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More Great-fullness: Insights into Programs for the Blind

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ASRAB logoIt seems everywhere I go lately, I am reminded to be grateful, or great-full, as my granddaughter puts it.

One of my volunteer gigs is as a board member for ASRAB, the Alberta Sport and Recreation Association for the Blind. The mandate of the organization is to provide sport and recreational activities for visually impaired individuals.

Last week I was invited to an event attended by 25 children, all with varying degrees of sightlessness. They were hosted by an organization called Courage Canada, whose goal that day was to introduce the children to Goalball, a game specifically for visually impaired athletes.

The organizers started with some basic drills so the kids could learn the techniques of the game. After the drills, they all got the chance to “play” for a few minutes.

The kids were so engaged and enthusiastic about this new learning opportunity, I found myself caught up by their laughter and cheering them on (quietly, since the athletes need to hear the ball) as they practiced their new skills.

I once read that when it comes to acts of kindness, recipients and givers both receive health benefits. But most remarkable is that witnesses to acts of kindness also achieve health benefits.

I experienced a gush of feel-good energy coursing through my body when I watched those kids experience their first Goalball save. I was immediately great-full for the Courage Canada representatives and cognizant of the honour I have in being associated with these people and organizations, working towards this noble cause.

ASRAB’s major annual fundraising event, Sight Night, is just around the corner. On Saturday, November 16th, 2013 the light from hundreds of headlamps will bob and weave along the Bow River Pathway as enthusiasts and supporters of visually impaired Albertans join in sight night Calgary – a fun run after dark.
 Runners can select the three, five or eight km courses starting from Eau Clair and incorporating the Peace Bridge.

All funds raised go to ASRAB programs, benefitting real people as opposed to going to fund research like so many other charities. I got to see the faces of the children that were directly affected by the volunteering and funding gifted to them by real people. I urge you to support this cause.

It’s not too late to participate. To sign up or learn more, go to http://www.asrab.ab.ca/sightnight.html

I hope to SEE you there! At least remember to be great-full for your sight!

See Poster Physical Literacy and Adapted Sport for Visually Impaired Children: Flyer – Physical Literacy Calgary Nov 21

Poppy

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220px-Lest_we_forget

The Royal Canadian Legion suggests that the poppy be worn on the left lapel of a garment and/or as close to the heart as possible.

This is the story of how the red field poppy came to be known as an internationally recognized symbol of Remembrance. This vivid red flower has become synonymous with great loss of life in war.

The field poppy’s seeds are disseminated on the wind and can lie dormant in the ground for years. If the ground is disturbed the seeds will germinate. It is often found in or on the edges of fields where grain is grown which is why it is also known as corn poppy.

In the spring and summer months of 1915 to 1918, during World War 1, in parts of the front lines in Belgium and France, the poppy seeds began to germinate in the ground that was disturbed by the fighting, which included the fields where dead soldiers were buried.

john-mccrae_s

In May 1915, Guelph, Ontario native Lt. Col. John McCrae, a doctor serving with the Canadian Artillery, recorded this phenomenon in his famous poem In Flanders Fields:

In Flanders fields the poppies blow/Between the crosses, row on row,

That mark our place; and in the sky/The larks, still bravely singing, fly

Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago/We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,

Loved and were loved, and now we lie/In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:/To you from failing hands we throw

The torch; be yours to hold it high./If ye break faith with us who die

We shall not sleep, though poppies grow/In Flanders fields.

McCrae’s poem speaks of Flanders fields, but the subject is universal – the fear of the dead that they will be forgotten, that their death will have been in vain. Since it was first published in 1915, this poem has been used to remember the dead but also to incite the living to go to war.

moina-michael-portrait-250Ninety-five years ago this week, on 9th November 1918, two days before the Armistice was declared at 11 o’clock on 11th November, Moina Belle Michael was on duty at the YMCA Overseas War Secretaries’ headquarters in New York. Moina browsed through the November edition of the “Ladies Home Journal” magazine and came across the poem entitled “We Shall Not Sleep”, an alternative name sometimes used for McCrae’s poem; McCrae had recently died of pneumonia.

