Green is the Beautiful Colour

A few hours ago, the Saskatchewan Roughriders won the 2013 CFL Grey Cup.  A lot has already been reported.  A lot will continue to be said and written about. We will likely talk about this particular Grey Cup for years, even decades, because it was truly an historic once in a lifetime win. 

Rider fans have popular claim that they are the hardest-core fans in the country - nay, the world, and
you would think the story would be narrowed to Saskatchewan residents but it is not.  You will find Roughrider fans everywhere, whether they are people who were born here or once lived here, or who have some other connection to the province.  To be part of this social phenomena is nothing short of remarkable and tonight I am left again amazed at how much power sport has to bring us together and make us feel like we are members of a positive and hopeful force, and despite our differences, meaningfully engaged in our community.  And in a world where we really need each other, that is a beautiful thing.

It is also just very cool to live in a place where we make helmets out of watermelons, cowboy hats from beer boxes, and have a gopher - an actual rodent - for a mascot. 

wishing you beautiful Rider pride,
hk

Snowflake Surprise

It is -29 with the windchill in Saskatoon today and our city is covered with a fresh blanket of fluffy white snow.  It is no secret that I am generally not a big fan of cold and snow.  It is often, or to be completely truthful, it is almost always a complication, a barrier, and a frustration for wheelchair users.

Except.

However.

I just came across these images by Russian photographer, Alexey Kljatov, (ChaoticMind75) that, although do not make my issues with snow any better, certainly do make me see it a little differently.  His photos of snowflakes are so beautiful you will probably never look at snow the same way again. This was the last place I expected to find any beauty today. What a fantastic surprise! 

For the full story on how he made these photos using the most humble of equipment, and to see more breathtaking photogaphs, please visit his Flickr page or:
http://500px.com/chaoticmind75
http://www.steves-digicams.com/news/must_see_photos_macro_snowflakes_by_alexey_kljatov.html
http://twistedsifter.com/2013/11/macro-close-ups-of-snowflakes-alexey-kljatov/


wishing that you too experience a beautiful surprise today,
hk

Be Yourself

You know who they are.  Those impossibly gorgeous, popular, ever-cheerful girls you went to high school with.  I ran into one of these girls - now all grown up of course with teenagers of her own - the other day.  She's still stunning.  She is still sparkly and enviable.  And she still has that same lovely personality.

For some of us, 25 years does not mean anything.  We are still about two emotional steps away from our high school days.  That's because they are formative years.  I am always surprised at how often teenage experiences, like first love, are dismissed by adults, as though they were not real or important.  I believe the opposite, that the growth, identity development, social dynamics, love and heartbreak experiences are all deeply significant.  And yes, an adult life is rife with conflict, problems, stress, intensity, and depth that most teenagers have not even imagined yet, however, the things that we experienced as adolescents still significantly mark us. 

If only we could have known then what we know now.  I wish I had known that all of the young women I went to school with were sparkly and beautiful and had gifts.  If only I had known that none of them, including me, had anything to apologize for, or be ashamed of.  I wish I had known that being yourself was all that really and truly mattered.  That it still is. And that there is less that separates us from the impossibly gorgeous girls that you went to high school with than you thought. 

wishing you a day where you can beautifully be yourself and know that is enough,
hk

Help and Friendship

It has been a difficult few days. 

The loss of a beloved friend. 3 different doctor's appointments.  Snow.  And some things other wheelchair users understand: a burn on my leg from (stupidly) handling a pot of boiling water, a chunk of my thumb that, having been caught on a sharp piece of my new backrest, was left on the track floor from when I went wheeling last week, swollen feet from too much sitting, and spasms keeping me awake at night.  And worst: people with misguided attitudes about disability, competence, and help. 

For example, as I waited for the doctor on one of the said appointments, a nurse approached me with apologies for the long wait.  I said I was fine.  "But," she insisted, "I saw you crying."  I explained I just checked my email and learned that a friend of mine had passed.

"Oh dear, I'm sorry," she said. "Was she someone who helped you with your chores?"

My first thought was, no, that's what my children are for, but then I saw she wasn't joking.  Why would she assume I needed help with my chores, and even if I did, why would that be her first question? Did she think someone would only be my friend because he or she provided help with my chores? I could write a lot about this, but all I will say is: I don't need a lot of help doing chores and when I do, and I ask for that help, I think it demonstrates strength, not weakness.  This is true for ALL of us, not just people with disabilities.  I believe we are an interdependent species. I think my friend believed that too. 

I wanted to say that she helped me all right, because she was the kind of person who had faith in me and who showed up in various ways over and over again to encourage me.  She was one of the very first women I ever knew who called herself a feminist, who helped me secure 2 scholarships so I could get an education, who stood up for what she believed in even when, and especially when, it wasn't popular.  She was a fiercely proud Canadian who took her citizenship so seriously that she once told me she always voted at advanced polls just in case she died before election day because even if she was dead she wanted her vote to count.  Yes, she was a nut.  She was beautiful and strong and smart and mighty, and I am better for having known her.  So I answered, "Oh, she helped me plenty, but not in the ways you are thinking of."
 
Wishing you a day to remember the beautiful ways your friends help you,
hk

Cooking and Writing - It's All The Same

Canadian Chef Michael Smith spoke at Saskatoon's Word on the Street Literary Festival this fall.  He spoke passionately about food, about real, beautiful, home-cooked food made with creativity, fun, and love.  When I lined up to meet him and ask if he would sign my cookbook, I told him how I really heard his message because I seem to be cooking ALL the time - for my family, my family's friends, the neighbours, for whomever pops by.  I am happy doing this, but I also told him that as a writer, I am afraid that the cooking is interfering with my writing. 

