It starts with courage...

I often wonder how my mom managed to do what she has done in her life...from first of all, having 10 kids, running a farm-family business..to then taking care of 10 kids as they grew up, instilling solid values and teaching life skills along the way and then moving into the city with the 5 youngest kids when mom and dad decided to split up.

Not all the kids were here in this photo...but Mom, I think you're just a couple years older than I am right now, in this photo! Wow!

I really don't know how you did it!

Times have changed, that's for sure. If I were my mom, I'd have 9 kids right now with the 10th on the way. I'd be running a big family business and then running the household as well. To help me, I'd have 2 Jamaican nanny's and "Mrs. Kraus" who took care of the youngest kids, that is, until they started moving too fast for Mrs. Kraus...at that point, she retired. Of course, the older kids helped take care of the younger kids, whether they wanted to or not. And life just went on, day by day....and here we are today.

Mom, I often wonder how you did it all. If I asked you the question, "how did you do it all?", I am sure your response would be simple and to the point, "Well, I just did it. Who else was going to do it? I had to. That's all there was to it." And then my favourite part that you say when we talk sometimes, "...and that's all you need to know!"

Sort of like the Nike slogan, "Just do it!"
(Maybe they got it from you!)

What I learned from you, Mom, on this topic has served me so well! And I'm so grateful. When you decided on something, you just did it, and that's all there was to it.
It comes down to a few simple steps if I can try to articulate them...
1. courage to step up
2. commitment
3. doing the work, following through and never EVER quitting
4. having faith
5. looking back and learning

I don't know that I've ever seen you get caught up in indecision. Ever.

You just did it. Always.

Thanks for teaching me to find my courage, to take the plunge and commit, to do the work and never quit and have faith when things didn't go as planned, and to look back and learn. I've never articluated or thought about how you have done what you do...but I think this might be a close recipe for how you've been able to do all that you have.

It really does start with courage...

Always.

This week has been a big week of having courage, stepping up and taking the plunge in lots of areas of my life...just like jumping at the cliffs in Vernon many years ago. That took a momentary dose of courage. Living life "out loud" (Like the country song by Aaron Lines) and giving it all I've got takes a whole lot more.























Mom, I need your help! I put an offer in on the house, went to talk to the bank today about a mortgage and am selling my condo in Edmonton! Whooo hooooo! I can hardly wait...family painting party! ;) Mom, cross your fingers (and PRAY!)!

I'm serious!

I love you,
Crystal

PS I know I've mentioned this song by Aaron Lines before, but the words are really what I'm feeling today!
These are just part of the lyrics....

Gonna start living out loud
My soul's been dying
To scream and shout
And shatter the silence
It's a beautiful sound when each moment counts
Right here, right now
I'm gonna start living out loud

All my demons, I have fought 'em
Inhibitions, I have lost 'em
It wasn't easy, but I taught 'em
To just get out of my way
And now, every breath I'm breathing,
The air is so much sweeter
Now that my heart has finally found a way

To start living out loud
My soul's been dying
To scream and shout
And shatter the silence
It's a beautiful sound, when each moment counts
Right here, right now
I'm gonna start living out loud
My soul's been dying
To scream and shout
And shatter the silence
It's a beautiful sound, when each moment counts
Right here and now
I'm gonna start living out loud
Living out loud
Living out loud