What are you waiting for?

I have a real problem with waiting.

I hate waiting to "be happy" or waiting to tell someone I love them. I don't like waiting to live life or waiting for a reason to celebrate.

Have you ever been to a funeral and heard all of the wonderful things that are said about a person and the life they lived?

Or after someone passes away, the outpouring of heartfelt emotions that are rarely shared when the person is alive?

Not waiting is one of the reasons I created the FIERCE Women of the Year awards. I refuse to wait to tell my friends that I love them. I don't care how uncomfortable it makes them to hear it or how much I look like Paul Rudd in I Love You, Man.

Shit needs to be said.

It's like those tributes at the Oscars or Grammys celebrating the lives of celebs who have OD'd passed away; nice, sweet, awwww so touching.

Ahem.

How about CELEBRATE the people you love, right now, at this moment. 

Cheer them on! Champion their accomplishments! Show them how much their life matters while they are ALIVE to be see it.

When I heard the news that Christine Jarvis, our first-ever Graceful Goddess recipient, was killed, I was devastated but I kept reminding myself that I got the chance to honour her life while she was here. Chris was more than a FIERCE winner, she was the woman who I counted on to make sure my kids were taken care of when I needed to schedule them with the pediatrician she  worked for. She watched me launch MOM Magazine and encouraged me when I launched FIERCE. Our brief visits at the doctor's office led to a sweet relationship through Facebook and I watched her share her life through pictures and posts. She was always genuinely happy, thoughtful, positive and maternal. She never expected anything in return for her charitable efforts, she was the proudest mom I know, and she quietly lived a full life.

I know the award meant a lot to her and she was humbled by the recognition but now that she's gone, it's one of the things I'm most proud of in my life.

Don't wait until it's too late to recognize the people in your life.

Nominations for the 2012 FIERCE Women of the Year awards are open until Aug, 31 to Alberta women. The event will be dedicated to the memory of Christine and I know she will be smiling and clapping along there with us.


 

Return to You Are FIERCE

Saying goodbye to a Graceful Goddess

I hate having to write this post.

I've been dreading it since I heard the news last night.

There is a woman who most of you have never heard of. She lived a happy, quiet, and full life, generously touching the lives of others with her genuine beauty. She glowed from the inside out, her warmth and soothing presence calming the inconsolable, and her first thought was always of how she could help someone in need.

Her name wasn't splashed across newspapers on a regular basis, she wasn't a blogger, she didn't impose her opinions on anyone through social media, and she had no time for anything but making sure she lived life to it's fullest.

Christine Jarvis was our first-ever Graceful Goddess recipient of the FIERCE Awards but more than that, she was someone I considered a friend.

On Saturday, July 7, Christine died doing one of the things she loved most; driving her cherished motorcycle she lovingly named Rosie.

At the 2011 FIERCE awards, I invited the previous winners to present awards and Chris gladly and humbly accepted the offer. During her speech, she spoke of how much it meant to her to have the honour of being our first-ever Graceful Goddess recipient and how she looked at her diamond award whenever she needed a reminder that she was FIERCE.

Chris was 51 years old when she died but she touched so many lives in her short time here. She leaves behind three children, three grandchildren and countless lives she has changed for the better.

Rest in peace graceful goddess. The world is a better place because you were here.

t.