Blog | laura bachynski

0 Musical Memories

January 13, 2021
by Laura Bachynski
· Blog

The other day I finally got back to rehearsing my new music. I’ve been working on other artistic ventures (illustrations for a new children’s book) and/or cleaning the house from the Christmas finery removal.

I walked into the music room and took a moment to look at the pictures we have framed and up on the wall there.

I’ve been singing/performing publicly since I was a young girl but never could I have imagined that I would become a singer/songwriter. It was always my goal to be an actress(and I had many years of fun doing that work)and I did have a great time in musical theatre too. But songwriting and painting came about because of my disability and not being able to walk. What a blessing it has been!

I’ve been on three Canadian tours with my 3 albums, the last one being the most extensive with 36 concerts and playing every single province. It seems hard to believe that was already ‘way back’ in 2019..ha ha. And if Covid had started before we left for that last Tour we would probably never do it today. I have absolutely enjoyed the whole experience, seeing our beautiful country, and creating new music. And I already have another brand new album ready to hopefully record this year…if this lockdown ever ends.

I met so many great players and new friends through our shows and the best part was playing music with my talented family members. In the last photo you can see Terry’s best friend, Pete, on piano and drums, us, my sisters,Pam and Mary, on harmonies, and my brother,J.D., on lead guitar (at Pete and Denise’s house concert). Gosh, I miss them all so much.

I am always so happy when people have taken the time to let me know that the music moved them in some way. This has encouraged me to keep going as low self esteem/shyness about my talents and abilities can really make me question if this is what I’m meant to be doing. But if joy is reason enough then I must continue. I cannot stop smiling when I sing and I have found a great love for songwriting that has only increased over the years.

What are you doing to fill your days and your soul?

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0 Ordinary Miracle

January 12, 2021
by Laura Bachynski
· Blog

My bestie, Rose, sent me this Sarah McLachlan song which I have heard many times. Funny how I sometimes only really ‘hear’ a song if I can see the words.

Sarah McLachlan Lyrics

“Ordinary Miracle”

It’s not that unusual
When everything is beautiful
It’s just another
Ordinary miracle today

The sky knows when it’s time to snow
Don’t need to teach a seed to grow
It’s just another
Ordinary miracle today

Life is like a gift, they say
Wrapped up for you everyday
Open up, and find a way
To give some of your own

Isn’t it remarkable?
Like every time a raindrop falls
It’s just another
Ordinary miracle today

The birds in winter have their fling
And always make it home by spring
It’s just another
Ordinary miracle today

When you wake up everyday
Please don’t throw your dreams away
Hold them close to your heart
‘Cause we are all a part

Of the ordinary miracle

Ordinary miracle

Do you want to see a miracle

It seems so exceptional
That things work out after all
It’s just another
Ordinary miracle today

The sun comes out and shines so bright
And disappears again at night
It’s just another
Ordinary miracle today

It’s just another
Ordinary miracle today

Let’s look around our world today and see the very ordinary but very extraordinary miracles that appear around us, in us, for us…… every single day.

Ordinary Miracle by Sarah McLachlan

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6 Waiting For Mom

January 11, 2021
by Laura Bachynski
· Blog

(from…Shower Arguments)

” I used to wonder why my mom was always the last one out of the house. I thought for a while it was because she took the longest to get ready.I figured she sometimes waited until the last minute.I had the suspicion she didn’t want to go out in public without her hair done or lip liner on, even though I couldn’t imagine why a mom would care so much, really.

I only recently figured out the answer, having become a mom myself.Because while the rest of us waited outside, all bundled up in the scarves and jackets and hats she had pulled from storage, or smothered in sunscreen she had smeared on our faces while we clutched the flip-flops and swimsuits she had doled out, and rolled our eyes about how long she was taking—Mom was filling thermoses with hot chocolate,and packing picnic lunches,and making sure the bathroom light was off,and refilling the dog’s water bowl,and grabbing a spare change of clothes for us just in case,and searching through the junk drawer for a coupon,and taking a hot minute to use the bathroom by herself for a change,and yes, maybe dabbing on a bit of lipstick.

And whenever she did finally appear, pulling on her jacket as she locked the front door, she was always met with an exasperated,“Come OOOONNN, Mom!”To which she would respond by shooting daggers from her eyes.For the longest time, I didn’t get it. She had started at the same time we did!

Then I became a mom. And it finally dawned on me that my mom wasn’t the last one out because she was lazy or disorganized or slow or overly concerned about her appearance . . .It was because she took care of absolutely everyone and everything else before she took care of herself. And that’s just what moms do.”

I am feeling very nostalgic for the days of being a young mum.

I was always very energtic and worked in the theatre as an actress/dancer/singer or director (with the four little ones in tow!) for as long as I could before I just couldn’t take the arthritic hip pain anymore.

