Date

Categories

Expeditions

Author

Marie-Hélène Beaudry

Falling leaves, Falling eyelashes, Falling barriers. Settling in our bodies, Settling in nature, Settling in adventure.

Did You Know?

For our great escapees, we offer a timeless stay and this weekend they are truly grateful. No watch, no phone; it’s-not-the-good-time-don’t-even-try. The buzz of picking up needles, like an injection of slowness; going to bed at-I-don’t-know-what-time, getting up when it’s light.

How many hours have I slept? Is it time to take my medication?

The On the Tip of the Toes team takes care of that, so don’t worry, you’re in good hands. For the time of an expedition, let’s shout: We don’t care about the time of day or night, we’re here, we’re alive, we’re vibrating! Ask yourself: Am I still hungry? Do I feel good?

So supported, the liberated are willingly connecting more and more to their wellness channel. Here, we take care of our physical, mental, spiritual, and emotional well-being, as the First Nations medicine wheel teaches us. We throw the time into the fire and, together, we take the time.

Like another language

The conversations are going well today, like paddles in the water; all in the wind, we’re chatting away. In my non-initiated ears, during the exchanges as the flowing water, I waver between half-curious, half-dazed, between familiar and downright lost.

“What’s your favourite movie?”

“Have you seen this or that show?”

The whole thing is interrupted by a dialogue in a language that is foreign to me; each word is charged with experience and sounds half-scientific-half-esoteric. Here and there, between two other common stories, the participants unknowingly expand the limits of my ordinary. They talk about craniotomy, pleurisy, myocardium, half-wigs (they do exist!), cryotherapy, port-a-cath (understand catheter, nothing to do with your wallet or Catherine from the Foundation), “short” as well as “long” chemo, round as well, Decadrons, Taxol, A-C, mercaptopurine as well as methotrexate…

“Euh… Hey you? Do you listen to a lot of Indy music? … Do we say Bon Iver (French accent) or Bon Iver (English accent)?”(…)

The day in a wink:

We:

—Did almost 8 km of rabaska despite the whims of the wind.

—Napped on a sandy beach in the sun.

—Sung the Bohemian Rapsody (5 stars for Anne-Sophie’s memorable performance) and a soft hymn around the fire.

—Was impressed by the coolness of “Swimdy” (small name for Cindy, half woman, half mermaid, and half-racing rower) and Gabriel-the-Norwegian who jumped off the cliff for a most (!) refreshing swim at lunchtime.

—Enjoyed hot soups, burgers on the fire and S’mores with a chocolate sauce “invented” by our dear 3 Musketeers (a very appealing trio of logisticians!)

In short: Fun level today? The majority vote 13 out of 10. One participant even pushes the number limit, she says: “It’s countless, astronomical!”

Under the moon light

Finally, to guide you in your beautiful dreams, I would like to give you an infusion of the impressive self-mocking “Maude-me-too,” the vigour and motivation of Maude (the tall), the explosive energy and swag of Érika, the contagious smile of Mady, the generosity of Gab and the amazing adaptability of Stéphanie!

G’night! See ya tomorrow!

 

Marie-Hélène Beaudry

Blogger-Photograph for the On the Tip of the Toes Foundation

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