laura bachynski

0 Tracking The Beauty

March 26, 2020
by Laura Bachynski
· Blog

TRACKS. WOULD I HAVE SEEN THESE A FEW WEEKS AGO?

WOULD I HAVE EVEN TAKEN THE TIME TO LOOK DOWN …LET ALONE TO GO FOR A SIMPLE WALK?

THERE HAVE BEEN PATTERNS IN MY LIFE. DAYS FULL. SCHEDULES TO KEEP. TIME ORDERED AND EXPECTED.

BUT NOW LIFE HAS CHANGED. THE WORLD HAS CHANGED. AND PERHAPS FOR THE GOOD IN SOME WAYS…( MANY WAYS?)

MY WORLD IS SLOWER . MY TIME : MY OWN. AND I BREATHE IN THE COLD, WINTER AIR AND FEEL THE CARESSING SUN ON MY FACE. AND IT IS NOT ALL BAD HERE.

I SEE THE TRACKS OF MANY CARS , PEOPLE, AND EVEN ANIMALS AS I WALK. BUT I SEE NO ONE NEAR. BECAUSE WE HAVE TO ISOLATE NOW. AND IT IS NOT ALL BAD.

THE NEWS IS TERRIFYING : ILLNESS. DEATH. WE ARE ALL SO CONNECTED, SO AWARE.

SO I LOOK TO TRACK THE GOOD. AND I AM THANKFUL FOR SO MUCH. THANKFUL I AM ABLE TO WALK BESIDE MY HUSBAND ON THIS DAY. THANKFUL TO SEE THE BEAUTY AROUND ME FROM THE CHIRPING OF THE BIRDS AWAITING SPRING WEATHER TO THE ICICLES DRIPPING AWAY THEIR WINTER COATS. PATTERNS IN THE SNOW. AND NEW PATTERNS BEING CREATED IN MY NEW NORMAL.

AND WE WALK HOME. AND THAT IS A GOOD PLACE TO BE.

0 Finding Peace

March 25, 2020
by Laura Bachynski
· Blog

THESE 2 IMAGES SPOKE TO ME AND I THOUGHT I WOULD SHARE THEM WITH YOU.

0 The Journey

March 24, 2020
by Laura Bachynski
· Blog

HOME. WHAT A BITTERSWEET JOURNEY WE MADE TO GET HERE. WE PACKED UP THREE WEEKS EARLY AND DROVE STRAIGHT THROUGH AND ARRIVED HOME 15 HOURS AFTER WE BEGAN .

OUR ONE WEEK IN VANCOUVER WAS WONDERFUL . WE GOT TO SEE OUR SONS AND THEIR FAMILIES SEVERAL TIMES . THE SUNDAY NIGHT WHEN WE ARRIVED WE WERE TREATED TO A YUMMY “B.L.T.” DINNER AT OUR OLDEST SON’S HOME. THEY ALL HAD COLDS BUT THE WELCOME WAS WARM AND IT WAS SO GOOD TO BE NEAR THEM AND SEE OUR 3 GRANDSONS AGAIN TOO.

NORMALLY , WE WOULD TAKE THE CHILDREN OUT EVERY WEEK FOR A DIFFERENT ADVENTURE. PAST YEARS WE HAVE BEEN TO A FARM OR THE BIRD SANCTUARY OR EVEN A MARINE MUSEUM. AND WE USUALLY BUY THEM THE ‘PIRATE SHIP’ LUNCH AT WHITE SPOT.

BUT THIS YEAR THERE ARE NO RESTAURANTS OPEN …. OR ANY PLACE TO GATHER REALLY. AND BY THE TIME WE’D LEFT WE HEARD THAT EVEN PLAYGROUNDS AND PARKS WERE OFF LIMITS. WHAT A TIME WE ARE ALL LIVING THROUGH.

