Celebrating Life in Honor of a Lost Loved One

Take it up a notch

My sweet friend from Canada, Mary Lou Sinclair, lost her husband to cancer a few years ago. On the eve of what would have been his 53rd birthday, she sent this email, which I have posted here with her permission. Her invitation to ‘take it up a notch’ in memory of a loved one is something that I have pondered since I received the email. I recently had the opportunity to visit the house my Grandparents lived in and in which I spent many happy hours. I had a few self-indulgent moments of shedding tears and feeling sad until I realized that my loving memories of them would be better served by just such actions as are suggested by Mary Lou. I am going to try ‘to take it up a notch’ this week and every week until I see them again on the other side! I am grateful for the atonement of Jesus Christ and my testimony of the plan of salvation that gives me a sure knowledge that we will spend time together again.

Hi everyone…
Just as I wrote many of you last year, wanted to touch base again this year.  Tomorrow would have been Lawrence’s 53nd birthday.
If Lawrence was with us, it’s safe to say that we would have found a way to be in Southampton.  And that Lawrence would have had gone about his normal weekend routine; a run (although he often would stop to talk to someone along the way), possibly tennis with Patrick, BBQ’d a hot dog (before he was ill, or a salmon sandwich after), cleaned or fixed something at the cottage, driven (or board-sailed in earlier times) to Port Elgin to see good friends, called one of his staff to deal with a problem no matter where they were, made his own birthday dinner for the family including 6 different types of vegetables, dutifully had a piece of cake, passed on the ice cream, question my decision making when opening his gift from me and squee with delight at what the kids provided lol.  Very predictable but comforting in that predictability.  It would have been a great day
As I did last year, time to challenge you all in your week-end or next week’s activities.  Take it up a notch tomorrow in memory of your friend/family member/colleague.  Lawrence never did anything half way so don’t even think about it tomorrow.  Here are some ideas:

•  Get outside and walk or run (don’t let the heat deter you).  Take a new route and push yourself.  Seriously.
• Really clean a bathroom
• Call up a friend you haven’t talked to in awhile, or just compose a quick email to say you are thinking of them.  Use those words.
• Eat brussel sprouts or anything organic
• Gaze at the lake (Lake Ontario will do)
• Set a work goal that has something to do with improving a work relationship
• Read an old text book and re-learn something that really excited you!
• Watch a John Wayne movie, or the last installment of Lord of the Rings
• Have a serious talk with your kids that  you have avoided for awhile.  Hug them tightly.

You could also donate to Lawrence’s favourite charity, the Princess Margaret Hospital foundation or The Lawrence Sinclair Scholarship Fund (the fund is doing very well thanks to all of you!)

THANKS and hugs to you ML!! Tributes in memory of Lawrence Sinclair can be found here.