Last year, I had the opportunity to have grief expert, Anne DeButte on Season 1 of my talk show, REALTalk With Sarah, to share her best tips for healing through grief. Anne did a beautiful job of walking us through the various stages in a way that honoured our own journey as well as the journey of our loved ones who have passed. She was able to help us see the grieving process as an opportunity for our own growth rather than only an ending of a life. It was a beautiful show (my healer-friend Marie-Lune was also on to share her insights) and if you didn’t get the chance to watch that episode, here is the link.
Recently, Anne turned the tables, where she interviewed me for her podcast called, appropriately, "Let's Talk About Grief With Anne". Here is the link to Anne's website where you can listen to our conversation on either iTunes or Spotify. Anne is a gifted interviewer and I truly enjoyed our time together. All of her episodes are fabulous, and if you or a loved one are grieving, I highly recommend you give the podcast a listen.
When my Dad died, I hadn't yet experienced the death of someone I'd been so close with. Yes, I'd lost grandparents and other loved ones, and I'd also grieved the loss of my #1 relationship--the one I'd developed for over a decade with alcohol--but losing my dad was, by far, the most visceral experience of grief that I'd yet encountered.
While I know my dad is always, always with me, I still miss the feeling of being in his physical presence, being able to wrap my arms around him and to feel that loving embrace. In two weeks, it will be have been 7 years since he passed away, and every year as the date approaches, I find my thoughts naturally gravitating towards times together, memories of family fun, and moments of true connection I shared with him. It was a special relationship and I continue to nurture it, even after his death.
In the interview, I talk about how I've been able to heal through the pain of my grief in the 7 years since he died, and we also go deep into many of the ways we can care for ourselves, even while grieving, to help ourselves heal through this life-changing experience. Again, here is the link to listen to the episode. Anne and I both hope it serves you.
OUR BIG NEWS...
The last place I saw my father alive was at the Victoria airport on Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada. That was the last time I got to wrap my arms around him and look into his green eyes, tears streaming from my own, but also excited for what the future held. He was on his way to treatment at Cedars at Cobble Hill; I was heading home to Ottawa to finalize a business deal. We were so filled with hope. No one could have known that only a year later, he'd be diagnosed with ALS and pass away within days. I will always have that memory of us in the Victoria airport, and I will always be grateful to him for taking a leap of faith almost 20 years ago to retire with my mom to Vancouver island. I've been to visit almost a dozen times and the island has called to me since that very first trip. I feel most at home in nature, near mountains and ocean and trees and in a few weeks, Roger and I get to move to the island he introduced me to! If you've never been to Vancouver Island, B.C., it is a MUST! Truly a jewel in this beautiful country, and we will be happy to show you around if you come to visit. 🙂
We will never, ever forget our years in Ottawa. For Roger, it's been "home" his entire life (some time in Rockland in there, too) and I've lived here twice, once for 5 years as a tween/teen and this time for 13 years as an adult.
Ottawa will always hold a piece of our hearts.
I moved here this last time because of my affinity for the area and to be closer to my brother, sister-in-law and niece (and, later, my nephew), and I fell in love with so many aspects of this city. The green space and focus on health and wellness, the great skiing nearby, the yoga scene, the downtown core (I am still awed every time I see the Chateau Laurier and the Parliament buildings...), the Gatineau Hills (thank you, Penthouse living, for all the great views!), the Rideau canal and the people. Definitely the people. While I took my time making connections, I have met some of the most incredible people in this city and I will truly miss those real life moments together. Thank you for the gift of your friendship, and we are grateful to social media for its ability to keep us all connected, no matter where we live in the world. Thank you to each and every one of you who became friends and colleagues. We have learned so much from every single one of you and we are deeply grateful for the time we've spent together.
We realize we won't be able to say goodbye in person to everyone we want to, but we will continue to return to Ottawa every Spring for our Healthy Brain and Body Show, so we hope we'll get to see you then! We'll be at the EY Centre on April 25 & 26th, 2020. We'd love to re-connect there.
We are so excited for this next stage of our lives and we are up for the adventure! It will be lovely to be closer to my mom and her partner and to live at the beach. 🙂 We are pinching ourselves as we take this next step into the unknown, but our hearts are light, resting in the faith that life is an adventure and if we don't seize the opportunities as they arise, they fade away and leave us wondering..."What if..."
I never want to live with regrets. I don't want to get to the end of my life and feel that there was more I wanted to do and see and be. And who knows! Maybe we won't like it out there! Maybe it will feel too far away from the rest of our family and maybe we'll decide to move back to Ontario, or elsewhere, one day. And if that's the case---that this is just a short stop on the tour of our lives---then so be it! But we won't ever have to wonder if Vancouver Island was meant to be our home, even for a time.
So we're off! And we're excited! And I am thrilled to be able to share this news with you! Again, please let us know if you are planning a visit. We would love to see you out there someday.
And if YOU are thinking of taking a leap of faith, I encourage you to take it! One never knows what the future holds, so remember to seize the day! It will never come by this way again.
So, take risks. Seek adventure. Live your bliss.
Because I want you to love your life one bite at a time.
P.S. Speaking of loving life, I am in love with Season 2 of REALTalk With Sarah! It starts Sunday, September 15th at 8 pm ET and you can catch the season premiere on Rogers TV in Ottawa (channel 22), on RogersTV online, or on Facebook (my own page or the Rogers TV page) as we stream live to Facebook each week.
To watch episodes of Season 1, visit the website where I house them all: REALTalkWithSarah.com.
P.P.S. If you’d like to learn more about my beliefs around food and sugar and body image, I did a live training called:“The Truth About Sugar and How To Live A Life Of Freedom Around Food.” My next round of "One Bite At A Time" (OBAAT) Coaching starts Monday, November 4th and registration is now open.
P.P.P.S. If you’d like to prioritize your health for 14 days, I’d love for you to sign up for my 14 Days of Wellness. Simply enter your name and email address up on the right to begin receiving the messages today. It’s FREE, with no diets, products, challenges or catches…just a chance to remember how amazing you are…for 14 days.
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