60 years old - Surprise Party

The most important thing about turning 60 was a surprise birthday party thrown for me by Aim, Joanne, Laura, Elizabeth, Graham and more.

I was attending St. James Anglican Church after an angry young man publicly informed us in the service that only service dogs were allowed at Christ Church.  Gilbert was a service dog but not wearing his jacket.  We left and decided to check out St. James Anglican Church in the DTES.

At the door I met Father Mark Greenaway Robbins.  

“Thought Gilbert, my cockapoo,  was blessed by the Bishop,” he was not welcome at Christ Church Cathedral. “

“Would he be welcome here?”  I asked.

“He’s certainly welcome. I just don’t know about you.” Father Mark welcomed us laughing and introduced Gilbert to his dog Bear who roamed about the church.  I loved Father Mark and St. James attending for years.

I’d rent the hall for my book launch and the girls rented it for my surprise birthday party. It certainly was a surprise.  It really was truly a surprise. So wonderful to see all these people I knew so well having come out on a spring night. I felt so good feeling cared for in a special way.  It was fun too that they’d brought my guitar and had me recite poetry and then sing. Graham who’d become a dancer even brought a beautiful Russian ballroom dance teacher because he wanted everyone to see me dance. She was such a beautiful dancer it was easy to lead her.  I really enjoyed the night. I cry to think of it.  I was truly blessed and felt it. I’m often blessed but don’t acknowledge it and lack the gratitude my life deserves with so many kind and loving people.

2012

This was the diamond jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II, the 60th year of her ascension to the thrones of United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand and Canada. It was the year of the Greek debt crisis and the Eurozone bailout. Britannica Encyclopedia  according to Wickipedia quit it’s print edition after 246 years.  Vladimir Putin was elected President of Russia. China’s Shenzhou 9 spacecraft with two men and one woman docked with orbitting Tiangong-1.  The Higgs Bosun particle was discovered by CERN.Curiosity the science lab rover landed on Mars. Barack Obama was re elected President of the United States.  American singers  Etta  James,  Whitney Houston  and Donna Summer died that year along with English singer Davey Jones. Science Fiction writer Ray Bradbury died.  Actors Andy Griffith and Ernest Borgnine died. Phyllis Diller died. Neil Armstrong died. John Gordon and Shinya Yamaka were awarded the Nobel Prize for Physiology for showing mature cells can be converted to stem cells. 

New Year's Eve, 2012 - Personal Highlights and Gratitude

This is a glorified gratitude list. It will not encompass everything by any means. First and foremost I am thankful for my family. My brother and sister in law have been the greatest people in my life. I am so thankful to have spent time with father before he died and to share time with my brother's family, my nephews, Graeme, Andrew and Allan. I am thankful for all the friends I've been blessed to know. I won't name them as for sure I'd regretfully leave someone out. My 60th birthday party was a reflection of the fact that I am loved despite myself and to my own surprise. I am thankful for my wonderful staff at the time Joanne, Aim and Elizabeth and those who helped, like Laura and Graham, in making my birthday the best since my space cadet birthday my mother put on for me when I was 11 or 12 and Kirkie and Garth were my best friends and NASA was literally out of this world. I am especially thankful for my work, my patients, the other doctors involved in my patients care and all the caregivers that surround us working independently and interdependently in the front lines of health care, especially mental health care and addiction medicine. I've really enjoyed working with my fellow doctors and the staff at Doc-side. I'm so thankful for Joanne finding Hannah my new staff who replaced her. Gilbert is just thankful that all the staff love him as do the patients.
 I am thankful to have been an expert witness in the supreme court and having had the good fortune to meet mostly very fine and amazing judges as well as work with really very impressive lawyers. I am thankful for the psychologists, nurses and OT's plus all the others specialists I've been honoured to know.
I am thankful for my study of the spanish language. I'm thankful for all those who inspire me with their bilingualism and multilingualism. I loved studying medical spanish in El Salvador last year and the privilege to fly to that country and interact with the wonderful Salvadoran people in another paradise of sun and beach. I loved scuba diving jungle zip lining and bird watching. I am thankful for my trips to Ottawa this last year. I am forever thankful for IDAA and the conference this year in Orlando, the chance to see my yearly friends who we keep in contact through email with during the year but have a week of deeply spiritual time and so much laughter. I'm thankful that on my return to visit my dad in Ottawa weather delayed the plane so I had a night in New York and could visit Manhatten again and finally seen the Stonewall Pub. I loved blogging,williamhaywriter.
I am thankful for sole dinners with George and conversations of poetry and spirituality.
George has been a Godsend these last 15 years. I am thankful for dinners with John and conversations of analysis and spirituality. John has been a godsend these last 15 years.
I am so thankful for Gilbert, the cockapoo and all his friends.
I am thankful for the eventual sale of my side car motorcycle and the buying of my Mazda Miata. Laura, Gilbert and I had wonderful weekend drives down to Portland and the north coast of Washington. I am
 thankful for the S.V. Giri and the weekend trips Laura, Gilbert and I took to English Bay, Bowen Island and the wonderful long weekend at SaltSpring for the annual round up and lamb roast. That was a great event with a lot of fun getting caught up with friends. I am thankful to Lyle and the friends I meet with weekly at the Dug Out.