I THINK IT WAS MAKING ALL OF US NERVOUS THAT THE MOVEMENT BETWEEN THE HOMES WAS TAKING TOO MANY CHANCES TOO. THE FACT THAT I HAVE TO GRAB THE HANDRAIL AT OUR OTHER SON’S APARTMENT EVERY TIME IS WORRISOME …EVEN WITH THE HAND WASHING AFTERWARDS.

THEN THERE WAS TALK ABOUT SHUTTING DOWN TRAVEL EVEN BETWEEN CITIES. SO WE DECIDED IT WAS BEST TO GET HOME. OUR HOME HERE HAS EVERYTHING WE NEED TO BE COMFORTABLE AND OUR TEMPORARY , RENTED HOME IN VANCOUVER DOES NOT. AND IF WE COULDN’T EVEN MEET OUR CHILDREN….

SO WE ENJOYED THE GORGEOUS GRANDEUR OF THE MOUNTAINS. WE THANKED GOD FOR DRY ROADS THROUGH THEM. WE LISTENED TO ‘DEAR EVAN HANSON’ AND SOME ‘DAVID SEDARIS’ TO PASS THE TIME AND THEY DID MAKE IT FLY.

OUR WHOLE FAMILY IS GOING TO TRY AND PLAY A GAME TOGETHER ON OUR COMPUTERS THIS SATURDAY. WOW! HOW LIFE HAS CHANGED.

AND TERRY AND I HAVE COLDS. PASS THE KLEENEX.

0 Learning to See

March 23, 2020
by Laura Bachynski
· Blog

YESTERDAY WAS THE FOURTH SUNDAY IN LENT. ALREADY.

THE GOSPEL WAS ABOUT A BLIND MAN WHO WAS BROUGHT TO JESUS FOR HEALING. ( JOHN 9:1-41) JESUS WAS DISAPPOINTED WHEN PEOPLE CONSTANTLY ASKED FOR MIRACLES AND SIGNS BEFORE THEY WOULD BELIEVE. BUT IN HIS KINDNESS HE STILL PERFORMED MANY OF THEM . AND INDEED AFTER HE ASKED THE BLIND MAN TO ‘WASH IN THE POOL OF SILOAM’ THE MAN’S SIGHT WAS RESTORED.

CAN YOU IMAGINE BEING BLIND ? CAN YOU IMAGINE BEING BLIND ….AND THEN SUDDENLY SEEING THE WORLD AROUND YOU?

I WONDER IF OUR FORCED ISOLATION WILL BE A LITTLE LIKE REGAINING OUR SIGHT?

I JUST HEARD THAT VANCOUVER HAS NOW BANNED EVEN GOING TO PARKS AND PLAYGROUNDS AS PEOPLE WERE NOT ISOLATING ENOUGH. THIS MORNING QUEBEC ANNOUNCED THAT EVEN MEETING WITH MORE THAN TWO PEOPLE (OTHER THAN FAMILIES OR HEALTH CARE WORKERS…) IS AGAINST THE LAW !

WHEN WE ARE FINALLY ALLOWED TO GO FOR WALKS TOGETHER OR SIT IN OUTDOOR CAFÉS , SHARING OUR STORIES AND LAUGHTER, OR RUNNING INTO A FRIEND’S ARMS FOR THE TIGHTEST HUG EVER (LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS ROSE,BARB AND MARY) ….

WILL WE ALSO FINALLY SEE WHAT WAS ALWAYS BEFORE US : THE MANY GIFTS OF GOD, THE COUNTLESS MIRACLES AROUND US- AND WILL WE GIVE THANKS? OR WILL WE JUST GO BACK TO THE WAY IT WAS BEFORE? HEADS DOWN, BLIND TO THE BEAUTY AROUND US …AND WITHIN US?

