The chicane and the lotus.

I am writing from the warmth and comfort of my sister’s home in Oakville where we have just celebrated Easter together.  It’s our first gathering since Dad’s passing and I was anxious to see how Mom was faring.  This would have been her 60^th Easter with him were he still here.  I wasn’t sure what to expect but was absolutely thrilled to see her looking very well and full of beans when I arrived. She met me at the door with white furry bunny ears on.  I think she is going to be just fine.

All my siblings were here (there are five of us), and most of our kids, some with their partners, joined in the festivities.  We were never at a loss for words, food, laughs, games, and music. Oh yes, and the little silver sports car.

All of my nieces and nephews are very talented.  The two oldest boys have a zest for life that is inspiring.  They are excellent musicians, run a very successful corporate video production company, and co-own a lovely little Lotus Elise.  When they asked me if I’d like to go the racetrack and do a few laps with them, I didn’t hesitate.  We took my sister’s Mini as well as GoPro cameras so we could record the shenanigans.

It was a blast.  I confess to being a bit nervous when we went from the proverbial “0- to-well-let’s-say-60” in a nanosecond and then hit the first corner (which was the most difficult one on the course).  I was able to remain calm for four 3-km laps, and then I figured I’d tempted fate long enough.  I was done.  After our cool-down we went back to the sidelines. It wasn’t long before I was hankering to get back on the track, so out we went in the Mini.  Not tricked out for racing, it still gave us a good run for our money. (I would tell you how fast we were going but my sister reads my posts.)

We relived our experience later that evening on the big screen and had fun watching everyone else’s reactions to our adrenalin-junkie pursuits earlier that day.

My favourite part was the chicane.  Normally if I were driving around town and came upon two opposing curves, I would slow down and maneuver through the turns accurately.  Not necessarily so on the track.  You can follow the straightest trajectory through the turns at top speed and it is possible to come out the other side unscathed. That’s what we did of course. I didn’t realize how tense I was throughout the whole experience until today when I woke up so stiff I could hardly move.  That’s how tight I was holding my neck and back in anticipation of crashing or losing traction. It was fabulous.

When my heart rate returned to normal and I had some time to think about my afternoon with the guys, I wondered if this was reflective of my whole life… Do I just barrel on through or do I meet each twist with careful thought and weigh the pros and cons?

Actually, I believe it’s neither.  I enjoy life to the max.  I expect my days to be full of excitement and adventure and they usually are.  They can be high speed and full on, or they can be simply an adventure of spirit where I close my eyes and just sit still.

Racing through the chicane served both… I had the thrill of the ride and it also reminded me how important it is to slow down and meet what life has in store.

Never bored, I remain authentically yours,

Buns