This is it. The final countdown to Laura’s move to Australia is on. As the day gets closer, I’m feeling grateful for the technology that keeps us connected.
Welcome to the 172nd edition of The Sunday Spark, a series with weekly thoughts and highlights, nuggets of learning, and a quote of the week. Along with my feelings about the final countdown to Laura’s departure, this week’s edition has a Wordle word of the week, research on the benefits of bilingualism, and food innovation in Canada’s north.
On my mind this week: It’s the final countdown
Laura arrived home on Thursday. She’s here for three weeks and then returns to B.C. for a week before she leaves for Australia. On Thursday evening, Colleen will arrive home for ten days.
I’m excited to have my two chickadees back in the nest for a while, but Laura’s arrival reminded me that the final countdown to her move has begun.
Twenty-five days from now, Laura will be on a plane headed to the other side of the world. Ever since she told me she was going, I’ve consoled myself by looking forward to spending time together this summer. Now, I see that time slowly slipping away.
No matter how much we love our kids and want to keep them close, setting them free to live their lives is part of our evolution. I’m excited and happy for Laura. My head knows this is what she needs to do at this stage of her life, but my heart still struggles.
Grateful for technology that connects us
In recent weeks, I’ve been thinking a lot about how my mum must have felt when my sister Angela stayed behind when we emigrated to Canada in 1973.
In the 70s, it was much more difficult to stay connected. There were no video calls or family group chats. International phone calls were expensive and reserved for special occasions. It wasn’t as simple as just picking up the phone and calling. First, you had to call the operator to request an overseas call. Then, the operator would call you back when a line was free.
Angela always tells the story of the first Christmas after we came to Canada. She tried to call us but couldn’t get an overseas line. She said she sat and cried because she felt so alone.
In those days, we mostly communicated by letter. We’d be excited to see a letter in the mailbox bringing news that was usually weeks old. It’s hard to imagine now in the age of instant information.
So, while I miss having my daughters close by, I am grateful for the technology that makes it easy to stay connected and share news on a daily basis. And no matter how far they roam, they’re always close to my heart.
The Sunday Spark is on hiatus
We have a busy few weeks lined up with lots of visiting with friends and family. As such, The Sunday Spark will be on hiatus for a couple of weeks. Instead of a new Sunday post, I’ll bring back two of my favourites from earlier in the series.
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Three highlights of the week
It’s important to celebrate big milestones and simple pleasures in life. Keeping the trend going, here are three highlights and simple pleasures of the week gone by:
- Our air quality was much improved this week, so I was able to resume my morning walks.
- I visited my Mum for lunch on Wednesday, and then Laura and I went to see her on Friday afternoon for lunch.
- I booked a trip to visit Colleen in PEI at the end of September. We’re going to go see Anne & Gilbert, The Musical while I’m there.
Things I learned this week
Life is all about learning. Here are three things I learned this week:
Wordle word of the week
Do you Wordle? I do. It’s part of my morning routine. In recent weeks, we’ve seen a few of what my daughter Colleen calls “fake words”. They are real words, but some of them are quite obscure. I suppose it was bound to happen eventually. There are only so many 5-letter words in the English language.
One such word appeared earlier this week when the Wordle word was shill. Dictionary.com defines shill as:
- a person who poses as a customer in order to decoy others into participating, as at a gambling house, auction, confidence game, etc.
- a person who publicizes or praises something or someone for reasons of self-interest, personal profit, or friendship or loyalty.
The cognitive benefits of bilingualism
I’ve always had a talent for languages. In high school, French and German were my best subjects and it turns out I should be grateful for that. Research shows bilingualism could delay the onset of Alzheimer’s symptoms by four to five years.
And it’s never too late. Even learning a second language later in life and achieving moderate skill might contribute to cognitive resilience.
(Source: Study Finds)
Food innovation in Canada’s north
Churchill, Manitoba is best known for polar bears, but the Churchill Northern Studies Centre is showing real innovation when it comes to increasing food security in the community.
One terrific example of this innovation is Rocket Seeds, which grows leafy greens and herbs in a repurposed sea container. The container holds up to 1800 plants that are harvested year round. The harvest is distributed to the community weekly through a subscription program.
(Source: Happy Eco News)
Quote of the week
How lucky I am, to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard.