( P.S. THE LINK ABOVE IS A SONG I WROTE FOR MY FIRST ALBUM, WAITING. CHECK OUT “SLEEPWALKER” )

2 The Hidden

March 21, 2020
by Laura Bachynski
· Blog

HiddenFlowers TODAY WE DECIDED TO LEAVE VANCOUVER THREE WEEKS EARLY . WE STAY HERE FOR A MONTH EVERY YEAR TO BE NEAR OUR SONS AND THEIR FAMILIES.

YESTERDAY WE LISTENED TO A COUPLE OF YOUTUBE MESSAGES FROM FRONTLINE WORKERS IN HOSPITALS IN TORONTO AND MICHIGAN THAT REALLY SCARED US INTO THIS DECISION. BASICALLY THE MESSAGE WAS : FOR THE LOVE OF GOD AND YOUR NEIGHBOUR STAY HOME! THE DOCTOR SAID THAT IT’S NOT JUST OLDER PEOPLE WHO ARE GETTING COVID-19 BUT MANY YOUNG PEOPLE ARE DYING AND THIS ISN’T BEING REPORTED ACCURATELY IN THE NEWS.

HOPE SEEMED LOST WHEN I HEARD THIS REPORT. THE SKY GOT DARKER AND I FELT LIKE WEEPING BECAUSE OF HAVING TO LEAVE MY FAMILY HERE AND FOR FEARS ABOUT THEM STAYING SAFE.

MY HUSBAND AND I HELD HANDS AND WE PRAYED OVER THIS DECISION LAST NIGHT. SHOULD WE STAY HERE AND ONLY SEE OUR FAMILIES AS WE HAVE BEEN DOING? OR ARE WE RISKING ALL OF OUR LIVES ? ( FOR EXAMPLE :EVERY TIME I GRAB THE RAILINGS ON THE WAY UP TO ONE OF THEIR HOMES I WASH MY HANDS AFTER BUT ….IS IT ENOUGH? )

SO THE ANSWER CAME TO US CLEARLY TODAY : WE FEEL IT’S THE RIGHT THING TO DO …AND SO DO OUR CHILDREN. WE NEED TO GO HOME AND TRULY SELF ISOLATE.

SO WHERE IS THE GOOD IN ALL OF THIS ? HOW CAN WE FIND A HIDDEN GIFT IN ALL OF THIS TERRIFYING NEWS?

WOULD YOU BELIEVE THERE ARE HIDDEN BLESSINGS EVEN IN THESE DARK DAYS?

I FEEL BLESSED THAT WE HAD EVEN THIS SHORT TIME NEAR OUR CHILDREN AND THEIR CHILDREN.

I FEEL BLESSED THAT MY HUSBAND SHARES A FAITH WITH ME AND THAT WE HAVE FOUND PEACE BECAUSE OF THIS AND A TRUST THAT ALL WILL EVENTUALLY BE WELL.

I FEEL BLESSED THAT THE SUN IS ACTUALLY SHINING TODAY AND THAT WE DON’T HAVE DO GET ON AN ( INCUBATOR) AIRPLANE BUT CAN DRIVE HOME THROUGH THE BEAUTIFUL MOUNTAINS.

I FEEL BLESSED THAT OUR LANDLADY UNDERSTOOD THAT WE HAVE TO LEAVE EARLY AND SHE DIDN’T CHARGE US FOR THE WHOLE MONTH ANYWAY.

THE MORE I TYPE THIS .. THE MORE ‘HIDDEN FLOWERS’ ARE PEEKING THROUGH THE ‘WEEDS’ OF FEAR .

LET’S PRAY FOR EACH OTHER TODAY. LET US REMEMBER TO LOOK FOR ‘THE HIDDEN’ AND STAY CLOSE TO THE ONE WHO SAVES.

LEAD ME , LORD.

0 Murrin Lake

March 20, 2020
by Laura Bachynski
· Blog

SELF ISOLATION. DID WE EVER IMAGINE THAT WE WOULD HEAR THESE WORDS IN OUR LIFETIME OR THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO IMPLEMENT IT OURSELVES?

