Special offer

Swans, Pioneer Cemetaries and Things Offered Up to Soothe Our Tired Souls.

By
Industry Observer

There are no accidents. These words, which I've recently come across again in a book my brother gave me a few days ago, have found a secret lodging place in a remote corner of my labyrinthian brain. There are no accidents.

I believe this. I have a friend who believes in 'co-incidences'. I have another friend who believes, as I do, that there are no co-inicidences. It's not a question I've thoughtSwans~Lake Ontario to ask people often, however I've now decided it may be a determining factor when trying to understand someone better.

The past few weeks have been a kaleidoscope of ever changing beautiful hues in the form of things that have struck me as beautiful, mysterious and unpredictable, and yet, each day has flowed so easily into the next that I no longer question or am surprised at the things that are shown to me in this part of my life's journey.

Life is about observances. Life is about lessons.
Or perhaps, life is not about learning new lessons at all.

Perhaps it's more about remembering ancient lessons that were instilled in the very centres of our being a very long time ago, before time was even considered to be a dimension.

I'm often amazed, in the quiet way of a traveller through time, at the way the world of man and nature juxtapose here on planet earth. Nature adapts. Mankind adapts.

Lately I've noticed this with swans.... and with cemetaries. One has adapted to the world of mankind. The other has adapted itself into the world of nature. Which became more beautiful and which lost something of it's beauty in the process?

Recently I listed an enchanting 4-season cottage on the shores of a glassy, pristine northern lake. The area is still vast and forested. Loons still call across the surface of the water in the early evening light and the pace of life hasn't changed much there in over 150 years.

Cottage RoadAs I drove down the long, shaded road that left the cottage, I was reminded of the familiar blue historical plaque sign I had passed many times on my journeys here. This time, I decided to myself, I will turn off that beaten track and do some exploring, rather than returning directly back to more familiar territory.

In my experience, explorations often lead to unexpected places of quiet beauty and a deeper appreciation for a favourite quote of mine by Robert Louis Stevenson, "The world is so full of a number of things, I'm sure we should all be as happy as kings.'

In moments of quiet joy, as a child, I remember reciting those words over and over in my mind as I marvelled in amazement at the variety of creatures and colours that surrounded me while I explored swamps and small forest ponds.

As an adult, those times of quiet joy have seemed at times harder to come by; not because the things that bring them are no longer there, moreso because the years of living can cause us to lose our childlike innocence and open-ness in an effort at self-protection.

The walls we build around ourselves may serve us well at keeping harmful things at bay, however, in the inherent nature of walls, they also tend to block our view of the mysterious and the beautiful. Those things  offered up to sooth our tired souls, by a universe that wants nothing more than to love us.

Remembering ourselves from long ago, from days when the world all seemed new and mysterious and wondrous to our tiny senses, brings back that innocence and we begin once more to see that the world never stopped being new and mysterious and wondrous; it was we who changed.

Driving along this ancient, back-country road, I remembered to re-open those senses and take in all that was appearing around me.

~to be continued.

Posted by


There You ARE!  I've Been Waiting For You!!!
Let's Get to Know One-Another:

Comments (24)

Laura Cerrano
Feng Shui Manhattan Long Island - Locust Valley, NY
Certified Feng Shui Expert, Speaker & Researcher

Jo, I have always not believed in accidents....or coincidences.  Everything happens for a reason and we always meet the people we are supposed to meet.  I miss my child sometines and then it appears again.  And it's wonderful when it comes out to play :)

Jul 12, 2008 04:41 PM
Joan Mirantz
Homequest Real Estate - Concord, NH
Realtor, GRI, CBR, SRES - Concord New Hampshire

the world never stopped being new and mysterious and wondrous; it was we who changed.

Unfortunately the the "appreciation" usually only happens when one has a traumatic event. Then...for a while..you feel every breeze,hear every bird and sense the flowers growing! But it doesn't last.

I'll look forward to experiencing your discoveries with you!

 

Jul 12, 2008 05:19 PM
Jo-Anne Smith
Oakville, ON

Thanks Cynthia!
Yes, if only we could keep our 'child eyes' forever... responsibility seems to be at opposition to carefree innocence and perhaps this is why we don't seem to be able to?

Jo

Jul 12, 2008 11:23 PM
Jo-Anne Smith
Oakville, ON

Norma,
Thank you kindly for your words of appreciation and for dropping by!
Jo

Jul 12, 2008 11:28 PM
Jo-Anne Smith
Oakville, ON

Kat,
I'm with you in that regard...sometimes the roads we choose lead to painful lessons learned, however it may be that we chose that road in order to learn the lesson. I'm not too sure about all of this though....it's something I often ponder over.

Jo

Jul 12, 2008 11:38 PM
Kat DeLong
Realty ONE Group Mountain Desert - Prescott, AZ
REALTOR

Jo: I agree with you, also. And sometimes we desperately need to learn lessons... Wonderful, thought-provoking post.

 

Jul 13, 2008 01:19 AM
Jo-Anne Smith
Oakville, ON

Hi Trace!
It's nice to see you. Are you enjoying your summer?  I took the picture of the swans when I was in the Port Credit area this past week. The lake is Lake Ontario.
The road is a cottage road that leads in to a beautiful cottage I recently listed. There is so much enchantment surrounding us when we really stop to take a look.....