Winnie the Pooh, A.A. Milne
I’d love to hear what you think about any of this week’s topics. Drop me a comment below and let me know your thoughts and ideas.
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Awesome! Enjoy your time with your daughters.
Thank you, Edward.
You’re very welcome, Michelle.
Havin only one son, I would follow him anywhere in the world (not sure he will be happy about it…). It’s a big step for the whole family, I think. If you have never been to Australia, you have an excuse to visit now!
Ha ha. I don’t think Laura would like that very much. Her younger sister Colleen, on the other hand, would be okay. She just bought a condo and said I can visit her more often now that she has more space. I have never been to Australia, so I will definitely be going now.
Enjoy this special time together, Michelle – and wishes for the big move ahead!
Thanks, Ab.
Oh, the countdown. I love your note about technology making it easier to keep in touch — and that your girls will always be close to your heart. Your story about Angela’s Christmas call is so poignant. Hope you enjoy your busy next weeks!
Thanks, Wynne. I don’t know how I’d manage if the only ways we had to communicate were letters and unreliable overseas calls. And when I think about my grandparents moving to Australia from England in the 1920s when it was a 6-week journey on a boat, I feel very grateful for the world we’re living in today.
As a fellow parent, I understand the mixed emotions you must be having about your daughter going to Australia. It would be perfectly normal to think about how much you’ll miss her as well as feeling good about her own happiness and this rich experience she’s about to have.
I’ve done Wordle a few times and understand the attraction. I like word games in general. I don’t consider “shill” an obscure word, but I’m sure there are plenty of words others are familiar with that I’ve never heard of.
Thanks, Pete. Yes, my emotions are all over the place at the moment.
Funnily enough, a couple of days after shill was the Wordle word earlier this week, it showed up in a book I was reading. I guess it’s not that obscure after all. 😂
Thank you so much for sharing the article about bilingualism and Alzheimer’s, Michelle. I look forward to checking that out!
And…mama bear….enjoy all the time with Laura and with Colleen when she arrives. I hear you. So special to have both of your chickadees under your roof before Laura’s big adventure begins. Enjoy every moment…sending big hugs and all of my best wishes to your whole family. Extra love for Laura….you know. Just because. xo! 💝💝💝
I did find the information about bilingualism fascinating, Vicki. Another reason I should be brushing up on my German in my spare time. 🇩🇪 It’s easy to keep up with French living in Canada, but harder with German.
Thank you so much for the good wishes. 🤗 We have so much going on over the next few weeks, I said it’s like planning a royal tour for Princesses Laura and Colleen. 😂👑👸😂
Ahhhh! Treat them both like the royalty 👸 they are!!!! ❤️😉❤️
Haha. I don’t want all this attention to go to their heads or the crowns won’t fit. 😉😂
Oof! Good point! 😜❤️😜
The A.A. Milne quote is so apt. Enjoy the time with your family, Michelle!
Thanks, Erin. Yes, there is some wisdom in those Winnie the Pooh books.
Enjoy your time with your daughters! As a traveler, I love(d) going on adventures and living in different parts of the USA was part of it; but I think my parents had more mixed feelings. I always love coming home for visits, though (written from my mom’s kitchen table this morning). Hopefully your daughter Laura will be able to come back occasionally, if less often.
Thank you. Laura has always had an adventurous spirit so this move isn’t really surprising. She will come home to visit and we plan to visit her there in Australia. New places to explore!
My son has been at University of Melbourne for law school the past two years. Moving to Australia (from US) was one of his best decisions. Hopefully he can land there. It’s still a 10+ hour flight from us in Shanghai, but it feels closer because of the time zones.
Yes, the time zone difference does make it more challenging, Scott. Most of the activity in our group chat takes place in the middle of the night in Australia.
I used to Wordle but then I moved on to crosswords. I play one every morning.
I wish you and the family all the best as these next few weeks progress Michelle. I’m sure your daughter is ready to explore this new life adventure. I remember when the youngest came here to Colorado. It was so important to have phone calls and video chats to keep connected.
Thanks, Deb. I’m a crossword lover too. It’s amazing the little nuggets of information we pick up from these games.
Thanks for your good wishes. I see how excited Laura is and that makes me happy. It’s still hard though.