Smiley Happy People....?

I always like to think that there are more happy, cheerful people in the world than not. Its hard to believe this when everyone you pass sneers at you or looks mad if you meet their eyes. I live in a summer village beside a lake, where you know your neighbours and you do 35 km/h down a dirt road. Meaning you have plenty of time to wave at anyone around you. I make it a practice to wave any anyone I see or pass on that road, but I have to say I get an angry look back much of the time.

Why are people always so judgemental? Is there something about me that says I'm not worthy of a smile or wave? I dunno. But it is definitely sad that I am judged by where I live or who with or whatever.

Some things that you should know in order for this post to make sense. When I was living at home, people around the lake ie. in the small community I live in now, knew me through my mother, who at the time owned the little store there. Everyone liked me because most knew I taught the local kids kung fu, I got honors and I was a college student. Aka, I was doing something with my life, I had potential, I was making the right decisions, etc. At the same time, there was one guy who had a bad reputation. He was a bachelor who lived at the lake by himself in the house that he was left by his late dad (sad story, maybe another time). He often had friends over on the weekends, and would have a fire, play horse shoes and play music. He was never irresponsible, would help his elderly neighbour, clear the driveways around him, fix his neighbours truck. But, yes, he would throw a good party once in a while. And because of this, he had a bad rep, was thought of as young, dumb, reckless, a nuisance, tsk tsk that guy is not going to go anywhere with his life.

Well, I'm engaged to this man. He has settled down, and I can say from experience that he is one of the smartest, most loyal, hardest working and kindest people I know. In his words, he didn't settle down because he didn't have a reason to. I came along, and that changed. Mind you, we still play horse shoes frequently.

Anyways, the point is that people will believe what they want no matter what they see. Since I started dating him, I have been given the image of reckless, dumb, I'm not going anywhere with my life. All because I chose to be with a guy they didn't like. And this all comes from people that do not know me or him.

Thank goodness that those who do know us know we are good people, who clear the driveways around us and help the old lady catch her cats. My man is a great man.

I guess all I really had to say was get to know someone before you judge them.

I Love Birdies

Every year around this time I am reminded of why I love nature and the country and life in general so much. Its way too easy to lose track of the world around you, to miss details and moments and such. However, this time of year always works to reground me and bring the moments I might have otherwise missed back to me.

I've been trying to spend more time at my parents house. Even though they live maybe 5 minutes away from me, its a whole different place. There are no fences because nothing needs to be kept in or out (mind you, there should be one around the garden...). There are no neighbours looking through a window at your front yard. There is hardly any traffic, millions of birds and bugs and deer. Our dogs sing along with the coyotes. That, by the way, is something to hear. When I'm there, not even the smallest detail gets by me. I get to pretend I'm a little kid and chase the dogs around the yard, then drop, right where I stand, on the grass and let them all pounce on me. I putter around the yard, throw sticks and pick up interesting objects.

My mom, dad and I spent a good 45 minutes watching birds eat the blooms off the apple tree. This was sooo not a waste of time, as many people I know would tell me. It brought me right back into the moment, and made me breathe deeper (that tree smells so good!), smile and remember how privileged I am to be able to just stop without worry.

I'd suggest finding a spot like this, by a lake or in a meadow, and just stop, listen and watch everything around you. Take note and appreciate nature and the life around you. You can borrow our lake or apple tree if you want (as pictured above). We even have a meadow up in the bush, if you don't mind a short walk.

The 178th Street Dancin' Guy

There are so many ways people in the world can make this place happier and brighter. Dancing Dan is one of those guys who has found an effective way, albeit unusual. Even people who outwardly shake their heads at his behavior should inwardly applaud him. By dancing by the street, with no reservations and not worrying what everyone else thinks, Dancing Dan is making not only himself feel good, but also others who can appreciate his dancing for what it is. Expression, and a method of creating more good feelings in the world.

I'm reminded of a video Sifu Brinker had posted, where a guy went around the world and just got people to dance. My heartstrings were a humming when I watched it. I wanted to be apart of it. And now, we have something very similar occurring on our doorsteps. We shouldn't be trying to shut him down, or fine him, or run him out of town. If we really wanted to make the most out of this life, and make an impact for the better, we should be joining him. How often do you see an individual who honestly does not care if others think he's odd? How often do you meet someone who does things just because it makes them feel better, who actually stops to do something that makes them feel better? How often do you see someone who through his actions can reach so many people, and potentially make the angry man behind the wheel relax and smile? Who knows, maybe instead of "potentially causing" accidents, Dancing Dan may be preventing them by helping put a cap on anger.

You dance, kid. You dance.

Puppy Dog Tales

Master McNeill asked us of our emotions are closer to the surface since starting the UBBT. I had to answer yes, most definitely. I had been wondering what was wrong with me over the last several months- everything gets a response from me now. Little things like dumb commercials about an old man spilling his milk nearly makes me cry.

Larger things like driving home and seeing all the stray, unfed and uncared for dogs makes me so angry, every day. On multiple occasions I have stopped to pick up a particulairly bad looking dog, and have successfully found homes for them. I know one is named after me, bringing the total up to two dogs that bear my name. After watching a car stop, drop off three young pups on the side of a highway, then speeding off, I was torn between running the car down or stopping. I stopped for the dogs, and they all have homes. My fiancee says I care more about animals than most people. I wonder why. We had a box of day old puppies (seven of them) dropped off at my moms store several years ago. The mother had been shot, punishment for getting pregnant. The pups were not moving- we thought they might already be dead. I took them to the vet, and they told me there was no way they could be saved, and were going to euthinze them. I said no, and I took them home. My mom and I hand raised them, feeding them every three hours, day and night, from a bottle. Every one of them lived. The two we kept, Diesel and Harley, grew into two of the biggest suckiest monsters I've ever seen. My own dog, Chloe, was found as a starved puppy on the side of the road. I was to take care of her until we found her owners, and needless to say the owners did not want her. So, she's mine, and I'll never give her up. Happiest dog I've ever known, and most spoiled.

The UBBT has made me even more aware of these kind of issues, from poverty to crime to puppies without a home. I now carry a container of dog food in my car. I know I cannot save every dog, but I will absolutely help those I can.

Pearls of Wisdom

Yes, I know everybody from Silent River is writing about the visit from Master Dave McNeill, and I don't plan to be too different.

The things we had the opportunity to learn we unbelievable. Things were so simple and so effective. Canes are a nasty weapon in the right hands. Heck, even in the untrained hands they can be nasty.

The information we all learned I can only describe as invaluable. I have taken shots in the kidneys before, but never so effectively and so nasty. By the way, nasty is good in this sense. Simple bits of knowledge such as poke 'em here, give a little twist here, wow. Again, invaluable. I've always told my students be sure to really listen to your instructors and people around you, you never know when a pearl of wisdom may fall out of their mouths. I was absolutely buried in pearls this weekend.

Even outside the training hall, Master McNeill is an amazing man to know. Sifu Freitag and I got the opportunity to take him out to the drop zone between seminars. Its not very often that I feel comfortable and relaxed around someone I've just recently met and whom is held in such high regard. If I didn't have an interest in skydiving, I sure do now. Sifu Freitag may find herself with a tag along in the sky.

Needless to say, this last weekend was one that I am so grateful to be apart of. Thanks to Sifu Brinker for punting my butt at the last minute.