At this time one week ago, I had yet to get the phone call with the very sad news. I had gone out for a short run on the Friday morning and had made a little detour to a ‘memorial’ bench for a little reflection, a little introspection. As the blog post noted that day, it was all about looking ahead and appreciating life.
We quickly found out that life can change in an instant – heartache, tears, and the realization that tomorrow is not just another day.
So, today, I purposely stopped at the bench again while out for a run. The sun is shining so brightly this morning and the air temperature is perfect for being outdoors. Once again, it was just the bench, the trees…and my thoughts.
In my hand, I was holding a memento I had pulled from a box just before leaving the house. Janice would have had the same one – an Ironman Canada Finisher’s medal from 2007 – her last Ironman, the one that we had all (and maybe 1,000 or so of our closest friends!) camped out in line to register for a year earlier…and one that would have spurred her on to tackling it again, for the fourth time, in 2009. Yes, whoever coined the ‘Iron Mama’ reference, it’s perfect!
Despite the fact that Penticton will be bustling with athletes, spectators, and locals in August…the quotation by Lamartine becomes more meaningful: “Sometimes, when one person is missing, the whole world seems depopulated.”
One thing I know, Penticton is full of benches – perfectly-placed benches situated along the lake - beckoning us to spend a few moments to sit, reflect…and celebrate the life of the one that is missing. I may just bring an Obus Forme and hang out awhile.
1 comment:
Tammy, I love your blog and all the thoughts you share with us.
I too have that medal and have pulled it out and thought of that camp out with Susan, you, Cam and Dan. Although camping out was not necessary...it made the sign up experience that much more memorable! The best part of the whole experience was when the sprinkler system turned on at 4 am and we had a spray of water through our tent as we did not have the fly on! What a rude awakening! But the hustle and bustle of all perspective 2007Ironman participants was wild! We did manage to re-align ourselves on the sidewalk in the order we were camped once the chaos settled...only in Canada would we worry about that!
The looks and comments Janice got a few hours later when she showed up in her very pregnant state to join the line was very entertaining as well! She will be dearly missed...and I too may find a bench to sit and reflect this August!!
Janet
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