My cousin died after a long illness. It has sent me into a small tailspin. Love. Family. RIP Lawrence. You are all in my thoughts. I miss you.
There is this beautiful Ukrainian word:“Vikhovnia.” It means : all of the teaching/teachers/upbringing. Or as it means to me: all my heartfelt teachers.
Yesterday I managed to stay at work simply because it meant that I could attend a team lunch in London (UK). Truly, I am so incredibly far from my small Saskatchewan town in Canada. Sometimes I realize that I am so focused on “global community” because of my upbringing. We all want to be connected and part of a community, and, we have had many teachers. I’ve always mourned in large groups, because I come from a large small town family. I’m thankful for my temporary ‘city’ /’community’ family, but I’ m homesick and in culture shock.
About Lawrence: he was my cousin and potentially my ‘uncle’ based on our lives. My Dad had 11 siblings, so age differences means that family lines are simply blurred. Lawrence married my older vibrant cousin Laurie, but I’ve known him as my cousin and felt him to be like an ‘ uncle’. One of my favourite memories of him was the ‘short pants Ukrainian dance’ that he and the Uncles did at my cousins’ (Rhonda and Ron) wedding. This is a modified Ukrainian country dance. Imagine your uncles and cousins rolling up their suit pants to dance old style : kicking and etc. Actually, all my favourite memories are of Lawrence dancing, including his spins on the various floors with cousin Laurie. All day I have various flashbacks of years of happy dancing of Lawrence and Laurie. What a great way to be remembered! May we all dance through life with joy.
Last year my Auntie Elsie passed away. She was the most incredible happy storyteller and event planner. Seriously, she taught me to live in joy and make people smile- focus on making a great experience from food to mood to hosting. Every event I run, I channel my all my teachers, including Auntie Eva and Auntie Elsie.
I feel incredibly rich to have known such great people. So, I ask you: who are your teachers? Vikhovnia.
