Summer + the Westcoast

In the four months since I'd been, the ferns became lush and took on a bright green glow, the large maple leaves danced in the dappled light, fighting for the rays beaming through boughs of the old growth cedars. Previously dormant, life now vibrated through every pore of the forest. By the ocean, the brown grasses were replaced with swaying stems, long and green and eager. Hiding in and around were wild flowers, vibrant and elegant, yet hardy to the core. And when the sun was setting in just the right spot, all came aglow, as if in thanks for this new life bestowed upon it. Such beauty in simplicity.

 

Frozen Ocean

My last day in Ucluelet. Although I rarely find myself far from the ocean, I have never, absolutely ever, seen the ocean freeze. Okay, so the whole ocean didn't freeze, but the tidal pools, kelp, algae, shells, sand and everything else on the ocean shore was frozen! It was one of the most beautiful sights I've yet to see.

 

 

Resolutions, Dreams and Goals

I haven’t made a resolution in quite some time. For me, it seems like the opportunity for let-downs. So instead, I use this new start to make goals. Or perhaps it’s moreso about voicing my dreams and figuring out how to make them reality. By acknowledging my dreams, I am validating them, giving them a voice, making them a priority. Personal goals, work goals, relationship goals, life dreams… And I’ll tell anyone who wants to listen, that way it holds me to them!
I learned something about my father recently. Since a young boy, he has wanted to go and see the gorillas in Africa. This shocked me to pieces. Not the idea of flying across the world and trekking through the jungle to sit with some primates, but moreso that I only just learned of this! We are a close family, so to learn of this only now, a lifelong dream of my father’s, was a bit of a shock. So for those of you that haven’t already, tell someone your dream(s), and perhaps it will become more than just that. It will be realized.
I have had the pleasure of spending the last week in Ucluelet. For the last 6 days I have woken to crashing waves outside my window. Each morning has been so very different. Stormy seas to calm waters to sunny skies to dark and snowy. But unlike in the city, it doesn’t really matter. I don’t have to go anywhere or do anything. As long as there is enough food and drink (ie. Chocolate and wine), the weather is merely a backdrop for my holiday of relaxation.
I used to spend summers camping in Tofino with my family, so coming back over the years has been a wonderful experience. Walking the same beaches, feeling the same anticipation as I walk the path or turn the corner to a favorite spot… and yet it is different. The difference is me. The years between Tofino and I are many. The places, the people, the pain and the pleasure. All has made me appreciate this incredible area even more. I look forward to sharing this with my children as my family did with me years ago. What a gift to pass on.