I am so thankful for St. James Anglican Church and Father Mark Greenaway-Robbins. Father Mark has created a marvellous church community and I'm glad to be a part of it thanks to Christ Church, my former church community, outlawing Gilbert the dog despite him being blessed by the Bishop, and a hard working therapy dog. The people of St. James have made us both welcome and that's so important.

I am thankful for the SV Giri and the Blue Water Cruising Association and friends I 've made in the boating world like Eric and James and Louis.

I am thankful for the Ford F350 Truck and Rockwood RV and the times I've enjoyed this. This year we were fortunate to have fun with the Clipper Canoe too
I'm thankful to Kirk for telling me about the leash free dog walk I found about a year after he did though I never disbelieved his story of dog Shangrila. Gilbert and I have so enjoyed this walk ever since. Kirk has been a friend since 5 and that is still amazing to me.

I am so thankful for the great hunts with Tom and Luke, despite our only killing grouse and one rabbit. Amazing all the years Tom and I've known each other sailing across an ocean, driving across Canada together and now being in a cattle round up. So much of the fun in the company and I think the killing of he old rusted farm implement with a great barrage of shots by Luke and Tom and I at many targets will remain one of the greatest target hunts in my life. We did see deer and moose but someone tipped them off about our ill intentions.
 It was great to meet Laura's cousin after years of hearing stories about her. Fun to canoe and fish too though I never caught any fish. Tom and I loved being in the cattle round up, Laura, Gilbert and I enjoyed finding another great RV park at Moonshadow in Merrit. I was thankful that Dad's death was as quick as it was though he'd had a hard winter before. I loved that I was able to spend good time with him and that we had a last visit in summer. It was good to be with my brother Ron at Dad's death and appreciate how remarkably competent he can be in very difficult times. I love my brother and sister in law so much more because of the love and care I saw them have for the old people and how much love they have for family. I am thankful for the Canadian Authors Association meetings, friends, publishing my poetry in National Voices, and for electing me a member at large to the Executive. I loved attending the Vancouver writing events and hearing friends reading.

I am thankful for my multicultural friends, especially the people of Saipan I continue in contact with, the Chomorro, Filipinos, and those here especially the East Indian and Chinese, as well as the various ethnic groups that give this country such diversity though I love more and more what I learn of the deepest contribution of my own heritage the Scottish and Irish people. I loved the THIRD DAY Concert in Langley. Third Day have been the greatest Christian rock band and I've spent years enjoying their inspirational music. Now I'm loving Serius Satellite Message programs where I hear them too. I am thankful for social media keeping me in touch not just family and friends in general but people like Wes and classmates  from Vincent Massey High School.
 I am thankful for Harrison Hot Springs and the good relaxing times I've had there. I'm grateful for all the great wild game meals I had this year, especially Laura's elk hash. I've loved the venison and elk roasts and grouse too. I loved the great uplifting plays and performances at Pacific Theatre. I loved the creativity and genius of BC Ballet. I've loved Mac and the computers and iPhone and Ipad and Nikon cameras.
 I am thankful for Seattle, Pike Market, the Alexis Hotel, the Sorrento, Trinity Episcopal Church and most recently Christmas there.
I am so thankful to be able to travel, this year to Greece, visiting the Acropolis, Knossos Crete, Delphi and the Meteora Monasteries. of

