Blog post

On route along hwy 2 south on Sunday I was passed by a fella about my age on a bike travelling around 150k.  He looked confident and in control, travelling between the slower traffic with certainty. T-shirt fluttering, tore jeans, beany helmet, pipes rattling.

Only five minutes further down the road, the bike was in a crumpled heap, flocks of cars pulled over, ill equipped bystanders offering whatever minimal aid they could contrive.

This accident follows another that occurred only a month prior. Along the Anthony Henday later at night the same scenario, however the speed was less and the young fella was standing at the time we came to find him.  Both accidents hit me very hard.

Seeing this reassures the finiteness of life.  Perhaps if we knew the length of time each of us had we would allocate our commitments differently, make our decisions with greater certainty, and come to realize what really is of most importance to us. Everyone say's, live your life to the fullest, but really hasn't defined what that is.

I really like to think back to the two questions of, where am I, and what am doing.  Taking this moment I have found so beneficial to staying aware and in the moment.  Staying in the moment forces the additional question of;  Why am I doing this?

When I tack this on I reassure myself that I am not just doing things for the sake of routine, but actually doing something for a purpose. 

I very much believe that my life has a purpose.  If you don't believe this, you at least have to believe that your life has an effect.  How can we expect to get fulfilment in our life if we do not keep ourselves accountable for wasted time?

Currently I am bouncing around through jobs this August, recently returning from a very long week in the Smoky Lake region, back down to Sylvan lake for a small job, then up to Athabasca. Continually posing the question, where am I, what am I doing, and why?  Had a chance to cheer my wife on at the Mud Hero for a couple hours on Sunday also.

Vince.