You might be surprised to discover that I used to fear change.

I just didn’t know what to do when I was faced with change.

In fact, it was overwhelming and chaos often ensued.

 And then I bought this cute little change purse.

I tell ya, it completely changed how I manage change in my life. Now change is fun!

 Don’t fear change, embrace it. And have fun with it.

Sometimes dealing with change is just a matter of perspective.

And having the right purse.

If it’s not fun then why do it?

Anyhow……this means that I’ve been drinking coffee since 1968. I’ll leave it to you to do the math on my age….(if you pulled out an abacus to do the calculation, you’re even older than I am. If you don’t know what an abacus is and are currently conducting a Google search on your iPhone 4 you’re definitely younger than I am.)

I like my coffee. I really, really, really do.

And I like my daisies too. I really, really, really do.

So, imagine how excited I might get when you put the two together!!?

Pretty darned excited let me tell ya.

I’m hovering up here on Cloud Nine as I share with you this piece of news – the wonderful gals at My Stow-n-Tow in Ottawa are going to make a limited edition daisy Cuppa Cosy for my upcoming Following Daisies book launch parties in Ottawa and Nanaimo!(click on either city name for full event details)

Here’s what the Cuppa Cosy looks like. It’s a reversible, washable and entirely one-of-a-kind groovy sleeve for your cuppa joe!

But wait, there’s more! Check out the groovy daisy patterns that will appear on the Cosy!

Talk about a fun daisy vibe to add to your caffeine vibe!

And they’ll be available at the Following Daisies book launch parties. Hope to see you there!

Happy to be on Vancouver Island

April 24th will mark the 3 year anniversary date of the rather spontaneous sale of my house and bed and breakfast in Ottawa, Ontario which led to a few other rather large life-changing events too. At the time that I sold my house I had no idea what I was going to do next in life. In the weeks that followed I figured it out and sold off most of my worldly possessions, left behind the comfy life that I knew and hit the road in my newly-purchased RV, Miss Daisy. It’s a “mid-life adventure” that I share with you in my newly-released book, Following Daisies.

We don’t always know where life is going to lead, do we? Sometimes we change the course of our own lives and sometimes life does the changing for us. However change enters our lives, it can often be daunting to look ahead and wonder where the change is going to take us.

I remember having that feeling nearly 3 years ago when the “Sold” sign was placed on my front lawn and wondering what the heck I’d done, having sold my house without a clear idea as to what I was going to do next! I knew that I hadn’t been happy in the life that I’d been living and that things needed to change. I just didn’t know how and that was a bit scary. Thankfully, slowly, the universe began to show me the way.

Gazing into Nanaimo harbour, on Vancouver Island

What’s interesting about those moments, when we’ve stood on the precipice of change, facing the uncertainty, excitement and perhaps fear of what lay ahead, is this – when we reflect upon those very same moments at some future point in time, we often see them as some of our greatest gifts. We often look back in gratitude, thankful for the change that happened.

As I look back upon the change (s) that took place in my life, changes that led to a new and much happier life on beautiful Vancouver Island, I shake my head, smile and wonder “What the heck was I so afraid of?” and “Why didn’t I change sooner?”

But whatever. I’m just glad that I did.

As I watched yesterday’s show with the themes of forgiveness and gratitude, it is clear that Oprah has a wealth of insight, experience and life lessons to share with the world and a passionate fan base here in Canada! (hint: Hey Oprah, how about coming to Vancouver next time? *grin*)  But what strikes me even more, in addition to the lessons she teaches in her Lifeclass series, is what we can learn from the example of her own life (no pun intended on the “own” thing although it works quite well, doesn’t it!?).

Pay attention to Oprah’s own life; it’s actually the biggest lesson of all. And if we were all to follow in her footsteps, wow, what groovy lives we’d all be living and what an awesome world it would be. 

Here are Oprah’s Top 10 Life Lessons:

1. She began her life very simply, as many of us do. She didn’t come from privilege nor did she have a rosy upbringing. She faced challenges and adversity like the rest of us and learned to overcome them, with grace and positivity. If a poor, black girl from small-town Mississippi can find a way to turn her life into something powerfully magical, hey, we can do it too!