This seemed to resonate with him.  Now, Michael Smith is a very tall man.  Sitting in my wheelchair, I am a very short woman.  However, he squatted lower and leaned in to look me square in the face and he told me clearly that it is - the cooking and the writing - all the same thing.  It is all creativity.  He told me he thinks I am likely a better writer because of how I cook and vice versa.  One feeds the other. I left energized, validated in my life choices.  Today, I was reminded as to why I think he is right.

My energy was low today.  I was not feeling the spark of anything creative.  It is cold outside and I would like to get under the covers and sleep.  I tried not to worry about it; low energy days happen. However, as my husband and daughter layered up and headed out to go sledding at the park, I thought that on a day as cold as this it would be nice for them to come home to hot chocolate.  I did not have any pre-packaged mix anywhere, so I thought I would make something up.  Chef Smith would want me to improvise, be creative I told myself.  I've made hot chocolate from scratch before but it has been a long time.  What emerged is beautiful, the best I have tasted in probably, well, ever.  And I want to share this joy with you.

Warm about 3 cups of milk in a saucepan.  Add 4 and a half ounces of chopped unsweetened chocolate, about 2/3 cup of sugar, and approximately 1/3 of semisweet chocolate chips.  Whisk until blended.  Add a healthy glug of vanilla extract and a teaspoon of cinnamon.  And oh yes, I added the leftover coffee from the french press we made this morning.  You can use whatever combination of ingredients you choose.  Improvise.  Be creative. Drink heartily. Share with others. 

Thanks for helping me find my spark today, Chef Smith. You are right.  It is all the same thing.

wishing you the spark of something beautiful,
hk

Superman!

It is a full 5 days since Halloween but since most of us still have leftover candy, a few of us still have pumpkins around, and a couple of us have not gotten around to putting the costumes into storage, I can still feel okay about posting a beautiful Halloween story.

Actually, it is not even a Halloween story.  It is a story about having a kid with a disability and choosing to see the possibilities, at least for a day.

A friend of mine in new Brunswick shared a photo of the costume her friend made for his son who uses a wheelchair.  It was so clever I did not even see his wheelchair at first glance.  I asked this dad's permission to post it here, but since then the photo was also published in the Huffington Post.  You simply must check it out, but prepare to have your mind blown:  http://instagram.com/p/gJYHpugHOH/#

And the Huffington Post article can be found here: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/11/02/awesome-people-who-used-their-challenges-to-make-amazing-halloween-costumes_n_4192493.html

wishing you a day full of beautiful possibilities,
hk

Beautiful Snow

“The snow was endless, a heavy blanket on the outdoors; it had a way about it. A beauty. But I knew that, like many things, beauty could be deceiving.”
― Cambria Hebert, Whiteout 

It's officially the worst day of the year for Saskatchewan wheelchair users.  The snow, deep and white, has arrived. 

The snow brings a layer of complication to the lives of those of us with mobility disabilities that can not be denied.  Overnight, life has just become much more difficult in many ways, from wheeling our chairs to transportation to and from the places we need to go to staying warm because of limited blood circulation. We lose a little mobility because of the snow, and with that, a chunk of freedom.

Oh yes, when I really try, I can see the beauty in it.  Snow is fresh and clean.  It blankets the ground; it makes the trees glisten. It sings of rosy cheeks, approaching holidays, and of fun games and sports played outside.  Snow brings out the desire for steamy hot beverages, warm cozy blankets, woolen mittens, and hearty meals served out of a big pot.  This snow reminds me of something I have often said, "Anybody can have a good day when things are going well.  It is another thing altogether to have a good day when things are not going well." 

wishing you a good and beautiful day,
hk

Beautiful Help-Portrait

“It’s one thing to make a picture of what a person looks like, it’s another thing to make a portrait of who they are.” – Paul Caponigro, photographer, visual artist

It has been said that a great photograph is not taken, it is made.  Help-Portrait is a community of photographers around the world who make portraits of people who would otherwise not be able to afford it.  

Founded by Celebrity Photographer Jeremy Cowart, Help-Portrait takes portraits of people who can not afford to have their photograph professionally taken - photos of them by themselves or with loved ones (pets included, of course).  The photos are then given to the recipient.   Homeless people, the elderly, single parents, kids without parents, and families who are struggling to put food on the table and whose last priority on a tight budget is to have a picture taken are examples of those that Help-Portrait work with, and the result is often joy, tears, and deep-felt validation. After all, a beautiful, professionally taken picture that captures who you are is an affirmation of a person's intrinsic value as a human being.  This is something everyone should have the chance to experience. Help-Portrait epitomizes what I try to capture in this blog - they are finding the beauty in people who don't often (or ever) have their beauty recognized. 

This year in Saskatoon, a Help-Portrait event will be held on November 30 at the Canadian Paraplegic Association and December 7 at the White Buffalo Youth Lodge.

 

Their video can be seen here (watch it with a tissue!):  http://youtu.be/v5ZFBqgPe_I or by searching “Help-Portrait Saskatoon” on youtube.com. You can also keep up with them on www.facebook.com/pages/Help-Portrait-Saskatoon.  Their main webpage is: http://help-portrait.com/

Help-Portrait Saskatoon is still looking for donations and volunteers.  Money donated will go towards covering the cost of make-up supplies, printing supplies, equipment rental or to purchase and food for those in attendance. 

 

If you have further questions or would like to donate your time or money, please contact Jay at: jayscottphotography@gmail.com or Bruce at b.johnson@sasktel.net.

wishing you the beauty of seeing who you truly are,
hk