WE DROVE OUT HERE ( VANCOUVER) TO BE NEAR OUR SONS AND THEIR FAMILIES AND WE HAVE OTHER FAMILY MEMBERS AND FRIENDS OUT HERE TOO. WE HAVE BEEN COMING HERE AT THIS TIME OF YEAR FOR ABOUT 10 YEARS . TERRY JOINS A GYM AND I HEAD OFF TO MY POOL FOR AQUAFIT. WE HAVE A PLEASURE OF GOING TO RESTAURANTS AND MOVIES TOO. AHHH , THE EASY SCHEDULE OF THE ARTIST/MUSICIAN. ( AND OF COURSE WE HAD TO CANCEL THE LAST LEG OF OUR SPIRITLINE TOUR.)

BUT NOW THE WORLD HAS CLOSED MOST OF ITS PUBLIC SPACES TO RESTRICT THE SPREAD OF THE DREADED COVID-19. WE ARE NOT GOING OUT TO ANY CLOSE QUARTERED PUBLIC SPACES EXCEPT TO PICK UP A FEW GROCERIES . AND AT THE MOMENT WE HAVEN’T EVEN BEEN ABLE TO HANG OUT WITH BOTH OF OUR SONS’ FAMILIES AS ONE OF THEM HAD A FLU BUG AND WE JUST CAN’T TAKE A CHANCE TO ALSO CATCH IT AND SPREAD THAT AROUND. UGH ! ( JUST ADD COLD AND FLU SEASON TO THE WORRIES OF THE AVERAGE FAMILY).

WE ARE BLESSED TO HAVE LEFT OUR -20 SNOWY WEATHER IN EDMONTON FOR THIS +13 SUNNY WEATHER IN VANCOUVER. SO WHILE IT’S NOT RAINING ( AS IT OFTEN DOES HERE) WE ARE TRYING TO MAKE THE MOST OF GETTING OUTSIDE . THIS IS ALSO A WONDERFUL WAY TO GET EXERCISE AND ACHIEVE A DISTANCING FROM GROUPS OF PEOPLE.

YESTERDAY WE DROVE UP TO (SNOWY!) CYPRESS MOUNTAIN AND HAD A GREAT VIEW OF STANLEY PARK, THE DOWNTOWN, AND THE OCEAN.

THEN WE DROVE FOR ANOTHER HALF AN HOUR NORTH (SAID OUR ROSARY TOGETHER) ,AND ENDED UP HAVING A DELIGHTFUL PICNIC AT MURRIN LAKE. WE ARE VERY AWARE THAT THESE ARE DARK AND SCARY TIMES. BUT WE HAVE FOUND ONE WAY TO STILL ENJOY THE BEAUTY OF OUR WORLD .

PULLING BACK FROM THE BUSY-NESS OF OUR DAILY LIVES REALLY LEAVES TIME FOR THINKING ABOUT ALL THE MANY THINGS FOR WHICH WE ARE GRATEFUL. AND THERE ARE SO MANY.

WELL, TIME TO PUT ON MY SURGICAL GLOVES TO DO GROCERIES…

2 From the Pope

March 18, 2020
by Laura Bachynski
· Blog

Daffodils I JUST READ THESE BEAUTIFUL THOUGHTS FROM POPE FRANCIS….

“Tonight before falling asleep

think about when we will return to the street.
When we hug again,
when all the shopping together will seem like a party.

Let’s think about when the coffees will return to the bar, the small talk, the photos close to each other.

We think about when it will be all a memory but normality will seem an unexpected and beautiful gift.

We will love everything that has so far seemed futile to us.
Every second will be precious.

Swims at the sea, the sun until late, sunsets, toasts, laughter.

We will go back to laughing together.

Strength and courage.”

