Good morning YOWzers! (is that a thing now?) Thank you for joining us this morning on our visit to the Museum of Nature. After our trip to the Hockey Hall of Fame last week, it was nice to visit a local museum again. Much easier commute.
Earlier this month we reminisced about Museum Month 2020 and the last in person workouts we had that year. As Museum Month 2021 comes to a close, we are now looking to the future and we are hopeful for what Museum Month might look like one year from now. We’re so glad you’re here with us today, and we’ll be REALLY glad if we can actually hug / high-five you / get weird stares from people walking by us wondering why we keep yelling “I’m a jellyfish!” at this time next year.
Our visit to the Museum of Nature is particularly special after having had the privilege of hearing Dr. Courchene speak on Monday evening. He reminded us about the importance of reconnecting with the land and taking the time to feel and express gratitude for its many gifts. Whether you are reading this from an apartment building in the city or from a quiet rural home, sitting at a desk or sitting beneath a tree, there are opportunities for connection all around us. If the land beneath our feet is covered by concrete, we can look up and feel the warmth of the sun on our faces. If Ottawa is hovering between false spring and 3rd winter and the sun’s warmth feels far away, we can feel the cool air on our cheeks.
Dr. Courchene also highlighted that only by acknowledging the mistakes of our past can we rewrite the future. So, how then do we truly go beyond acknowledgement? Dr. Courchene’s answer was simple. He reminded us that runners were once used to carry messages. When we move, sweat, and run on Mother Earth, consider the message that you are carrying. Take a moment of reflection and gratitude, and share what you appreciate and love about the land. There is an important difference between “simple” and “easy”. Although this answer is a simple one, it does take hard work. And stories are not re-written overnight. Should you wish to begin (or continue) by sharing something that you love and appreciate about the land in the comments below, we’d love to read about it.
Thank you for a beautiful NP morning, you beautiful people.
Sole-fully,
Rebecca & Becca
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
- Last day for the #NPKNOCKS design contest! Design and draw a pair of sunglasses, post them, and see if your 2D rendering turns into a 3D pair of glasses! More info here: https://knockaround.com/blogs/knock-tags/npknocks-by-you?fbclid=IwAR0FsD7wf4V1jznCqlBhzC7HT6dq1Qdavhshzn1L6-tQIvK_EUULn60etRc
- NP Toronto is hosting a virtual social this evening at 7:30pm and they seem like pretty cool people: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/2926189025
- A recording of Monday evening’s webinar with Dr. Courchene will be available in the coming week. More info to come.
- Pet a dog.