Moina was touched and at that moment made a personal pledge to “keep the faith”. She vowed always to wear a red poppy of Flanders Fields as a sign of remembrance. Later that day Moina found one large and twenty-four small artificial red silk poppies in Wanamaker’s department store. She gave the poppies to her enthusiastic colleagues.

Moina Michael was determined to put all her energy towards getting the Poppy emblem adopted in the United States as a national memorial symbol. She began a tireless campaign at her own expense.

In 1919, veterans of the United States armed forces founded the American Legion to support those that had served during the First World War. A year later, after much petitioning by Moina Michael, the Legion agreed on the use of the Flanders Fields Memorial Poppy as the national emblem of Remembrance.

Madame Anna E Guérin, a representative of the French YMCA Secretariat was inspired by Moina Michael’s idea. She also believed that artificial poppies could be made and sold as a way of raising money for the French people, especially the orphaned children, who were suffering as a result of the war.

Guerin visited or sent representatives to America, Australia, Britain, Canada and New Zealand.  Canada adopted the poppy as its national flower of Remembrance on 5th July 1921. That same year Field Marshall Earl Haig, principal founder of the British Legion, approved the British Poppy Day Appeal.  Other countries followed suit.

Today, the Poppy Campaign is one of the Royal Canadian Legion’s most important programs. The money raised provides direct assistance for Veterans in financial distress, as well as funding for medical appliances and research, home services, care facilities and numerous other purposes.

I find it interesting that one short poem and two very determined ladies culminated in nearly a century of honour and remembrance through this symbol. I encourage you to wear a poppy to show your respect for those who died for our freedom.

The poppy.  Lest we forget.

Originally published November 2012. Edited November 2013.

Great Full

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Great Full Picture 1

Photo owned by www.shelleygoldbeck.com

Our Thanksgiving after dinner activities included an exercise in gratitude where we wrote why we are grateful for the members of our family on small pictures our granddaughters had painted.

My youngest granddaughter, J_____  generally sees the world from a different perspective than most of us. Perhaps it’s her red hair. Or maybe it’s her free spirit.

She wrote: I am great full for Grandma because…

Great Full Image 2

Photo owned by www.shelleygoldbeck.com

Great full.

That gave me pause.

Because if you think about it, being grateful actually does make us “great full”.

We feel good inside. Others feel good. The step from good to great is not a huge leap.

Giving thanks is that: an act of giving.  Giving is good. In fact science has proven repeatedly that any act of kindness performed improves the health of the giver, the receiver, and incredibly, even the health of those who witness the act of kindness.

By being grateful to others we build bridges, give hope and encouragement, and sow the seeds of more good deeds coming our way. People are less apt to help next time if they don’t receive thanks.

Sadly, “thanks” is not common in the modern lexicon. Strangely, some people believe “thanks” takes away their power, positions them lower than others.

Great Full Image 3

Photo owned by www.shelleygoldbeck.com

If only they understood that by giving thanks they GET power.

I truly think that’s what J_____ meant by great full.

Today, I am great full to J_____ for opening my mind to the great state of great-fullness.

My Attitude of Gratitude 2013 Edition

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378866_526162980727147_701136640_nIn One Woman’s Opinion there is far too much grumbling and complaining in our society.  Since Thanksgiving is just around the corner, I’ve been thinking about some of the things for which I am grateful.

I’m thankful that when I pick up my granddaughters from the school bus they literally tackle me and make me feel like I’m the most important person in their world. I allow myself to believe it, because at that moment, it happens to be true. The times we hang out together, painting pictures or baking cookies or looking at photos on the computer, make up some of the most soul-filling moments of my life. I like to think it’s the same for them.

Living in a country where food is abundant is a real privilege. Many people complain about their grocery bills, and in fact, they use cost as an excuse not to purchase nutritious food, like fruits and vegetables. It has always been my philosophy that eating healthy food is one of the most important things in life. My grocery bill is usually higher than other people’s but that’s because healthy food is a priority for me. I am always amazed when I learn that someone who complains about not being able to afford real food can afford to smoke, drink alcohol, go to a casino or bingo, attend a professional hockey game, eat at a restaurant, or even pay for cable TV.