0 Daddy’s Life

March 17, 2020
by Laura Bachynski
· Blog

OUR SON, DARREN, TURNED 33 TODAY. WE WERE INVITED TO COME OVER FOR DINNER BUT BEFORE THAT TIME TERRY AND I RAN AROUND THE CITY TRYING TO FIND SUPPLIES FOR OUR ‘ISOLATION’ …LIKE ( YOU GUESSED IT) TOILET PAPER… OF WHICH THERE WAS NONE TO BE FOUND.

WE HAVE A TRADITION OF GOING TO THIS WONDERFUL ITALIAN RESTAURANT CALLED ANTON’S FOR THE BIRTHDAY DINNER BUT THIS YEAR WE ORDERED OUR MEALS ONLINE AND TERRY AND I DROVE OUT TO PICK THEM UP. WE ARE ALL TRYING TO BE DILIGENT IN OUR STAYING AWAY FROM CROWDS AND OF COURSE HAND WASHING UNTIL OUR SKIN CRACKS AND BLEEDS. UGH.

ANYWAY, WE ALL HAD A WONDERFUL MEAL UP IN DARREN AND JENNY’S APARTMENT AND THEN THE WEE BOYS ( 3 AND ALMOST 5) SURPRISED THEIR DADDY WITH A SORT OF ‘ THIS IS YOUR LIFE’ PLAY SET TO MUSIC.

I TRIED TO HOLD IT TOGETHER BUT IT WAS SO BEAUTIFUL THAT I WAS CRYING BY THE END OF IT. DARREN’S OLDEST HANDED HIS DADDY A HAND DRAWN PROGRAM AND THEN THE SHOW STARTED WITH MUM ( JENNY) NARRATING. THE BOYS ACTED OUT MANY OF THE THINGS THAT DARREN DID AS HE GREW UP AND EACH SCENE WAS SET TO A DIFFERENT PIECE OF MUSIC.

THE SHOW CULMINATED IN THE BOYS LIP SYNCING TO THE BEATLE’S “JUST CALL ON ME” ( ” IF THERE’S ANYTHING THAT YOU WANT…..”)

IT WAS A HAPPY CELEBRATION IN THESE RATHER UNSETTLING TIMES.

0 Stopping the Virus

March 16, 2020
by Laura Bachynski
· Blog

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WE DIDN’T GO TO CHURCH YESTERDAY. UNLESS I HAVE BEEN VERY ILL THIS IS A FIRST FOR ME. OUR CHURCHES ARE CLOSING DUE TO COVID-19 . THIS IS A SURREAL TIME . IT FEELS LIKE WE ARE IN A ‘DISASTER MOVIE’ ABOUT A PANDEMIC BUT WHEN THE COUNTRY OF ITALY SHUTS ITS BOARDERS IT IS NOT FAKE NEWS OR A JOKE. SCARY STUFF.

YESTERDAY, THE GOSPEL WAS ACCORDING TO JOHN AND IT WAS ABOUT THE WOMAN AT THE WELL. (I ATTACHED A SONG I WROTE ABOUT THIS READING ..ABOVE)

JESUS IS TIRED FROM HIS JOURNEY SO HE STOPS AT A WELL AND ASKS FOR A DRINK FROM A SAMARITAN WOMAN WHO CAME TO DRAW WATER THERE.

THE JEWS AT THE TIME WERE VERY PREJUDICED AGAINST THE SAMARITANS AND SHE WAS SHOCKED HE ,AS A JEW,WOULD SPEAK TO HER (AND ALSO BECAUSE SHE WAS A WOMAN!)

JESUS TELLS HER THAT IF SHE KNEW WHO IT WAS THAT WAS SAYING TO HER, “GIVE ME A DRINK”, SHE WOULD HAVE ASKED HIM BECAUSE HE WOULD HAVE GIVEN HER ‘LIVING WATER’ AND SHE WOULD NEVER THIRST AGAIN. HE KNEW EVERYTHING ABOUT HER ALTHOUGH THEY HAD JUST MET AND WHEN THEY PARTED SHE WONDERED IF HE MIGHT BE “I AM” , ‘THE CHRIST’ .

