Skip to content
FREE SHIPPING ON ORDERS OVER $100 CAD
FREE SHIPPING ON ORDERS OVER $100 CAD

I Had To Rush Back + Was It an Accident? + Thrown Out of Court

Good Morning from Warren Grove, Prince Edward Island
 
Kettle on? Let’s have a chat today.
 
I am aware this morning like no other morning I can remember to realize how fortunate I am.
 
This weekend will mark our 35th wedding anniversary.
 
Early in our marriage, I was a workaholic and now see how selfish this endeavour was. I could fill the page with all the things I was or was not. 
 
The beginning of love is the will to let those we love be perfectly themselves, the resolution not to twist them to fit our own image. If in loving them we do not love what they are, but only their potential likeness to ourselves, then we do not love them: we only love the reflection of ourselves we find in them.~ Thomas Merton
 
I married an angel, I real one. A gift.
 
“Angels descending, bring from above, echoes of mercy, whispers of love.” – Fanny J. Crosby
 
Our story began around 1980.
 
While driving my ‘Mini’ I saw someone driving a ‘mini’ on Euston street in the other lane towards me.
 
At the time, it was customary for ‘mini’ drivers to acknowledge the other with a flashing of their car’s headlights.
 
Coming closer to the oncoming car, no such thing happened!
 
What, no reciprocal response! I became curious to see who was driving.
 
When I looked into the passing car, I saw a face. A beautiful face. Upon first glance, I was struck by the beauty, the integrity and the calm.
 
I remember saying to myself, I could marry her. She is so beautiful.
 
Over the period of one year, I saw the car and driver 5 more times.
 
During that year I was managing a dining room on Prince Street which had a help wanted sign in the front window.
 
A young woman walked into the dining room seeking information about the help wanted sign.
 
It was 10:30 in the evening and we were open to 1 am. (an Italian menu with pizza and a bar upstairs.)
 
I couldn’t help notice how attractive she was. I did everything I could to convince her this was a great place to work.
 
While we were speaking, the front door opens and in comes a few people in tuxedos. It was a bit different for this restaurant.
 
I excused myself from the conversation and sat the guests and gave them menus.
 
I rushed back to the conversation.
 
The door opens again with women in gowns, and more tuxedoed men flooding into the restaurant. 40 seats filled in record time, and I was on the floor by myself.
 
The National Ballet was in town and the orchestra was hungry.
 
I asked the interviewee if she wanted to start work now. She politely said, “no.” But offered to take menus to the table and fill the water glasses.
 
I don’t remember much else about the night, other than everyone got happily fed and the guests were first class, patient and kind.
 
Three weeks, later the interviewee came back and asked if the job was still available, and she immediately became our newest server.
 
After working together for three weeks, she mentioned her Dad had been repairing her car and just returned it.  I asked, “what kind of car?” She responded, “Mini, and it’s parked out front.” 
 

I loved Minis and had recently sold mine.

I went outside to look. I was gobsmacked

Here was the blue Mini I had seen 5 times over the previous year.

And in the building getting ready for lunch service, was the most beautiful woman I had ever seen driving it.
 
I ran back into the restaurant and lifted her up from under her arms and proclaimed that I had been in love with her for over a year. She was a bit shocked, I placed her back on the floor and explained the whole story.
 
Fortunately for me, we started dating, dating, and more dating. You see she was/is a lady, I was a boy.
 
Love is the greatest gift when given. It is the highest honour when received. ~ Fawn Weaver
 
We married six years later on June 7, 1986.
 
Through the thick and thin, I learned.
 
Another person’s love cannot fill the hole in your heart.
Filling up your heart is your responsibility.
You need to love and affirm, yourself day by day, moment by moment.
Without love for yourself, no amount of love from your partner is enough.
~Paul Ferrini
 
&
 
Your relationship with yourself is and always be directly reflected in all your relationship with others. ~ Vironila Tugaleva
 
&
 
You will find as you look back upon your life that the moments when you have really lived, are the moments when you have done things in a spirit of love. ~ Henry Drummond
 
I share with you a part of our story that seems a bit black and white. When I think about the hand of our creator being the larger part of our story, I now see it in 3D and in technicolour. I as not gobsmacked, I was God-smacked.

 

“To meet someone. And be met. To be chosen. To choose.To love. To be loved. This is everything.” — Mark Groves

The horrific discovery in Kamloops this past week is so sad. And we are all part of this story. 
 
Those who are part of mankind and feel they can control the world with mean-spirited and evil actions are a stain on the this big blue marble, formed with love for us.
 
When everything is uncertain, everything that is important becomes clear. -Dr. Caroline Leaf
 
If you had to explain to a newborn what it means to be a human being living on Earth in the 21st century, what would you say? Visual artist Oliver Jeffers put his answer in a letter to his son, sharing pearls of wisdom on the existence and the diversity of life. He offers observations of the "beautiful, fragile drama of human civilization." In this poetic talk paired with his original illustrations and animations.