The last few weeks I’ve been enjoying the spectrum of golds and greens as the trees transition from their summer to their fall wardrobe and ultimately to becoming stark naked. Husband laments that our fall colours don’t include the reds that they have in eastern Canada, where he’s from, but when the sun glistens off the golden leaves I think the earth is positively radiant. I am thankful I can still see these things.

I am thankful for my daughters, who are more like good friends than children to me.  I am thrilled to know them and I’m excited about the direction they’ve taken in their lives. They are truly a blessing.

I am also blessed to have a few very close friends and many other acquaintances. Since joining Toastmasters I am far more comfortable meeting new and making vital connections with people. My horizons are broader and my life is richer knowing all these new friends.

Music is a daily part of my life. (I consume it more than make it.) I have been comforted and inspired by the words and music of many songs.  I am thankful I can still hear them.

Reading books continues to be a priority. I owe much to those who taught me and encouraged me to read. I am grateful I have the freedom to read what I choose. This year among my choices were The Holy Quran and the Book of Mormon. I was amazed at the misconceptions surrounding the former and I was completely disappointed by the latter. I am quite pleased with myself, yes, even grateful, for choosing to make time to enjoy reading.

Sometimes a complaint about the house I live in creeps into my brain. “Too small. Too old. No pantry. Not enough counter space”.  And then I remind myself that I could be living in a cardboard box, or a sea can, or a tent. I could be sharing my home with pigs or chickens or a one-room house with ten people! I have running water and all the conveniences of a modern home. How dare I complain? I give thanks for my home.

2013 is shaping up to be a year where my efforts and plans of the last few years seem to be culminating into the dream I’ve been chasing. The timing of certain events has been uncanny. It’s a wondrous feeling to be in such a miracle; it’s like the moments after a rainstorm when the sun first peeks through the clouds and dazzles all the raindrops in the air and on hard surfaces. The quiet, the fragrance of rain-washed soil; it seems as though everything is as it should be for the moment.

I am thankful for my life. I nearly lost it this summer. (See I’m Alive Because a Skunk Sprayed my Dog). It’s a cliché, I know, but that experience heightened my awareness at the marvel of having life.

I find myself marinating in the sight/feeling of a big blue sky with a huge grin propping up my cheeks as I walk the dog through our beautiful old neighbourhood.  I drink in the vibration of the air around me and feel the tickle of the leaves dancing in the wind.  I am grateful I have learned to savour those moments, for that is the essence of enjoying life.

This list is far from comprehensive but it touches on a few of the important parts of my journey on this planet. I hope it will inspire you to examine the things that matter in your life and that you will adopt your own attitude of gratitude.

http://www.dailygood.org/view.php?op=nletter&qid=5616

New Old Friends

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friendsOriginally Published April 19, 2013

Have you ever met someone and made an instant, almost “feels like family” connection?

I met with one of these “new old friends” this week.

I met J_____ a few weeks ago at a rubber chicken luncheon where I was speaking. She introduced herself as a fellow writer after I spoke and we exchanged business cards.

We agreed to meet for “pho”.

I’m there mere moments before she is. When she arrives she hugs me. That feels pretty good but it occurs to me that I’m hugging a stranger, something I would never have done 20 years ago! My, how I’ve grown!

In just over an hour, we discover remarkable intersections on our journeys. We have both nursed sick husbands, raised children and are actively involved in our grandchildren’s lives, though hers are boys and mine are girls.

She doesn’t look or act like a granny. Neither do I. But our enthusiasm for those little people oozes from both of us.

We have worked in many of the same industries. Politics and media are among our commonalities.

We have both accomplished much without expensive educations. Ours is self-directed through devouring books from an eclectic range of genres and taking courses that genuinely interest us, not fluff that meets program requirements.

We share our admiration for our city: she returns home after 25 years away; I adopted it as my home 18 years ago.

We agree we don’t see the point of retirement, especially if it means doing nothing. We’ve both done so many things and neither of us plans to slow down anytime soon.

