Insights, Thoughts and Reflections

I posted my regular blog yesterday late in the day and after I closed down I started reflecting on the day as I so often do. This post has nothing whatsoever to do with politics or leadership; it has to do with life and relationships and some insights I had which I thought might resonate with many of you.

Today is Father’s Day and I’ll get to that in a few moments. Yesterday was my birthday. I had a fantastic day with my son, out for lunch and buying ingredients and the perfect wine to make a special dinner together. He is one amazing cook! I love cooking with him. We talk as we chop and sauté…laugh a lot! (There is never a shortage of laughter between us) and we also reflected on the year I had. It was one amazing year for which I am very grateful. The phone was ringing off the hook with well wishers, and with every conversation I realized something new. That’s what I’d like to share with you.

First of all, about my friend Deb, if you’re ever lucky enough to have a friend like this, I certainly hope you appreciate that friendship and never take it for granted. She knows me inside and out, my accomplishments, my insecurities, my life and every facet of it. She supports me, applauds me and gives me a kick in the butt when I need it. She, and her family are what I call family by choice. She was the first to call for the day and gave me a smile that lasted right through it! The last call of the day, my oldest friend John, made me crack up and reflect on the 46 years we’ve been friends. I can’t imagine my life without him in it. I just can’t nor ever want to. And then there’s my cousin Joyce who is like my sister. We’ve been inseparable our whole lives. Everyone should have a Joyce in their life! She actually celebrates my birthday without me being there. Sometimes she even invites our mothers for lunch to celebrate and I’m never invited (go figure)…so she can thank my mother for having me. Have you ever heard anything like that? Yep…she’s a one of a kinder! We have the same voices (and have a lot of fun with that sometimes), know how each other thinks, feels, reacts, and love each other in spite of ourselves Sometimes we even send self-addressed stamped envelopes with birthday cards “To my favourite cousin”, cross out one name, add the other’s, put a new message beneath it and send it back : )

Sometimes in life we expect our closest relatives to be the closest, but they aren’t. I’d say some of my closest blood relatives don’t have a clue who I am, what makes me tick, what I’m doing, how I’m doing. It used to bother the hell out of me, but not much any more, because just like longevity doesn’t necessarily make a successful relationship, blood connections don’t necessarily mean interest and involvement. Relationships are about choice not blood line and how we respect and treasure our relationships is up to us.

And speaking of treasuring relationships…my parents…

I was away for Mother’s Day and couldn’t post, so this is really for both parents. My parents are amazing. They will always be young because it’s their attitude and joie de vivre. You’ll always catch them walking somewhere, taking in a festival or whatever is happening in downtown Montreal. They’re with-it, intelligent, loving and amazing people who blow me away continually.

So for all fathers…all parents….here’s a quote that says it all. In my mind I’m adding ‘woman’s’ to the quote because for me it’s both.

“There's something like a line of gold thread running through a man's words when he talks to his daughter, and gradually over the years it gets to be long enough for you to pick up in your hands and weave into a cloth that feels like love itself”. ~John Gregory Brown

Happy Father’s Day!

All the best..
Donna Karlin