Jo

Jul 13, 2008 05:52 AM
Jo-Anne Smith
Oakville, ON

Hi Carole,
You and I are very similar in our beliefs in this regard....in fact you are the friend I was talking about in the above post!
I too believe that we meet the people we are meant to meet....

Jo

Jul 13, 2008 05:54 AM
Jo-Anne Smith
Oakville, ON

Joan,
You're so wise and so right....I've never thought of that before, however now that you've written it out, I can see that you're absolutely right. I guess we become complacent and begin to take things for granted again and don't see what we should be seeing until something else jarrs us awake.

Jo

Jul 13, 2008 05:57 AM
Jo-Anne Smith
Oakville, ON

Kat,
The lessons we learn seem to bring us greater wisdom...and greater tolerance. This is what I've noticed in people. They become more easy going and appreciative of the little things as time goes on.

Jo

Jul 13, 2008 06:00 AM
Birmingham Alabama Real Estate, Stephen Wolfe
LivingInBirmingham.com - Birmingham, AL

Jo-Anne, only you could take a trip down a foreign road and make it something that is life giving and positive. How true it is though that the things we see when we really open our eyes and things that can be amazing and inspirational. It took becoming a parent to show me this on another level. I am sure that something else will happen to take me up again.

Jul 14, 2008 06:16 AM
Trace Galle
Designs by Trace - Kelowna, BC

Hi Jo,

Thanks and nice to see you too! So far so good!! We are heading out to Lake of the Woods at the end of the month and then down to the States for a for a bit. I am looking forward to that. My golf game well what can I say about that some days it works and others well........I guess that's well I keep coming back I'm a sucker for punishment!! teeheee! And you summer keeping you busy? Have you firmed up your plans for your big adventure?

I bet you enjoy the drive down that road to show the cottage. You are so right there is so much beauty around us if we took the time to pay attention. I love driving out in the country you find so many neat little places. You really do live in a beautiful area Jo.

Jul 14, 2008 07:27 AM
Jo-Anne Smith
Oakville, ON

Thank you Stephen!
You're so kind and thoughtful and you say such nice things. Becoming a parent certainly makes you look at life in a different way...suddenly you view things through your child's eyes and want to show them so much of the beauty that surrounds us.
Just like falling in love and so many other wonderful things in life....
Jo

Jul 14, 2008 12:02 PM
Jo-Anne Smith
Oakville, ON

Hi Trace,
It sounds like you're having a wonderful summer. I've never been to Lake of the Woods, although always wanted to visit there.
I'll likely end up flying out to Kelowna in September. I really can't take more than a week away right now and driving would really cut into my visiting time. David, my oldest son, says that it's best to come in September as the temperature is more comfortable then and you can be out and about enjoying things more.

Maybe some day you'll visit here and see some of the beauty in this area...if you do, be sure and let me know so we can get together!

((-:
Jo

Jul 14, 2008 12:06 PM
Brian Schulman
Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage, Lancaster PA - Lancaster, PA
Lancaster County PA RealEstate Expert 717-951-5552

Hi Jo,

I'm not sure about coincidences.  There is a Chinese saying, "When the student is ready, the teacher will appear."  Another variation of this is the definition of luck:  "Luck is when preparation meets opportunity."    In other words, it you have the right frame of mind, opportunities are recognized when you come across them.

We build walls around ourselves in relationships, too.  If we over-protect ourselves from being hurt, we may also lose opportunities to love and be loved.

Brian

Jul 14, 2008 02:59 PM
Jo-Anne Smith
Oakville, ON

Brian,
You're a very wise man and I always enjoy your comments...very much. This one was no exception and it caused me to ponder more about coincidences and love.
Life is about taking risks...albeit, hopefully they are somewhat calculated risks, however risks never the less. Otherwise one is only existing.
I agree with you completely on all counts.

Jo

Jul 14, 2008 10:14 PM
Trace Galle
Designs by Trace - Kelowna, BC

Hi Jo,

Lake of the Woods is very beautiful but in a rugged sort of way and oh so peaceful. I think you would really enjoy it there.

I think flying would be a better idea if you only have a week as I would be at least a 4 day drive from Toronto to Kelowna and you are further East than that. Also that way you don't have to worry about a thing other than being at the airport on time. teehee! I am not sure when we will be back out East but I do know that we will be back in Kelowna (sooner than later in hope!!) and with you having your sons out there I think we will have a greater chance of meeting there. We could meet at Quail's Gate for lunch, now there's a splendid idea.....

Jul 17, 2008 03:10 AM
Jo-Anne Smith
Oakville, ON

Trace,
That does sound like a splendid idea.....when do you think you'll be in the Kelowna area? I'm thinking of visiting there sometime in September.

Jo

Jul 19, 2008 10:25 AM
Trace Galle
Designs by Trace - Kelowna, BC

Hi Jo,

I don't know when we will be back as our house it rented out, for sure until Oct 1 as they signed a 1 yr lease. Then they will go month to month. But I thought with your boys living there you will be out for a visit from time to time and we will eventually be back living there that at some point and we will be there at the same time so we will be able to meet!!

Jul 21, 2008 02:33 AM
Jo-Anne Smith
Oakville, ON

Hi Trace,
Hopefully we will connect sooner than later; perhaps you'll come for a visit to Ontario sometime. I remember you saying how much you would love to move back to Kelowna....I hope it all pans out for you in that direction within the next few years.

((-:
Jo

Jul 22, 2008 05:28 AM