She is on a mission to learn everything she can about the oil sands. I won a contest with my speech, “My Opinion of the Oil Sands“.

But what really resonates with me is her joy. She chooses to be happy despite the typical tears and tribulations of a life on this planet.

We share food which seems to be an intimate action for two women who have just met. I enjoy the incongruence of that.

We end with another great hug.

On my way home I bask in the warm glow of a budding friendship with someone whose story I feel I already know, yet I’m intrigued to learn more.

It feels a bit like a first date and there is chemistry.

It’s nice to have a new thread to weave into my life’s tapestry. Who knows what image will emerge?

Here’s to old friends and new friends, new old friends and old old friends, young friends and old friends. Thank you for enriching my life!

My Opinion of the Oil Sands

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oilsandsOriginally published April 26, 2013

Last week I alluded to my Toastmasters speech project on the oil sands. A reader suggested I post it for all to see, so here it is.

Intro: Shelley Goldbeck, has been grilled by the press for her company’s involvement in oil sands projects.  She will now give a statement which will be followed by a short Q&A.

Mister Chair, Fellow Toastmasters, Honoured Guests:  I have three main points to make about the Alberta Oil Sands.

1.  I contend that the mainstream attitude about the Oil Sands is skewed. Rather than viewing the development of the oil sands as an environmental disaster, I suggest we define the Oil Sands as Mother Nature’s mistake, her oil spill, asleep at the wheel, so to speak.  Oops!

With this in mind, we are no longer “mining” the Oil Sands; we are simply cleaning up the environment, restoring the area to its “natural” state.  After all, it’s not natural to have oil-soaked sand.   Restore indigenous flora and fauna. Stop the seepage of oil into the Athabaska River and ultimately the Arctic Ocean.

In short, it is irresponsible not to mop up the mess!

We have the knowledge and the ability to mitigate the environmental impact of this major oil spill.  My company employs a number of professionals in a wide variety of sciences including soil, groundwater, air, noise, vegetation, fisheries, wildlife, archaeology, traditional knowledge, and more, all in an effort to reduce the impact of this natural disaster.

2. Oil is currency.  Like it or not, our economy is driven by oil.  Rather than turn our backs on this opportunity I suggest we make the most if it.  Let’s invest in research for alternatives now so when the faucet turns off we’re not caught with our pants down.  We need to invest more of our oil profits as opposed to the usual drunken sailor spending, typical of pirates… er …politicians.  Norway has a huge nest egg while our sorry Heritage Trust Fund has been raped and pillaged so often she is a mere shadow of what she could be.

3. The Oils Sands are often vilified because of their potential impact on Global Warming.  A few years ago my husband and I purchased a home in Arizona because global warming wasn’t coming to Calgary soon enough for us!

I recall learning in Grade Three Science that oil was formed by decaying tropical rain forests and inland seas that once covered what is now Alberta.

If that is true, who says the current climate of Alberta is normal?  I like to think we’ve been in a below average blip for millennia and we are gradually climbing back to a normal, more tropical climate. Plus today’s tropical rainforest is the oil of a million years from now, though likely by then oil will be obsolete, primitive, or frowned upon, like shooting up heroin in a church. Therefore we owe it to future generations to burn fossil fuels, warming the planet, nurturing tropical rainforests, to die and decay and be squeezed into oil in case they are no more advanced than we are.

Ladies and gentlemen, I urge you to support the efforts to clean up the gigantic oil spill we affectionately call the Oil Sands.  Whether it’s true or not there is no harm in assuming peak oil has come and gone; let’s not leave our grandchildren freezing in the dark.  Let’s think outside the oil barrel and develop alternatives with even a fraction of the proceeds and invest more of the profits for future generations. We have knowledge, skills and technologies to reduce our footprint; let’s use these to develop the Oil Sands sustainably.

At this time I invite you to ask questions.

