Born in Vancouver, brought up in Victoria, now living in Calgary, I've always been surrounded by post card scenery. As a kid, you've got better things to do than gawk at an ocean. Besides, the ocean meant weekend clean-up duties on our family's boat. What kid wants to do work on a weekend? Bah! Ocean schmocean! But in having to do some return visits to Victoria on family business, I've stopped in at the harbour and taken a moment to soak it in a bit. Its some seriously good scenery over there on the island. I guess I forgot. I felt like apologizing to the Pacific for taking her for granted.
Same thing this past weekend. Here I am, living in Calgary, and the Rockies were a glance away. We can even see them through our bedroom window. I'd pass by the window, have a glance, think "how nice", then move along, probably double-checking my wife's cleaning (she's been slipping lately, almost time to lay down the law). But this past weekend, my boy's hockey tournament was in Canmore, Alberta. It was really cool to slowly approach the foothils, then be full-on into the Rockies. Both my boys were staring out the window with a stare not even their XBox could garner.
The coffee in our hotel was the most vile swill one could imagine. It tasted like feet. So I had to walk across this field to a Starbucks yesterday morning. I had to. It was in this field, that I had a similar moment to the one I described earlier about being in the harbour and soaking it all in. I halted for a moment in the field, grande Kenyan Starbucks in hand, and looked around. I soaked it all in again. Once again, I felt like apologizing to the Rockies for taking her for granted.
And after this moment of pure tranquility and inner peace, I drove the family to the rink for our last game of the tournament. On the ride home, the oldest boy leaned forward and asked, "Dad, can we come back here?" I promised him that, yes, we would be back. But when there's no tournament, or anything like that. We'll just concentrate on soaking it all in.
5 comments:
It's amazing isn't it... what we miss when we don't take a moment to 'stop and smell the flowers'.
Canmore and area, heck the mountains in general have been my lifeblood for many a year. I NEED them, I retreat to them, I seek them for understanding... they propel me. I've been here all my life, visited the ocean, found much enjoyment in it as well, but like a magnet the mountains pull me back. I need to see them every day.
There are a few things I am passionate about, those rocks are near the top of the list. Sharing them and all their magnificence with special people are what it's all about for me.
Well, I have two little converts who hopefully will have a lifetime of enjoying them Rockies.
After all, those mountains "rock". Ha! get it everybody? rock? mountains are usually made of rock? One could really take them for "granite". Haha! There I go again! Sheesh, the comic genius! Where do I get it? Its just a gift, I guess....
Yes, your comedic intellect is intact as for a 'gift'....welll???
I can't believe you admit you were born and raised on the West Coast.
And these mountains are nice to look at and occassionally ski down but they do not compare to lakes and beaches of beautiful Manitoba. You can knock Winnipeg all you like (and there's a lot of material there) but these mountains can't hold a candle to the beauty of cottage country.
Bobby, you're correct. I've heard pretty good things about cottage country. The West has some pretty serious scenery. If only we could dress-up Ontario a bit. Its sort of like our ugly sister we have to put up with.
Post a Comment