closeby retreat from our somewhat hectic life.
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Saw this little guy on our walk this morning. No clue what type of insect it is, but will no doubt see more like it in the coming days till the weather gets cooler.
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I know that I am prone to enthused exaggeration, but on my walk today I saw the most beautiful tree in the park. Before you judge me, know that I already have tempered my remarks for I really wanted to say that on my walk today I saw the most beautiful tree in the whole wide world.
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Life can be a soul-sucking rush with days filled fetching and toting, going and coming, planning and revising. Days end with fitful sleep and new ones begin with schedules already super-saturated. Pause, oh Self. There’s value and balance to be found in solitude, stillness and contemplation.
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I’m waiting in a weaving line with crowds of people ahead of me. Rain might be coming; the air is heavy and moist. The arena doors won’t open for another half hour at least and I could easily succumb to impatience, discouragement or annoyance. Then I look up and suddenly I’m lost in the sky’s beautiful immensity.
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A stately old church in the heart of downtown London. Built in 1869, an architectural example of Gothic Revival, with a prominent tower and steeple, pointed arches and lots of stained glass. Why does a beautiful church setting more easily inspire reverence for me?
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I love walking in the Fall. The cool temperatures, colourful leaves and quiet stillness make me want to linger on the pathway.
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Took a ride with the family in an open car on this old diesel from the 1950s. The scenic ride from the Port Stanley terminal to the boundary of St. Thomas lasted about an hour. It was a perfect way to celebrate the 87th birthday of a life-long railway enthusiast.
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Viewing the city from the top of city hall. A great reminder that a bird’s eye view provides a different perspective.
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Explored Central Library’s Rotary Garden, a secret oasis in the midst of downtown London. Lots of shady places to sit, read and bask in tranquility.
