I, along with the COC (Canadian Olympic Committee) and Canada Basketball visited the SEED Basketball Academy in Dakar. Our visit to their campus began with meeting the coaches. You could hear their thirst for knowledge in the questions they were asking. They were passionate about what they do and wanted to equip their young athletes with everything they needed to be successful.
To think that I have now been inducted into the town of Milton’s Walk of Fame is both an incredible honour and also a bit of a shock. I am honored that my name was even considered for this incredible distinction and I have been incredibly fortunate, but I feel like I’m not done. There is so much I have yet to do, and goals on my list I have yet to reach.
After he gave us our wet suit, snorkels and flippers, we jumped into the water. The first sea creature I saw everywhere was jellyfish! So, obviously I - and the family I was on tour with - started freaking out! It turns out that these jelly fish (which were a beautiful purple color and looked so graceful and soft in the water) were called moon jellyfish. Although they can and do sting humans (it feels like a mosquito bite or small zap), they're not poisonous. Of course, I did not learn this until later in the day, so whenever I saw a large group of them during the actual tour, I…
As I was leaving the botanical gardens, I noticed a tiny garden of poppies. Growing up, I’ve always worn the pins on Veterans Day and have seen pictures of poppies, but I don’t recall ever seeing a poppy in real life. So, obviously I snapped some pictures! This little garden was called The Legacy Garden, with a small plaque in front that said the following…
If you were to look at my phone, you would probably find a good 500 pictures purely of nature; plants, trees, flowers, leaves, ponds, the ocean and green sceneries. I am obsessed! I feel close to God in many instances, but when I am consumed by nature, surrounded by it, observing it, sitting or walking in it silently, admiring its beauty, listening to the quiver of the leaves in the wind, the birds chirping, the crashing of the waves, or a disturbance in the bushes - just me and my thoughts - that’s when I always feel engulfed by Him.
As I was leaving the botanical gardens, I noticed a tiny garden of poppies. Growing up, I’ve always worn the pins on Veterans Day and have seen pictures of poppies, but I don’t recall ever seeing a poppy in real life. So, obviously I snapped some pictures! This little garden was called The Legacy Garden, with a small plaque in front that said the following…
If you were to look at my phone, you would probably find a good 500 pictures purely of nature; plants, trees, flowers, leaves, ponds, the ocean and green sceneries. I am obsessed! I feel close to God in many instances, but when I am consumed by nature, surrounded by it, observing it, sitting or walking in it silently, admiring its beauty, listening to the quiver of the leaves in the wind, the birds chirping, the crashing of the waves, or a disturbance in the bushes - just me and my thoughts - that’s when I always feel engulfed by Him.
I will never forget the feeling I had over a decade ago when I first walked the streets of Paris as a teenager. The bustling roads, full of cars and pedestrians of varying races; the architecture, each building a giant standing piece of art. The Seine running through the city (I am drawn to water), and the parks, how trees, plants, and the grass contrasted with the concrete jungle that gave us shelter and food. I was drawn to this city, it was mesmerizing, a new experience yet I felt at home here. I could see myself living my daily life within the streets of Paris. Well, my first night exploring Melbourne on my own, that familiar feeling came back, I felt at home, like I belonged here.
When I was a young kid, even as a teenager planning out my life, I never imagined I would be living the life I currently have now. Every dream I had as a child, God has surpassed in ways I never thought possible - hence, why I always live by the mantra ‘Dream Big’. All the dreams I had for my life were so small (not in a bad way) compared to how God has carved out my life. Don’t get me wrong, a lot of hard work, sweat, tears, sacrifice, blood, more tears and frustration were a part of the journey. However, I am so fortunate and thankful that I, at this moment and time in my life, have a job (if you can even call it that) that I absolutely love! Some key reflections…
We were also exposed to the Corpse flower, yes, you read that correctly, the Corpse flower. It doesn’t look like a flower in my opinion, more like a giant fruit. It may not be the most vibrant or prettiest flower around (in its current state pictured above) but it certainly gets your attention. Not only is it a fairly large flower, but it has a terrible stench. I wonder if maybe that is where it gets its name?
A dream of mine has been to play for Canada on the Senior Women’s National Team - a dream that was finally realized, only to be taken away by injury a few days later.
Later this month Canada will compete in Tenerife, Spain at the FIBA World Cup. I had my eyes set on making the roster to help Canada compete for a spot on the podium.