 


I am thankful to be a Canadian, a voter and contributor and a member of a political party while too many think  'criticism' is sufficient contribution. I am amazed by the leadership of all the organizations I've belonged to, the difficulty of the jobs, the sacrifice of the leaders and the great character and accomplishments of those individuals even when I disagree with them personally. Despite my own criticism I know Deifenbaker, Pearson, Troudeau, Mulroney, Martin, Campbell, Turner, Chretien and Harper are truly incredible people who have given this country so much with there hard work and genius.
I am thankful for love , relationship and Jesus, school, church, work, business, medicine, law, play and all that goes into the community and it's organizations and those who maintain them in this great garden we share as home, this universe in the multiverse.

Thanks for God even for my enemies because their deficiencies have made me realize how rich my friends are in character and love. I am thankful for their immaturity and stupidity because it really shows me how mature and intelligent my closest friends are. I struggle with Thy Will Be Done but Thy Will Be Done Lord. The more I follow you the better my life is Lord. Thank you for all the highlights of this year.

Nativity of St. John, St. James Anglican Church

I've been sick for weeks.  Dx'd skin cancer, bronchitis, pneumonia, resolving, waiting biopsy, legal threat from an pro abortion father when I supported the pro life mother condemned by the courts for the healthy child Monday morning quarterbacks always knowing better how the past should have been played. , unsuspected tax burden and failure of those who I'd loaned money to to repay their loans while continuing to party irresponsibly, and work, so much, with so little support from a government that promises but takes away.  I've been sick.  I wanted to stay in bed coughing up green phlegm, pounding headache, all joints anching.
But when patients tell me they were too sick to see a doctor or go to hospital, I confess, I consider it an oxymoron.
I'm a sinner and Kiekegaard described life as "sickness unto death'.   Being sick I needed to be in church more than in bed.  An evangelical minister friend says there should be neon signs up on churches shouting 'sinner emergency' and  'soul sick' wards manned 24 hours a day.  .
So I went.  I was glad I did.  The incense had me hacking but probably it's healing power helped get the chunks of evil out of my lungs.  I had to leave to get some cough syrup from the car before coming back to join Laura and Gilbert.  The congregation at St. James is a delight, so many loving people.  From all walks of life, all ages.  A fascinating collection of humans who I'm so thankful I'm able to be a member with.
Father Mark Greenaway-Robbins sermon was especially good. He challenged us all to think of the threats to Christianity that are present today, listing  secularism, individualism, the rise of radical Muslims, the wishy washy watered down lotus land Buddhism and more. But he said he thought the most important one was Christian Hypocricy.  He then took us through the Lord's prayer and asked us each to consider how well we were doing this week individually.  As usual I feel extreme guilt when it gets to the part of forgiving, being the most unforgiving person in the world.  I could see though that those around me were snagging on other parts of the Lord's Prayer.  Like do we really want "thy kingdom come' when it means the first shall be last etc.
So there I was arrogant about dragging myself to church only to see that my sin of pride remains strong despite my own best efforts.  Then Father Mark Greenaway-Robbins talked about authenticity and used as a very odd analogy a 'stick of rock' candy from his childhood in England.  Given the neighbourhood he had to clarify that his comparison of that rock to God was not as the neighborhood 'rock' comparison might be.  Indeed even through the discussion of hypocricy he had us all laughing though when he got into the description of this candy cane candy without the hook and how it was good through and through he had the kid in us all wanting the candy more than the analogy.  The message was made though.
It was good to laugh and we all sang hymns and joined in responsive readings.  We shared the peace and by the end of the service felt no longer alone.  Communion had brought us together again.  Gilbert even met a friend, a puppy who was new to the church but as happy to see Gilbert as Gilbert was to see him.
As a child I remembered most the martydom of St. John's, his  head on a platter  as the request of a girl..  Today his importance as the bridge between Old and New Testament was emphasized.
 I was thankful to be at St. James Anglican today. I'll start another week now working on being a good Christian and maybe even becoming more forgiving with supreme effort.  Alternatively, I'm thankful for the Grace of God which can heal even a sinner such as me.