konnichiwa
ogenki desu ka
Don’t give up!
Keep at it until you accomplish what you’ve started
The key to achieving something is to stick to it, If you are able to continue something from start to finish, you will be sure to accomplish it no matter how difficult the task is. (PL2014.5)
I drove to Toronto yesterday. I have never in all my years driven to Toronto on my own, NEVER. I have been there many times, even lived there years ago. But either I was with someone, or I took a bus, train, even plane, but never have I driven there.. it is a 5 plus hour drive, and Toronto is a BIG action packed city. Cars everywhere and going at amazing speeds… highways beside highways, criss-crossing , man, I was to overcome with the magnitude of my situation to even think about it, I just had to live it.
Sometimes we just need to live it. My trips to Japan, and my memories of the Chinatowns I’ve been in over the years had me wanting to be in a milieu that was “Asian”… In Toronto there are huge communities, marketplaces, shops, restaurants that have that “familiar” vibe. My “draw back” was I didn’t take into consideration the time change factor, the month, days are shorter, etc. I had rendez-vos at the start of the day so didn’t leave Ottawa till almost 9 and Toronto is a good 5 hour drive.
AND I had a place to be (which required me to be back home) for 8 pm. Let me tell you, I got to have many little chats with myself yesterday…. and to examin my need to do things as they pop up in my gray cells. Then the jewel on the crown, when I got home, the road was closed right in front of my house, I had no access! (well I did, but I had to be coming from the other direction, and it was a very small opening!!) and I have mentioned it was pitch black out, and had been since about 4:58 pm. ok maybe 5:15…
It is pretty scary when the guardian angel is the big white truck in front of you that has lights not only along the bottom of his truck, but at each corner of his truck at the top. I offered up a silent prayer to his guardian angel in thanks and to keep him safe. Those super highways are D A R K !!!
A big thank you to my nephew who came along as I was staring in disbelief at the big road closure fences barring my way home… He ran over and saw that by going around and coming down the street from the other direction, I could squeeze the car through and into my laneway.
I was blessed with friends who checked in on me along the way…. in spirit I was never alone, and I did have a sense of accomplishment when I finally threw myself on the bed to end the evening with a well deserved “sleep”… (Bedtime stories are heaven sent)
Oh and.. onStar (service in my car) guided me every mile along the way, I even learned a new way to leave the conservation area, to the Queensway (super highway here in Ottawa)….
Oyashikiri
would I go back.. yes that was a tease.. but I would time it better.
