My Extraordinary Ordinary Life

Without a doubt, one of my most favorite things to do in the WHOLE WIDE WORLD is to go to the movies. It used to be that I went to the movie EVERY SINGLE Friday night. I saw good movies and I watched REALLY BAD movies. It didn't seem to matter. I enjoyed the LARGE tub of popcorn and the company of my gal pals. My movie attending extravaganza went on for years, however, time took it's toll. Friends moved or lost interest and I have found myself wishing every Friday night that I was at the local Cinemark but I'm usually at home in my jammies watching television.

Yesterday Mark took me to the theater and when we got home (not about to let go of our time together) I rummaged through my vast collection of DVD's and pulled out About Time starring Rachel McAdams and Domhnall Gleeson. 

I saw this movie in 2013 in the theaters. I don't know exactly what I expected when I went. I do like Rachel McAdams. I had geared up for a sappy, predictable love story that would be "good" but would leave no impression on me.

Wrong.

Again.

This movie has crept into my TOP-VERY-MOST-FAVORITE-MOVIES-IN-THE-HISTORY-OF-EVER list. I mean EVER.

We were watching this witty, heart-warming story last night. I went to bed thinking about it. I had dreams about it. Woke up this morning and decided to write about it.

The storyline is about time travel. When Tim (Domhnall Gleeson) turns 21 his father sits him down and informs him that the men in his family have the gift of time travel. His father, played REALLY WELL by Bill Nighy, asks him what he thinks he wants to accomplish with this gift. Tim throws out that he would probably want more money. After being told that money isn't the answer to life or happiness, Tim decides that he wants to use his gift to find love. REAL love.

Tim sets off on his adventure to find the love of his life (and does so brilliantly). Along the way he learns that his special ability can't shield him and those he loves from the problems of ordinary life.

Tim's dad watches from the sidelines as Tim repeats different scenarios to "better his position" in awkward moments. However, there comes a time when father sits son down to tell him the important stuff he has learned through a lifetime of time travel.

"And so he told me his secret formula for happiness. Part one of the two part plan was that I should just get on with ordinary life, living it day by day, like anyone else. 

But then came part two of Dad's plan. 

He told me to live every day again almost exactly the same. The first time with all the tensions and worries that stop us noticing how sweet the world can be, but the second time noticing."

And he did.

One of the songs playing in the background of the movies is Gold in Them Hills by Ron Sexsmith:

I know it doesn't seem that way
But maybe it's the perfect day
Even though the bills are piling
And maybe Lady Luck ain't smiling
But if we'd only open our eyes
We'd see the blessings in disguise
That all the rain clouds are fountains
Though our troubles seem like mountains

Every now and then life saysWhere do you think you're going so fast
We're apt to think it cruel but sometimes
It's a case of cruel to be kind
And if we'd get up off our knees
Why then we'd see the forest for the trees
And we'd see the new sun rising
Over the hills on the horizon

There's gold in them hills
There's gold in them hills
So don't lose faith
Give the world a chance to say
A word or two, my friend
There's no telling how the day might end

What would I change if I could travel in time? What life event would never happen and what would be the cost?

I'm glad I did it the way I did. Nope. Hasn't been perfect. I have dodged dirt and mud. I have ripped and torn the hearts of those I love. I'm still learning and trying and at times - failing.

"And in the end I think I've learned the final lesson from my travels in time; and I've even gone one step further than my father did: The truth is now I don't travel back at all, not even for the day. I just try to live every day as if I've deliberately come back to this one day, to enjoy it, as if it was the full final day of my extraordinary, ordinary life."

The Most Biggest Day

I've had many, many, MANY days in my lifetime that have meant the world to me. Saturday the 16th of August became the biggest day of my life. Period.

A few months ago, Mark came to me and said that he wanted to put together "THE FIRST ANNUAL POOPY-SQUAWK-NO-JOCK-SLOP CHARITY MOTORCYCLE RIDE".  I've established that Mark calls me "Poop". I HAVEN'T clarified that Poop is short for "Poopy-Squawk-No-Jock-Slop". Don't ask me what that means. He just called me that one day and it stuck. Yeah. I'll thank him later.

So. We put together a charity ride in honor of me. Because I know many people that don't have motorcycles, I thought it might be good to do something that they could attend as well, so we put together a small lunch and gathered some DANG GOOD raffle prizes. The event planning began. Posters were made, a facebook page created, chili dogs ordered and raffle prizes gathered. I made really awesome t-shirts to represent the "First Annual OPCA Charity Ride".

I wish I could describe the experience. Provo bakery donated donuts, Fresh Market and Macey's helped with Orange Juice and t-shirts were at the ready for those that came to offer support. I wandered around my front yard. It was so important to me that I speak to every single person that showed.  Around 17 motorcycles gathered at my house. My cooler-than-ever cousin Lee drove his car with the bikes and one of my favorite people in the whole wide world, Brit, put her kids in her vehicle and brought up the rear of the pack.

I thought I was handling everything like a champ. I didn't bawl or weep. I felt a thrill every time a heard a bike coming down the road and shed some tears as people showed to offer support. But all in all I think I kept my emotions in check. Until...

10:30 arrived and it was time for the ride to start. Everyone was going around the Nebo Loop then gathering with the bike-less supporters at the East Bay Golf Course for chili dogs and the raffle. I had decided to stay behind and do some last minute setting up and to greet those that showed up to the luncheon before the bikes made it back. I stood in the driveway while the bikers loaded up, Lee got in his WOW car (and I do mean WOW) and Brit loaded the kids in her jeep.

Suddenly bikes roared to life. The rumble filled the streets and I lost it. I mean LOST it. I cried like a little school girl. I watched as motorcycles loaded with do-rag wearing, sunglass sporting friends and family rolled out of my yard wearing a t-shirt to represent ME. Yep. Me.

1:30 rolled around and those that were gathering at the course began strolling in. We filled the "party room" with laughter and talk. The raffle began and we all cheered loudly at the prize-winning. My gaze fell on each table and I witnessed the smiles and the laughter. I was watching the festivities when it hit me. Hard.

A chill started in the top of my head, traveled along my spine and landed in my feet. I began trembling with emotion. That room was filled to the brim with people who love me. ME.

A few days before the ride, I was sitting at the golf course chatting with Mark. He had asked me if I was ready for the ride. I have been overwhelmed with the support offered to me and (as usual) I became emotional and with tears streaming down my face I said "Maybe I'm the lucky one." MAYBE instead of feeling bad about this stupid disease I need to turn it around and be grateful. How many of you are able to witness love and support in such a personalized setting? I did. So many people went out of their way to share a story with me about how I have touched their lives. I groaned when they opened the conversation with "Do you know my first memory of you?" I've been known to smack some of the kids upside the head (especially friends of my boys when they were younger). I'm always caught off guard with that opening statement. We laughed and talked and shared and cried and remembered.

And I was grateful for the stories.

I think about my future. I used to believe that I will eventually be able to repay human kindness and generosity shown for my benefit.

This last week has taught me that I probably won't.

I ran across a quote from Elizabeth Gilbert. She said:

"In the end, though, maybe we must all give up trying to pay back the people in the world who sustain our lives. In the end, maybe it's wiser to surrender before the miraculous scope of human generosity and to just keep saying thank you, forever and sincerely, for as long as we have voices."

So....

THANK YOU.