Perspective

Yesterday I attended a memorial service. Thankfully not something I have had to do a lot, yet, in my life. This was, however, a particularly memorable event for more than its rarity. I was there to say goodbye to a colleague and mentor who was one of the few threads that tie my life as a student in Ontario to my life in Manitoba as a professor. But that is really not the important thing here. This was a woman of rare humanity and skill as a researcher, scholar and mentor; and yet was so much more. Here was a woman to look up to, someone to be like when "I grow up" because of the obvious passion with which she led her life. It seems so utterly unfair that this is the person who is diagnosed with cancer and then is gone in 4 months.

I'm going to be processing this for awhile, but I think the message I took from her wonderful eulogy is that if you want to do it, DO IT. If you care about people, animals, food and the world at large - love them all you can, share the bounties of your life, and let the people in your life know how special they are. Do it all, and do it now. You may not get a better time. Do good work, do it with conviction and passion, but remember that your work is not your life...ok a piece of it but not all of it.

Truthfully, I think the quote used in the eulogy from Hunter S. Thompson sums up where my thoughts are today:

“Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke [glass of Pinot Grigio in hand!], thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming “Wow! What a Ride!’”