Living A Charmed Life

August 22&24, 2008
Toronto,Ontario and somewhere there above.

What does it mean to live a charmed life and who is it that gets to lead one? Supermodels, actors, celebrities, superstars? The so called "beautiful people"? Many would probably assume they do, "the beautiful people" that is. Those same people would probably claim that they do not, so what defines a charmed life?

It seems we all like to jump on that question with the obvious "money" answer, but is that really fair? Does money really equal happiness? By all accounts that is a falsehood. Money may equal easy but it doesn't necessarily equal happy. All too often we focus on the negativity of life. What we don't have instead of what we do. While there are certainly some people out there who have so little that such a focus is justified, many more of us, especially in the western world, just need to take a moment to gain some perspective and really think about what defines a charmed life.

Truth be told, if you have food in your belly and a roof over your head, you're already well on your way to a life filled with charm. If you have love in your life, especially romantic love, you are certainly charmed, and if you've ever experienced the thrill of travel to places near and far then surely you must know that you're charmed. Broken down and dissected piece by piece, day by day, it should not be hard for any of us to recognize the charm in our lives.

As I began this journal entry I was sitting on the fold out bed in the guest room of my parents house in downtown Toronto, excited about the evening that lay ahead of me. An evening to be spent with someone I find intriguing, funny, smart and frankly, quite charming. Certainly that alone is enough to create feelings of gratitude. Of course as is so often the case, especially when talking to a Gemini like myself, there is another side to this shiny coin of life. That other, duller, side if the life coin has everything to do with where I sit now as I pick up my pen again to continue this entry.

I'm scribbling furiously in my book as my plane is pulling out of the gate and heading for the runway in preparation for take-off. In a few hours I will be touching down on land once again, across the country, in Vancouver. In the background a pre-recorded voice of the "anonymous French flight attendant" repeats the in flight safety procedures once again, this is Canada remember.

I realize it seems odd that the dull side of the coin would involve a plane ride across Canada to what could arguably be the most beautiful part of this vast country, but in fact this side of the coin does lack some shimmer. Last night, after putting down my journal to take the expected call from that certain charming someone, I got ready and headed out for my last 24 hours in my hometown. It was an amazing night and thinking about it now still makes me smile. Given, however, that I am currently taxiing down a runway and heading 4000kms away to Vancouver, I can see the coin one step ahead of me assuming lift off and flipping in the air. Flipping to the dull side where I can only wonder when I might get to repeat the excitement of the last 24 hours again. Unfortunately there is no telling exactly when that encore will occur...and so the coin lays dull on the floor in front of me...or does it?

Staring at the coin I can't help but let my mind deter me from flipping it back to the shiny, charming side of the life I lead. I can't help but think about my beautiful, ever-changing niece and the plethora of amazing friends to whom I must once again say good-bye. The wheels of the plane now lift up off the tarmac and my flight westward is commencing. If I'm not careful about where I follow these thoughts I could find my eyes brimming over with salty tears and my heart aching that familiar ache brought on by leaving the ones you love behind.

It is, therefore, at exactly this time that I must remember to be careful, to continue smiling at the memories of both last night and the last four weeks. Four weeks that I've been able to spend in my hometown, with all those people I love so much. It is those memories that give me the will to pick up that dull looking coin and flick it with my thumb forcing it back to it shinier, happier side. It is exactly those memories that remind me how lucky I am to be able to live in a city as beautiful as Vancouver but still get home a few times a year to see my cherished friends and family, despite the thousands of kilometres that distance us physically. Given that in two short years I will have flown back across the country to see them on 6 different occasions it would be wrong and frankly inappropriate to complain about my situation, for that flight is not cheap and not everyone can take a couple weeks off whenever they feel like it. I must think now about how lucky I am to work freelance, to be able to work in either of the two cities I call home. I must remind myself of the many other places on this big, beautiful planet I've been fortunate enough to set foot on and the many more I plan to tread across.

Though my heart still aches for the times I miss with these amazing people, it beats harder just knowing I have them in my life, regardless of which city I choose to claim as home. My life is indeed charmed and it only does myself, and my loved ones, an injustice to claim otherwise, or act as though it's not.

I love and value you all very much! As always, I look forward to my next trip home and extend the ever-standing invite to host you in Beautiful British Columbia when and if ever you should find the time!



Muchas amor mis amigos!

Mollie Mols
xoxo