Positively Remember to Live

Why? Since I posted this visual journal entry two weeks ago, four people I have known have passed away from cancer, and I have also remembered even more special people who have lost their battle.

One of my students that I taught at Crestwood School in grade four died recently. She was only 29 years old. She was a very special person. I remember writing about her in grade four that she had a smile as beautiful as a spring rainbow. She had the sweetest voice and admirable enthusiasm for what ever she did. She stayed after school helping me put on the finishing touches for a fur trading day. I remember her dressing up for our fur trading day in costume and sitting in the cardboard church that the students made singing Jesus Loves Me. I remember her singing with her grandparents in the church. She had every group of students and parents singing in the church. She was a kind a caring person who volunteered to help others.

Her parents were so thankful for her teachers, that every year they would invite her teacher and her teacher's family to their home for a delightful supper. I remember sitting in their living room listening to her playing the piano. What a special family and evening!



She posted on her Facebook page not too long ago, "Remember to live".

To celebrate knowing her, I remembered to live tonight. It was raining, but I invited my son Bryan to venture out to visit a nearby owl's nest. This morning I spotted an owlet poking its head out of the nest with its mother. I have been watching the nest since February, and updating my students on the progress each day.

After school, the mother and father were out of the nest and I spotted three little owlets poking their downy covered heads out of the top of the nest. So after supper, we ventured out in the rain and along the busy highway to get a closer look. The pictures ended up not the brightest, it was raining and the sun began to go down.

I think I can see four owlets.

We were treated to a conversation of hoots between the mother and father and me.

Please excuse the shakes.  I was standing on a slanted ditch.

After, a hawk swooped in and screeched, "Hello, I am watching you!"

  

A Blurry in the rain, but still important.  Showing life!

Later, the parents were getting nervous, so we hopped in the vehicle and drove to another nest. I noticed a head with white poking out this morning and was curious to identify the bird. As we were sitting in an approach nearby, two Canadian geese flew very close to the nest and then veered off. Sure enough, it was a Canadian goose nest high up in the tree top. We could see the beak, the white band and the tail feathers over the edge of the nest.

We decided to continue the journey down one of the range roads and were treated to the sightings of many, many deer. It was amazing how easily and gracefully they could leap over the barbed wire fences.

 I was asked today if we will still go on our field trip tomorrow if it rains. Yes, yes we will. It will be a reminder that just because it rains, we do not have to stop living.

 Thanks, Sonja for the reminder!  I will positively remember to live!