1. Question: What do you think about the Oil Sands protests?

Hypocrisy should be one of the seven deadly sins!  Ha! But seriously, every single person protesting the oil sands uses petroleum products daily: in their food, clothing, housing, transportation, medicine, their X-boxes, iPods, iPads, and computers. The helicopters they fly over the oil spill are powered by petroleum and are largely manufactured using petroleum products, as are their cameras. For better or worse, every single thing we see, hear, touch, taste, and smell is connected to oil.

I believe we need to find alternatives to this finite resource but abandoning it before developing alternatives to at least SOME of its uses is pure folly. We need to conserve. We must be mindful of the environment and harvest this resource, being careful to do as little harm as possible.

Vilifying Canada’s Oil Sands is not the answer.

2.  Question:  There have been news reports that Quebec is embarrassed by the Oil Sands, like the wayward sister who’s shacked up with a guy half her age.  What do you have to say about that?

Like other Canadians the residents of Quebec use petroleum products daily and enjoy many benefits because of Alberta oil, like the lowest university tuition in the country and virtually free daycare.  My daughter spent $40,000 in the last four years for child care so she could keep her job to feed her children. If she lived in Quebec she would have paid less than $9000.  To continue with your analogy, Quebec is essentially living off the avails of prostitution.

Thank you for your questions.

Freedom 55

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freedom55Originally published May 17, 2013

Today I turned 55. Actually at 5AM.

Before 9AM I had already received at least a dozen birthday greetings, thanks to modern technology: phones, emails, and Facebook.

Like most people having a major birthday I’ve been contemplating my life the last few days. I have some random thoughts about it.

My first thought is I’m half-way through my life. It may seem ambitious but I feel like I’m 30 so I have every reason to believe I can live to 110, at which point I should feel like I’m 60.

Deciding to live that long is liberating. You see, sometimes I get in a panic that I won’t have enough time to do everything I want to do before I die. Now I do.

I have big plans. I feel like everything I’ve done in the first 55 years has groomed me for the marvelous things I will do in my next 55 years. I have achieved some impressive accomplishments but I’m more excited about my future potential.

You may find it strange that I think of 55 as a beginning. Many folks work for Freedom 55, when they can stop working. For me retirement is not an option. It seems to me that when people quit having purpose in their lives they die.  Of course, working for The Man is not always a good thing. But working at something is one of the keys to longevity, at least in my observation.

55 can be scary. I’m now in the final demographic, 55+, commonly used by surveys and radio stations. The connotation is that everybody older than 55 doesn’t matter as much as the targeted 18 to 24 or 25 to 54 groups that can be counted on to spend lavishly on consumer goods.

We 55-plus-ers are not good consumers. First of all we have accumulated a lot of stuff so far. There is little that we need.

More importantly we now know the secret that stuff doesn’t bring happiness.

We’re more apt to crave time than things, time to spend with people who matter, time to write or read those books, time to enjoy a sunrise with an avian symphony soundtrack.

When you’re young, time seems to be an endless commodity. When you’re 15, you have so much of it that you can actually claim to be bored! Boredom is rarely experienced by a 55 year-old.

At 55, money is different too. We still need it to live but we tend to no longer live to need it. Creature comforts are less appealing, perhaps because we have everything we need and more. I’m more interested in making money so I can share it and do good deeds with it. I’m focused more than ever on the legacy I will leave.

How does a 55 year old celebrate this auspicious birthday? The long weekend forced the delay until Tuesday of the traditional May 17 lunch where I meet with four of my friends who share my birthday.

Today I’m going for lunch with an elderly friend who recently battled cancer. She seems to be winning. We will celebrate our victories: we’re both still alive!

I intend to spend a few hours in my garden this afternoon. It’s my meditation.

I decided that what I really wanted for my birthday was to spend some of my precious time with my four girls, my two daughters and two granddaughters, the Grandtoys. We plan to tour the country popping in on friends and relatives.

At this stage in my life, I am all about connections: connections with family and old friends, connections with strangers who are potential new friends. I love the truth that we are all connected.

As the years add up I’m figuring out what really matters.

Maybe that’s the real Freedom 55.

Introducing WholeRealFood.com

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shelley-red-coat

Photo owned by www.shelleygoldbeck.com

Problem: We are disconnected from our food. The food we eat is poisoning us. Our dismal health record can be attributed to the “unfood” we routinely consume.

