Looking for My North Star + What About You? + Or You’ll What?

Good Morning from Prince Edward Island,

Thank you for allowing me the time today. Do you have the kettle on? 

I don't know about you, but around this time of year, I start pondering a bit about the year behind and the year ahead.

Instead of a New Year’s resolutions list, I start searching for a ‘north star’ word. One which will be my centre-point when thinking, writing and doing.

The North Star is the anchor of the northern sky, a sky marker.  It helps those who follow it determine direction as it glows. A guide leading toward a purposeful destination.

Set your course by the stars, not by the lights of every passing ship.

~ Omar N. Bradley

I usually have a few ‘north star’ words percolate up while on the search.

The function of an ideal is not to be realised but, like that of the North Star, to serve as a guiding point. ~ Edward Abbey

Have you ever purchased a car of a certain colour? Drive it for while and start noticing how many are the same? Buy a white car and you start noticing all the white cars.

For me, it is like that when trying to choose a word.

Looking for signs. Just in case if you are wondering...

Not all those that wander are lost. ~ J.R.R. Tolkien

Last year, ‘encourage’ was the word that seemed to have found its way into being my centre-point. 

Currently, there seems to be one word in particular ‘driving’ by my mental windshield daily.  But I am going to wait a bit longer before making the decision.

Do you make resolutions? Do you have a ‘North Star' word?

The guide who negotiates your path forward and then shakes hands with Father Time?

I do reflect a bit on the year past.  But I don’t spend a lot of time looking in the rearview mirror, I prefer the windshield and the road ahead.

I have made more than a fair share of mistakes on this journey called life. 

“Mistakes are always forgivable, if one has the courage to admit them.” ~ Bruce Lee

They say hindsight is 2020. I used to say I hate hindsight. I don’t any longer. Lessons are for a reason. 

In the past if I had taken the time to ask myself why I was choosing to do a particular action before doing it, I am sure outcomes would have been different. 

I discover in most cases they were self-serving reasons. Feeding the ego, pride or some sense of entitlement.

Self serving ways come back to bite, sometimes viciously. (Bitten 3 times by dogs, I understand vicious, but I still love dogs.)

Looking forward, I ask myself.

What could I use more of in my life and why?

Less? Why?

How can I be of service to others? Why?

Before moving forward on anything, I ask why, search for the ‘honest’ and revealing answers. Ego is always lurking.

‘Your potential, the absolute best you’re capable of -

that’s the metric to measure yourself against.’

~ Ryan Holiday, The Ego is the Enemy 

I imagine a difference I would like to experience and I write down three or four things.

I then let them percolate for weeks.

Much like being a producer of your own hit series. You need to decide if it is a comedy or a drama. LOL

Speaking of production.

We missed the River Clyde Pageant performing in 2020. The creative genius producers, Megan Stewart and Ker Wells founded the pageant in 2015.

The River Clyde Pageant is a spectacular outdoor performance in New Glasgow, Prince Edward Island. It unites community members, professional and emerging artists in its creation and  presentation. Each summer Pageant features giant puppets, stilt-walkers, musicians and performers of all ages. The Pageant celebrates Island community and the river that has defined and sustained it for over 200 years. It promoting values of environmental stewardship, civic practice, and artistic bravery.

All are welcome to take part as performers, workshop participants and volunteers.

Sadly, producer Ker passed away form pancreatic cancer August 2019.  And Ker would say, “the show must go on!”

Megan and her team are bringing a holiday extravaganza to the Gardens of Hope this December. All in a safe social distanced manner. I can’t wait to see what they come up with.

Below is a trailer of sorts showing the bits and pieces of 2019 River Clyde Pageant. I love all that this represents. Creativity, Leadership, Vision, Education, Team Building.

If you wish to assist them financially, I am sure they would love a little boost. Give here.

It has been a very busy mail order season this year, like none we have ever experienced. And we have had an online store since 1998.

So, to keep the energy moving, I been listening to Trypl. Sample listen here.

Keep grooving & moving! Let’s Dance!

Taking Care of Business. You may have noticed many gift boxes we had available taken down.  We wait, for suppliers to restock us. Hope to have available later this week.

In the meantime, we put up some new items last night. Take a peek here.

I hope you have a wonderful weekend and next week is the best one yet.

With love with from Prince Edward Island.

Sincerely,

Bruce & Millie

She celebrated her 1st birthday, November 19. She brought so much joy to this house in 2020.  In the mornings she loves to get a piece of someone's clothing and bring it to you. She won’t let it go until you pay some attention to her. Cracks us up!

ps. Your Morning Smile

I think the girl at the Airlines check-in just threatened me.

She looked me dead in the eye and said, “Window or aisle?”

I laughed in her face and replied, “Window or you’ll what?”