Tag: family

All I Want for Christmas is You

~ Loreeebee ~ Leave a comment

This probably sounds sappy, but all I want for Christmas is to spend more time with my family.  Two of my sons have grown up and moved out, now raising families of their own.  My three grandchildren are growing like weeds.  My third son is not far off from leaving the nest, soon to graduate from university.  It is understandable that having everyone all together does not happen nearly as often as I would like.

I understand how busy they all are and how there never seems to be enough hours in a day to get everything done.  I remember those hectic days when my boys were young.  Sometimes it feels like just yesterday, although the calendar says otherwise. 

As much as I am proud of my sons and their achievements,  I miss their presence in my daily life.  So, when they ask me what I would like for Christmas, I tell them…

All I Want for Christmas is You!

Flu Bug and Bonding

~ Loreeebee ~ 1 Comment

What do bonding and the flu bug have in common?  Not much, except when you and your family members spend 24 hours looking after each other.

My son started feeling the flu bug symptoms first in this household.  Around 9 pm he complained that his stomach felt bad after an evening snack.  He started vomiting violently shortly after.

I had gone for our usual one-hour walk with my husband, but halfway through could not muster the energy to complete the usual trek.  I guess my body’s energy level was being used up trying to fight off the flu bug.

Although I did not understand why I was so tired at the time, it quickly became apparent on our return home.  If my other son, his girlfriend, and her 3-year-old daughter had not been sick with the flu the previous week, I would have attributed our illness to the salmon the members of our household ate for dinner a few hours earlier.

I went to bed exhausted around 1130 pm, and soon after the vomiting started.  My husband started vomiting around 2am.  Luckily we have enough bathrooms to accommodate three sick people at the same time; it was not a pretty site.

A kind neighbour brought (left it on the doorstep and rang the bell) over Pedialite freezies, Gatorade, and ginger ale to keep us hydrated throughout the 24-hour ordeal.

I posted a similar story a few years ago.  When I worked in the healthcare industry, the flu shot was mandatory each year.  The occupational health nurse went around the hospital I worked in, inoculating members of each department.  It was quick and convenient.  Since retiring, I see the advertisements for free flu shots at local drug stores here in Ottawa each fall but never seem to find the time to stop in to get one.

After this ordeal, I will make sure I get my flu shot next year!

Great Eulogy: Inspirational and Motivational

~ Loreeebee ~ 4 Comments

I recently listened to a great eulogy for a man I hardly knew and came away inspired and motivated to be a better person.  I was attending the funeral for the father of my husband’s close friend.  I had only met this man a few times, but his life story, or at least the manner in which people close to him recounted it, had a tremendous impact on me. There is something about a funeral or celebration of life that always stirs up my thoughts.

There is nothing more uplifting than a great eulogy.  They make you want to make your own life count for something in this universe, to make a positive and profound impact on the people around you. Talk about inspirational and motivational!

To make that impact I believe you should maintain a healthy balance between family, work, and fun.  To earn the respect of your family, friends, and coworkers, you must respect and value them in return.  It is also crucial to realize what is important in life.  Appreciating and cherishing family, friends and the small things life has to offer instead of materialistic things is a step in the right direction.

Are you doing your best to make the world a better place?  How will people remember you when you leave this world? Will yours be a great eulogy? Will it inspire and motivate the people gathered to hear it?