2. She’s walked the walk, asked the questions, felt the pain, met with failure, enjoyed the successes, shed the tears, did the healing, learned the lessons, she even ran a marathon and more……she kept moving forward, always knowing that there was more for her in life. And there always was.

3. She follows her path and is true to her calling and purpose in life, which is to help others live their best life.

4. She is authentic and walks her own talk, always striving to live her best life too. And she knows that she ain’t perfect either.

5. She remains true to her heart, her values and what matters most. And she lives her life from a place of passion and joy.

6. She believes in something bigger than herself. God. The Universe. A Higher Power. Whatever. She’s in tune with her own spirit and a greater Spirit power.

7. She practices gratitude. Daily.

8. Despite her success, she continues to seek personal and spiritual growth and to ask powerful questions. She does not stop seeking and growing.

9. She lives a life of service. She recognizes that a fulfilled and meaningful life is a life that helps improve the lives of others.

10.  She lives a life that’s fun, inspired and feels good.

Oprah, those are big footsteps to follow and we’ll do our best. Thank you for leading the way.

This is my dog Daisy ‘Mo, being full-tilt happy.

Photo courtesy of Kimberly Andrews of Dogs on the Run

What happy looks like

This book has been a long time in the making and I’m thrilled to be able to share it with you very soon. I also know that there are many of you who are just like me – longing to follow your heart and pursue the life of your dreams but wondering how you could possibly make that happen. I hope this book will entertain you, inspire you and nudge you to follow your  heart towards your dreams too.

If you’d like to preview chapters of the book, I’ve posted up to Chapter 16 online. You can start reading now by clicking here.

Thanks for stopping by and remember…

p.s. If you wish to receive email notifications of new posts, please enter your email address in the “Join our mailing list” tab on the right sidebar.

]]> http://www.wilddaisy.ca/en/joy/feed/ 0 http://www.wilddaisy.ca/en/following-daisies-chapter-sixteen-meeting-the-spunky-women-of-wawa/ http://www.wilddaisy.ca/en/following-daisies-chapter-sixteen-meeting-the-spunky-women-of-wawa/#comments Mon, 02 Apr 2012 02:14:52 +0000 admin http://www.wilddaisy.ca/en/?p=2504 This is the final installment of a 17 part blog series launching Following Daisies – A True Story about One Woman’s Adventures Finding Happiness, Fulfilling Dreams and Becoming Herself.  This is the last chapter of the sixty-four chapters  in the book that will be posted online. If you’ve enjoyed reading so far, you can continue by ordering your copy of Following Daisies now simply by clicking on the link on the right-hand side of this page.

If you’re looking to pursue some of your own life dreams, longing to learn how to follow your heart or just wanting a funspirational, adventure-filled read, then this book is for you.

If you are just joining us, you can catch up on reading by beginning at the Introduction and continue reading the next chapters from there.

 Now, let’s continue Following Daisies!

© Copyright by Heather Pardon, 2012. All rights reserved

If I ever have a town of my own, I’m going to erect a giant wild daisy at the city limits to welcome visitors as they arrive. Canada has no shortage of towns that host Big Monuments of all sorts in an attempt to leave their imprint on the world. From Big Nickels to Flying Saucers to Giant Moose, Canada offers it all for the tourist in search of Big Things.

Wawa, Ontario offers visitors the Big Goose, a giant goose monument that welcomes visitors on their way into town. Many folks had suggested that I make the requisite two-minute stop at the Goose, grab a coffee at the local Tim Horton’s and keep driving. Undaunted, I didn’t feel that I’d cook my goose with a longer stay in Wawa, so I daringly booked myself in for two nights at the nearby campsite.

I awoke on the first morning and cycled into Goose town on my bicycle, Miss Daisy Too. The Main Street was a typical small town, a one-stoplight affair. It was what I noticed out front of the pharmacy that told me that this was not just a small town with a big goose.

