Road trip - The bumps in the road

After the false start to my vacation, I made it to Québec City to spend some time with my parents. It’s a bit of a shortened visit since I have plans that involve others down the road in both Ottawa and Montreal. The false start was the first bump in the road of the trip but as I shared previously, I choose to see the positive backside of the bumps. That’s how I choose to experience life.

The second bump came when the friend I was going to see the Alouettes very special Thanksgiving game in Montreal cancelled on me. I was very disappointed on a number of fronts. I could go on about why the disappointment was significant to me, why this person was coming along to begin with, etc, etc. But really, there was no sense dwelling on the “why.” The question was: now what? After putting the information out there, I found myself a game partner, someone I didn’t even know would be interested! And with them, I know I will have a grand time. Score.

So what’s the next bump going to be? And no, I am not being a Negative Nellie when I say that. The reality is that we come up against bumps in the road on a daily basis, some bigger than others.

On a small scale, you wake up and realize you forgot to program the coffee maker. Result? No coffee and now you *might* be cranky and get cranky on everyone. Or, you can choose to laugh it off and pick up some java on the way to work instead that morning. The key is to laugh it off and carry on.

On a medium scale (because it involves money), you mistakenly put your favourite pair of jeans in the dryer and the result is that they shrink into oblivion. And they were the most PERFECT pair of jeans you had ever owned! You can sulk about it or see it as a chance to refresh your wardrobe and try a different style. Yes, it will cost money you perhaps hadn’t budgeted but wearing that new pair of jeans may attract someone’s attention. The key is to see the positive backside of the bump... Literally AND figuratively in this case. ;)

On a larger scale, someone you love hurts you – intentionally or not – and you feel like you’ve been abandoned, and that the one person you thought had your back in fact, doesn’t. Result? It can be devastating. And this one may take time to get over. You may have to mourn the loss of trust in that relationship. But, it’s also an opportunity to revisit this relationship, to see whether or not it still has a place in your life or not. You get to choose which path to pursue.

I am grateful for bumps in the road of life, from the very small ones to the big ones, because a negative does not travel without a positive. They provide us with an opportunity to recharge, reframe and refocus. The choice whether to do so is entirely up to us.

False Starts

According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, there are two main definitions of a false start. One is the mistake of starting too soon in a race. The other is an unsuccessful attempt to begin something, such as a career or a project.

Having fallen ill with the “plague” that is going around these days (I know at least three people who’ve been sick in the last week), my road trip has been delayed by a couple of days. Despite the collective disappointment, these things happen. Better take care of oneself instead of running on empty and spreading the “plague” around ;) 

The downtime gave me a chance to reflect on the value of false starts.

We’ve all had false starts. I don’t know anyone who hasn’t, at some point in their life, had difficulty getting a project off the ground, regardless of the nature of that project.

Maybe you planned a surprise party for your boyfriend or girlfriend and it fizzled because they showed up early. Maybe you had a great idea for a business but couldn’t find partners or funding. Maybe you planned on early retirement but your partner lost their job and you had to work longer than expected. Maybe you tried your hand at a sport or a hobby and realized you had no aptitude for these particular activities.

Maybe you married the person you thought was the love of your life but years in (maybe days!) you realized you weren’t compatible. Maybe you took a chance at reaching out to help someone but they refused your offer for reasons having nothing to do with you. Maybe you thought you understood a task to be performed in your work, but didn’t really understand it. The list goes on.

Many many moons ago, a learned and wise person said to me: “Dominique, there are no mistakes in life, just learning opportunities.” With that in mind, a false start is just another learning opportunity there to be seized. Being creatures of intelligence and free will, we choose whether to learn, or not. I choose to roll with imponderables, make the best of a situation and learn what I need to learn.

With that in mind, I am grateful for the false start to my road trip. Staying on the Island two extra days gave me time to take care of chores around my home, time to share a meal with my besties, time to have an in-depth conversation with my sister, time to enjoy the fall sunshine on PEI, and... time for a blue-eyed stranger to wink and say hello to me on Queen St. :)

Road trip - Part 1

Well howdy everyone!

This cowgirl is hittin' the road in less than 24 hours for a pre-Thanksgiving pilgrimage that will take her to Québec City, Montréal and Ottawa.

I've previously shared how travel experiences have been part of my life from the time I was just a young pup. Credit goes to both sets of parents for sharing the travel bug. 

Now, after a wonderful week's vacation spent in Newfoundland - yes, click the link, come on, don't be shy, click it! - it's time for a road trip that will take me back to my roots to visit family and friends.

Québec City is where I was born. Montréal is where I came of age. And Ottawa is a place of childhood memories and adult shenanigans. It also happens to be where some of the bestest people on earth live.

While road tripping, I'm planning a couple of blog entries and of course, lots of pictures.

Hi-Yo Silver! Away!