When my youngest of four children,the twins,were in grade one I finally had my first hip replacement. I was just learning how to walk again and I couldn’t break the 45 degree angle to get out of a low chair so Terry built up our lazy boy recliner so that I could easily stand right up. When the children would leave for school in the morning I would be sitting in that pink chair to wave to them my good-bye from the window (as they only had to cross the road and they were at St. Phillip’s.)

Then, I would use the crutches to get around as best as I could and water the plants or do the dishes or any other jobs I could do in that situation. I kept the house up as best as I could until about 3 pm when I would sit back down in time for the children to return home.

I remember my daughter, Lana, made me laugh so hard one day when she said, “Mummy, I’m just like you!” “Why?” I replied delightfully. “Because you just sit in that chair all day. You’re lazy. Just like ME!” Of course, that was her impression : I was there when she left for school and I was still there when she returned…ha ha ha.

As my children grew older they often had to ‘wait for mom’ . I couldn’t walk fast anymore and used a cane for years and years before my recent foot operation. But my two boys and two girls learned a lot from this experience with their pokey mum.

They learned to have empathy for those in a wheelchair (I myself was in one for seven years and many times after that period too). They learned to make their own beds and lunches and other things I might have naturally just done for them. They learned to be kind to each other and helpful to me when I couldn’t help myself (like if I dropped something out of reach) and in turn helpful to any others who might need it.

They waited for me if we went on a walk and never ever complained about it. And I still feel their love and caring when I have the pleasure of their company in my older years.

I know my own mum did everything for us when we were little. I wish I had offered to help her more when I was home. How blessed we are to have our mothers!

I think I’ll call my mum today.

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0 On The Last Day of Christmas

January 10, 2021
by Laura Bachynski
· Blog

Happy ‘Baptism of the Lord’ Sunday!

I thought I would include this funny photo of the Wisemen sneaking into mass…ha ha. Since lockdown we are back to attending mass online. I really miss morning mass. I really miss Sunday mass! But we continue to try and stay safe by following the rules.

Let’s remember to love those in our lives a little more today. It was a tough week for me in terms of being aware of eight people who died that are connected to me in some way…two of them my own friends.

So let’s connect to those we love somehow and remind them once again how important they are to us.

Love. Love. Love.

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0 Stay home

January 8, 2021
by Laura Bachynski
· Blog

What a first week of the year!

I think most of us followed the mandate to stay home this Christmas and isolate from our families(in Alberta at least) and although it was tough we got through it and are still hopeful the Covid numbers will go down.

Then we get the news that many of our Canadian politicians flew off with their families for warmer climes. “Do as I say…not as I do”….!

That big news story with its accompanying resignations and firings soon paled in comparison to the upsetting news of the many Trump followers who stormed the Capitol on the 6th of January. Death. People were killed. And so far it appears that these folks were encouraged by some cryptic ‘tweets’ from their leader.

When will we have peace? How can we find it?

Perhaps we all need to take a step back and stop looking at our own political agendas.What is the best thing to do for our countries? Our neighbourhoods? Our own homes? (Our souls?)

Is it not bad enough that we are suffering from a killing pandemic? I have had quite a few friends die this week….ironically, not of Covid. One friend’s dad, another’s daughter, a dear friend’s sister, and my own sister’s mother-in-law. My dear friend in Ontario also lost 2 friends and a brother recently. We grieve.

Compounding scary news reports to personal fears is not fun.

Let’s stay home and keep each other safe. Because now that Christmas is done the real work of Christmas begins…..

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0 Epiphany!

January 7, 2021
by Laura Bachynski
· Blog

Yesterday was the holy day of Epiphany.

Epiphany means “manifestation” or “showing forth”. It commemorates the mainfestations of the divinity of Christ ,which are sometimes called ‘Theophany’, which means the showing forth of God.(Catherine Doherty).

The 3 Wise Men are also known as ‘The Magi” and these three men followed a star to a place called Bethlehem. They were kings and they came with gifts for our Lord. But God gave US the greatest gift of all in his son, Jesus. And I worship and thank him.

We also celebrate miracles or manifistations this day …like Christ’s baptism and his miracle at Cana where he turned water into wine. Jesus revealed himself to the whole world on Epiphany.

Above I have included a link to one of my new songs called “Epiphany” . “Maybe someday, you’ll be the star, bringing the others to light!” I got the idea for this song after I heard a wonderful sermon by our friend, Fr. Paul, at Madonna House here in Edmonton. Madonna House was inspired by the teachings of the wonderful Catherine Doherty. She writes ….

” If we go out and follow the star, we ourselves will become a star. And others will follow us to that Immense Star that is Christ. The Star is fire and flame and beauty. It is love and faith and hope. And we can ignite ourselves from Him. The composition fo the Star is what we want to become; we want to be like Christ.”