Many people have no idea where their food comes from or why they should choose to eat certain foods. Their focus is calorie not nutrient.

What to do? I’m simply not the kind of person to throw up my hands and give up because there’s nothing I can do. There is always something to do.

Solution: Start a food dialogue. Introducing WholeRealFood.com.

Long-time readers of www.OneWomansOpinion.com know that I have a passion for food.

I read about food. I write about food. I shop for food. I grow food. I prepare food. I share food. I eat food.

I think that makes me qualified to share information about food.

Hence my new site. www.WholeRealFood.com

The site name succinctly defines my food philosophy. I believe most chronic disease can be prevented, treated and/or cured through dietary adjustments towards whole real foods.

I plan to post an article about food or nutrients every few days to a week.

Sign up for my newsletter to be reminded when I post new content.

You can decide for yourself whether it’s useful information.

Do you have questions about food? I welcome them.

Contact me to suggest food topics to cover.

My goal is not to tell you what to eat. My goal is to give you information in easy to swallow bits so you can choose food that works for your body, your lifestyle and your health goals.

I’m hoping we can start with a conversation about food. Check out my site www.WholeRealFood.com to whet your appetite.

In the meantime, I urge you to Eat the Food, the Whole Food and Nothing but the Food.

Old Dogs, Children, and Watermelon Wine

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Divot eyes her traditional “rice cake with peanut butter” birthday cake Photo owned by www.shelleygoldbeck.com

The 1970’s Tom T Hall song Old Dogs, Children and Watermelon Wine runs through my head frequently lately.

I expect that’s because our Golden Retriever, Divot turned 13 yesterday, an amazing feat for her breed.

She is very healthy and active but her age has most recently declared itself.

The vet has warned us her cataracts continue to cloud her vision. She doesnt always see her hand signals for Sit Speak Down Side.

Her formerly fine-tuned hair-trigger hearing has faded gradually these past six months, resulting in more instances where she’s startled when we walk into a room.

A few months ago, she started having what looked like petit mals (mini epileptic seizures). She shuddered for no apparent reason, for less than a second. She was having six or more each day. After two weeks of adding coconut oil to her food the seizures are almost gone.

But it’s a reminder that she’s not immortal.

She has started having difficulty getting up from lying down on our slippery laminated floors so we bought six cheap ugly mats to put in all her places on the floor. It seems to help. The vet recommended glucosamine. Not sure if it helps but it can’t hurt.

Where she used to bound into and out of vehicles she’s now unsure about exiting and often waits for a boost into the truck.

Our walks deteriorate to mere strolls. My attempts to hurry her are often met with stubborn resistance that makes me smile rather than annoys me. I respect her right to be a bit crotchety. She has paid her dues. She deserves to have her own way here and there. Some days she moves along at a nice clip.

Divot’s naps grow longer. She seems to sleep 23 hours a day. She has more trouble sleeping through the night, not atypical, I think considering her human-equivalent age of 91 years.

Bladders seem to be among the first organs to lose functionality. Getting up in the night to let her out used to bug me but now I often have to get up myself so I can’t really grouse about her condition, can I?

Sometimes she doesn’t need to go. She just wants to be outside taking in the wonder of the early early morning with its cool air and soft light. I don’t blame her. It is peaceful.

In the song, Tom says, “Old dogs care about you even when you make mistakes/God bless little children while they’re still too young to hate.”

Great wisdom in both lines.

There is nothing so pure as a dog’s knack to love unconditionally.

When I come home Divot acts as though I am the most important person in the world. She can’t get close enough, smile widely enough or “sing” loudly enough.

It’s not just me. She treats every guest in our home with exuberant attention, leaving no doubt she’s thrilled to see them, even if they come everyday.

Divot is a sure cure for feeling blue. It’s impossible not to laugh at her antics and marvel at her undying devotion to her pack.

Divot is content to just be. She doesn’t need to do or have anything. She quite happily lies for hours at my feet or just outside my office door.