 

 
Every soul is beautiful and precious; is worthy of dignity and respect and deserving of peace, joy and love. ~Bryant Mc Gill

 

Take a moment and join us in the Gardens of Hope. Thank you to Katherine MacLaine for capturing this special moment in time and sharing it with us. 

 

 
Today, while writing with headphones on, I had the joy of being inspired by Brahms & Gernshiem: Piano Quartets by Mianani Klavierquartett. Sample Listen Here.

 

Wishing everyone a wonderful week and may joy be more than an acquaintance. 

With love from Prince Edward Island, 
Bruce + Millie

 

ps. Your Morning Smile

 

Several women appeared in court, each accusing the others of causing the trouble that they were having in the apartment building where they all lived.
The judge, with Solomon-like wisdom decreed, "Okay, I'm ready to hear the evidence...I'll hear the oldest first."
The case was dismissed for lack of testimony.
Previous article Happy News + Rewilding + Magicians Dilemma

Comments

Hildegard Schmidt - June 6, 2021

I love your Blogs Bruce. Greeting from the Beautiful Okanagan Valley in British Columbia.
I have a picture of you somewhere when I visited your wonderful Restaurant and Gift Shop……….a number of years ago on a bush tour. You were dressed in a kilt and greeted the tour with a welcome speech.
Congratulations on your 35 Anniversary.
Hildegard Schmidt

Joanne Leger - June 6, 2021

Happy Anniversary, enjoyed reading how you meant.

Jane D - June 6, 2021

What s beautiful love story Bruce. Thank you for sharing, and may you and Shirley enjoy many more years together.
Happy anniversary, and I look forward to seeing you both at breakfast soon!

Zyna in Winnipeg - June 6, 2021

In this week of such sadness, how lovely to read your love story this morning. There need to be more such moments of shared joy, so thank you for sharing your magical meeting along your karmic pathways, and in minis, no less! What could be better than that!
I had a mini I loved in the 60’s, but had to leave it behind when I emigrated to Canada. I often wonder if it’s still out there somewhere. They were such basic little machines back then. No ‘extras’ , no fancy fabric upholstery, just a bare metal frame, with a driver’s door that opened with what seemed to be a loop of plastic clothesline! I bought mine second-hand and had it sprayed black. I was ecstatic. My father was horrified! How I loved that car!

However, I have to tell you when I came here in the 60’s I was totally unaware, totally ignorant of what was happening to the children in residential schools. I cannot even remember when I first came to know about the schools at all – and I was a teacher!
I only come back to your reference to the news today because of a single phrase in your essay which hit me like a ton of bricks.
The phrase…‘Hurt people hurt people’. Oh so true. That thought has haunted me today.

Bruce, as always, today’s compilation was a beautiful collection of importance…but what is most important is your willingness to share with us – your readers – the love that has grown from those ‘mini’ beginnings into your ‘maxi’ love story of today.
Much love to you and Shirley. Happy Happy Anniversary!

Brynhilde Roth - June 6, 2021

Wishing you and Shirley a very Happy Anniversary!

Brynhilde Roth - June 6, 2021

Wishing you and Shirley a very Happy Anniversary!

Murdock Morrison - June 6, 2021

Wonderful " Mini Like Story" with lots of twists and turns to finding the love of your life. Yes “love makes the difference” and congrats in loving every minute of those 35 years together . Looking forward to next Tuesday as we are coming to our cottage by the sea even though we have to isolate for 14 days. Have a great week- Murdock and Connie

Ruth Weirich - June 6, 2021

Congratulations on your anniversary! But 6 years? Goodness, Bruce! My husband and I had our first date (a blind date!) On 3/23/73. He asked me to marry him on 7/29/73, my birthday. He gave me a beautiful bouquet of peach colored roses that day and on 10/19/74, I carried a white bouquet down the aisle – with 2 peach colored roses nestled in it. This year, we’ll
celebrate 47 years together and I thank God constantly for putting me in the right place at the right time and for the dear friend who set up that date. We have been so very blessed and since we both retired, have been able to travel at will. Visiting PEI was on my bucket list. In 2019, we were able to visit your enchanted island and visited your store. My wish is to come back some day, but in the meantime, your weekly blogs, quotes and lovely photos of PEI keep our memories close in our hearts! Thank you!

Belinda Whittle - June 6, 2021

Congratulations on making it to 35! Hope you had a wonderful anniversary. :)

Jack & Lillian Paul - June 6, 2021

Happy Anniversary to you & Shirley… what a lovely story. Jack & I will celebrate 65 yr in Aug and like you enjoy every precious day. I also like the garden video…where there are flowers there is hope…..very fitting for your Garden of Hope.
Lillian

Leave a comment

Comments must be approved before appearing

* Required fields