Eileen in her Shoprider

Back in Ottawa, I’d often seen folks, mainly seniors, making their way about town on four-wheeled scooters. But I’d never seen one like this before. This scooter sported a flashy blue “cab” on top, making it look like a very fun albeit very slow-moving car.

I stopped for a closer look and approached the grey-haired driver, Eileen, asking if I could take a photo.

“Sure! Why? Are you in the market for one?” she quipped. Do I look like I am?

“Hopefully not for a few years yet,” I replied. As in 30 or 40 or perhaps even 50 more years.

Eileen told me that she couldn’t go around town without getting noticed in her bright blue Shoprider. Eileen, you spunky old bird, you’re more noteworthy than the town big bird. In fact, you could likely attract even more tourists than the Big Goose so I’m not surprised. Anyways, as a Daisymobile driver, I understood what she meant. Eileen stood out in the small crowd of Wawa.

Given the choice between “the usual scooter that everyone buys” or “the drive-me-if-you-dare Shoprider,” Eileen opted to turn a few heads by not being ordinary. For her 80-plus years, Eileen was a big inspiration to anyone daring to live outside the box. Just a suggestion Wawa, but maybe it’s time to put a giant Shoprider on the edge of town too?

*

As it turned out, Wawa is home to a number of inspirational women. Large wooden doors painted and decorated with images of older women were sprinkled throughout town, lining the sidewalks and the perimeter of the tourist centre. They were part of the ‘Granny Doors’ project, a way for local family members and friends to pay tribute to the women who’d influenced their lives and the town of Wawa.

Cheers to Mary!

Each door featured a character painting and tribute to a local woman, most often created by family members. The tributes included some interesting personal history and fun tidbits such as: “Mary is well-known for her lemon cake.” Judging by the glass of wine in her hand, it seemed that Mary enjoyed more than just a piece of lemon cake.

There was a tribute to Marcia Anastasia Christoforides, also known as Lady Dunn. She was one of the largest female philanthropists in Canadian history, donating the equivalent of $300 million (in today’s value) to various charitable causes. A highly independent and intelligent woman, she was noteworthy in life for a number of reasons, including her inclination for millionaires. She married two of them in her lifetime, both of whom were more than 30 years her senior. That they both predeceased her and she ended up a multi-millionaire is just a random coincidence I’m sure.

While she didn’t marry a millionaire, Doetje Dykstra Stuiverkig or Dorothy as she was more commonly known, made her mark by being known as the ‘Granny on the Bicycle’. Dorothy was from Holland and corresponded as a pen pal with a Wawa fellow by the name of Marinus for a year and a half before they decided to take a chance on their relationship. That was back in the early 1950s, long before the Internet, good long-distance phone service, Skype, or any other modern-day advantages in courtship. She came to Canada on a ship from Holland, suffering from seasickness the entire voyage, to meet Marinus.

Dorothy took the risk to leave her familiar home, for one where she didn’t speak the language, to meet a fellow she only knew through letters. She’d even arrived in Wawa long before the Big Goose was built! Dorothy was simply willing to take a big leap and see what would happen. Dorothy and Marinus married in 1954 and happily raised four children and 10 grandchildren, with whom she shared her love of cycling. She had simply followed her heart and, as a result, the wheels of life had turned in Dorothy’s favour.

*

Wawa had much more to offer than just a big goose. Having met Eileen and read about these trail-blazing women who’d gone before me, I felt connected to a sisterhood of some sort. These women of Wawa were willing to go against the grain and take large leaps of faith. And their lives, by example, seemed to demonstrate that it was worthwhile to do so.

It was calming to meet these Wawa women as I ventured forward into much change of my own. I felt thankful to look to those who had leapt before me, for a nod of encouragement. As I waved goodbye to Wawa, I am fairly certain that I heard Eileen, Mary, Lady Dunn, Dorothy and the rest of the Wawa women say, “Go for it, Heather, you’ll be fine.” I think I also heard the Big Goose offer me a few words of advice too. “Follow your heart Heather, don’t follow my example. I’m headed south this winter.”

If you’d like to read more, simply order your copy of Following Daisies by clicking here now!

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