I hope we all have ‘an epiphany’ this new year : that we are not alone and we too can become the star and bring others joy and love.

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2 The Balance Sheet of Life

January 6, 2021
by Laura Bachynski
· Blog

I’ve been thinking about what an incredible gift it is to be alive.

Our bodies are such intricate creations that if just one tiny cell is off in some way we can be out of whack and possibly even ill. The master Creator has given us these bodies and also given us free will!

We can worry or we can trust. We can gossip or we can spread goodness. We can frown or allow our faces to do one simple act of kindness….our smile! This in turn might cause another to smile. We are actually quite powerful.

Anger can be our primary response to life or we could communicate through prayer or with encouragement.

I love the last part of the ‘balance sheet’ the most :

Life ends when we stop dreaming. Hope ends when we stop believing. Love ends when we stop caring. And friendship ends when we stop sharing.

So I share this sweet reminder with you today. Let’s recheck our ‘balance sheets’ and make sure that no matter what 2021 throws at us we will use our bodies for good!

Happy Epiphany!

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2 Books 2020

January 5, 2021
by Laura Bachynski
· Blog

These are some of the books I had the pleasure of reading last year…..you might like to check them out as well!

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0 Winter Walk 2021

January 4, 2021
by Laura Bachynski
· Blog

My pool is closed. Not the big, public pool (which was closed down long ago)but my friend’s condo pool that she shared with me. So now I have to find a plan B to stay healthy.

I decided to get outside on the(hopefully) cleared sidewalks and try another winter walk as the sun was smiling and the breezes whispered,”Come out to play”.

And the sidewalks were fairly dry but every road junction was extremely icy. I don’t think it is wise for me to walk in my snowy neighbourhood right now but I took my time and many lovely things caught my eye.

We still have the paintings from the young Glenora School children encircling the school on the wire fence. These are such a pop of bright colour against the tarnished snow and they bring everyone joy who has the good fortune to walk or drive by.

Mountain Ash berries hang on for dear life like the Christmas lights that hug the trees and bushes. Footprints tell the stories of the many walkers and their dogs who get out daily for their fresh air exercize.

I passed so many pretty porches adorned with fresh pine boughs,scarlet Adirondack chairs or jolly, plump wreaths.

The sun was low and the shadows were long. If one walks in the River Valley you can find incredible Inuksuks that someone sculpted for our pleasure.

There is so much grace to be found in the winter. This is my first winter that I’ll be home for the entire six months or so of it. It’s not my favourite season. But if you bundle up, and are able to look around (without slipping) there is a loveliness in every alley, beauty in every wrinkled berry, and a quiet allure in this waiting time.

And after a nice walk it feels so good to make a hot cup of tea and get back to that great book!

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0 To Be Happy

January 3, 2021
by Laura Bachynski
· Blog

What a speech Pope Francis gave in yesterday’s homily!

“You can have flaws, be anxious, and even be angry, but do not forget that your life is the greatest enterprise in the world.

Only you can stop it from going bust. Many appreciate you, admire you and love you. Remember that to be happy is not to have a sky without a storm, a road without accidents, work without fatigue, relationships without disappointments. To be happy is to find strength in forgiveness, hope in battles, security in the stage of fear, love in discord. It is not only to enjoy the smile, but also to reflect on the sadness. It is not only to celebrate the successes, but to learn lessons from the failures. It is not only to feel happy with the applause, but to be happy in anonymity.

Being happy is not a fatality of destiny, but an achievement for those who can travel within themselves. To be happy is to stop feeling like a victim and become your destiny’s author. It is to cross deserts, yet to be able to find an oasis in the depths of our soul. It is to thank God for every morning, for the miracle of life. Being happy is not being afraid of your own feelings. It’s to be able to talk about you. It is having the courage to hear a “no”. It is confidence in the face of criticism, even when unjustified.

It is to kiss your children, pamper your parents, to live poetic moments with friends, even when they hurt us. To be happy is to let live the creature that lives in each of us, free, joyful and simple. It is to have maturity to be able to say: “I made mistakes”. It is to have the courage to say “I am sorry”. It is to have the sensitivity to say, “I need you”. It is to have the ability to say “I love you”.

May your life become a garden of opportunities for happiness … That in spring may it be a lover of joy. In winter a lover of wisdom. And when you make a mistake, start all over again. For only then will you be in love with life. You will find that to be happy is not to have a perfect life. But use the tears to irrigate tolerance. Use your losses to train patience. Use your mistakes to sculptor serenity. Use pain to plaster pleasure. Use obstacles to open windows of intelligence. Never give up …. Never give up on people who love you. Never give up on happiness, for life is an incredible show.”

(Pope Francis). Happy new year!

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