I LISTENED TO A LIVE STREAM OF A SERVICE WITH THE HOMILY PROCLAIMED BY MY NEPHEW , RYAN, IN OTTAWA. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rlheL3rkMyg&feature=youtu.be ( CHECK IN AT ABOUT 27 MINUTES)

ONE OF THE KEY MESSAGES I GLEANED OUT OF IT WAS THAT JESUS “DISMANTLED A MILLENNIA WORTH OF PREJUDICES” ( AS SEEN WITH HIS INTERACTION WITH THE WOMAN AT THE WELL)

‘LET’S NAME THE FEARS AND PREJUDICES THAT COME UP FOR US AND CONSCIOUSLY TURN AWAY FROM THEM. YES, IT’S VITAL TO TAKE PRECAUTIONS FOR OUR BIOLOGICAL VIRUSES …BUT IT IS ALSO VITAL TO ACT PROACTIVELY TO PREVENT THE SPREAD OF ANOTHER VIRUS : THE VIRUS OF ETHNIC AND NATIONAL BLAME.’

1 SpiritLine Tour Cancelled !

March 15, 2020
by Laura Bachynski
· Blog

TERRY AND I HAD ONE OF OUR SHOWS CALL IN TO CANCEL DUE TO FEARS ABOUT THE CORONA VIRUS. THE HOSTS SAID THAT SOME OF THEIR GUESTS WERE NERVOUS TO GATHER .

AND SINCE THE NHL AND OTHER MAJOR SPORTS TEAMS AND SCHOOLS (AND ON AND ON) CANCELLED THEIR PLACES OF GATHERING …WE DECIDED TO BE PROACTIVE AND CANCEL THE REST OF OUR TOUR AS WELL.

WE HAVE BEEN REHEARSING AND PREPARING OUR TOUR VAN FOR THE LONG JOURNEY TO VANCOUVER FOR SOME TIME NOW. BUT WE HAVE THE BLESSING OF STILL BEING ABLE TO DRIVE WEST TO SEE OUR SONS, THEIR WIVES, AND OUR 5 GRANDSONS …WITH OUR WITHOUT OUR MUSIC GIGS !

SO TODAY WE EMBARKED ON THE FIRST LEG OF THE DRIVE AND HAVE STOPPED FOR THE NIGHT IN KAMLOOPS, BRITISH COLUMBIA. WE HAVE BEEN IN TRANSIT FOR 12 HOURS !

TERRY AND I WILL PROBABLY HAVE A VERY DIFFERENT VISIT THIS YEAR AS WE PROBABLY WON’T HAVE THE PLEASURE OF TAKING OUR LITTLE ONES OUT TO PUBLIC PLACES LIKE THE AQUARIUM OR THE FARM LIKE WE HAVE EVERY YEAR AT THIS TIME. AND ,WE STAY IN A REALLY LITTLE PORTION OF A LARGE HOME FOR A MONTH SO WE WILL BE AT CLOSE QUARTERS WITH EACH OTHER .

SO INSTEAD OF BRINGING ALL OF OUR MUSICAL GEAR ( ALTHOUGH I ALWAYS BRING MY GUITAR) WE HAVE BROUGHT OUR PAINT GEAR AND HOPE TO MAYBE PAINT ENOUGH TO HAVE A ‘COVID-19’ SHOW ….HA HA.

WE PRAY WE’LL ALL BE SAFE FROM THE VIRUS AND WE PRAY YOU WILL BE TOO !

SPIRITLINE STILL HAS A COUPLE OF SHOWS LINED UP AND WE HOPE TO PERFORM JUST ONE SHOW IN VANCOUVER SO THAT WE CAN SAY THAT WE DID PERFORM IN EVERY SINGLE PROVINCE IN CANADA !

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