If I go outside to putter in the garden, she’s out there with me. If I sit inside to read, she sleeps on the floor or on her leather loveseat.

I find myself cherishing my time with Divot. She has no pain and still fools people with bursts of puppy-energy but in my heart I know she can’t live forever.

I am tempted to begin grieving, at least preparing for the day I don’t have my hiking partner poking through the long grass and wildflowers with me at the bark park.

But then I remind myself to enjoy the present. She could live another year or two. As long as she has no pain.

I hope she dies in her sleep in her favorite dugout near the house foundation like my childhood family dog, Lassie did one warm summer day.

Will you get another dog? I wave off the well-meaning question. I am not going to borrow worry.

I am going to be like an old dog and just be. And make everybody believe they are the most important person in the world.

Happy Birthday, Divot!

Thanks for teaching me the secret to your perpetual smile.

See more about Divot: http://divotthedog.wordpress.com/

August 22: I dedicate this post to my mom’s dog Muffin, who gave Mom 14 years and seven months of joy. She passed on this week.

read related article here: One dog owner’s feelings about her dog’s last days.

I’m Alive Because a Skunk Sprayed my Dog

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HornetThe last few days the world has looked a little rosier to me. I notice I’m taking more time to marvel at natural wonders.

Near death experiences tend to have that effect.

Here is the story of how a skunk spraying my dog last week saved my life. It’s one of my silver lining stories.

Hubby, Doug and I were on vacation last week and our daughter was babysitting our 13 year-old Golden Retriever, Divot.

Two days after an emergency vet visit, Divot encountered a skunk. Despite numerous baths she still emits a faint “eau de skunk”.

Our first day back Divot had a playdate with Betty, an elderly customer of Doug’s. Betty loves Divot.

I had an hour of found time. What will I do?

Read my book? Or weed my flower garden?

Lazy Shelley voted for reading. Responsible Shelley opted for weeding.  Responsible Shelley won by a hair.

My, how the weeds have grown in just ten days! There is a big one there.

Ouch! Something just stung my left calf. Oh! There are prickles up my right side! What is happening? Insect! Bees! Run!

I dash for the front door, tear into the bathroom and tear off my shirt to survey the damage. One of the attackers is in here with me!

I bolt for the kitchen, slamming the door behind me.

Baking soda! I make a paste of baking soda and cold water and smear it on the stings on my side and in my armpit. Soothing.

I feel light-headed. Something is happening. Where is my cell phone? I have to sit down. My phone in hand I head towards the couch.

Divot and Doug walk in the front door.

“I’ve been stung several times and I don’t feel well.”

I sit down, relieved to see Doug. I know he will take care of me.

“What can I get you?”

My lips begin to tingle.

My throat feels tight.

Anaphylaxis!

“Call 911.”

While he dials I have the sudden urge to scratch myself. All over! It doesn’t help.

“Can I get you anything?”

“Yeah. A bucket. I’m going to throw up.”

I wake up on the floor. Doug is holding me, saving me from aspirating my own vomit. He is on speakerphone with 911. I obviously missed the pail. I am confused. When did that happen?

EMS arrives.

They ask a lot of questions. I know the answers but some of my answers are too long. I don’t have the energy!

Epi-pen in thigh. That hurts!

We need to get your blood pressure up. That’s why you passed out. How is your breathing?

Amazingly, I had all the symptoms of anaphylactic shock except the trouble breathing.

After six hours in Emergency, they release me, a prescription for an Epi-Pen in hand and strict instructions to avoid bees for 72 hours. Seriously? They need to tell people that?

Doug found and destroyed a hornet’s nest behind the weed I plucked. (Now I am The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest!)

So what does all this have to do with the dog being sprayed?

When Divot got to Betty’s, Betty wasn’t feeling well and she was put off by Divot’s skunk smell so Doug decided to cut the visit short.

If he hadn’t walked in the door when he did, I’m not sure I could have called 911 for myself. I could have choked on my own vomit. Without immediate attention, I could have experienced cardiac arrest or had severe breathing issues.

So the way I see it, I’m alive because a skunk sprayed my dog.

That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.