Linda McRae, Kamloops, British Columbia, Canada

March 3, 2011 at 3:21am

Hello! My name is Linda McRae, and I live in Kamloops, British Columbia, Canada. I am almost 50 years old. Egads! To see that in writing seems bad to me, but in truth, I don't feel old. But when I look back on my life, there are lot of years behind me, with memories so distant, they seem like a dream. 

Hidden Valley

Life has been good to me so far, with no regrets for the choices I've made, the paths I've traveled, and the people I've known. All of these have contributed to the time and place where I am now. And what a place it is, and I don't mean that in a geographical sense! Where am I now? Right here, in a place full of self-discovery, promise, and excitement, as I transform myself into an "unstoppable me".

Hmmmm... What is the most important thing I have learned in my life? I guess I would have to say: Don't live your life for someone else, by their standard, to make or keep them happy, when it makes "you" less than happy. If your compartment (by that, I mean "what you do", "where you live", "who you spend time with" or all of these) no longer keep you happy, then MOVE! Figure out what will make you happy, and then go "do that". Honor yourself. Because if you are not happy, how can you expect the people around you to be happy?

I once told an aunt of mine (who is in her 70's) that I did not know (and still not sure now) what my life purpose is. Her reply to me: Be happy. That is all you have to do! Wise Woman!



About the photo:
The photo of the journal on a barb wire fence was captured in the hills where my siblings and I used to hike when I was a young teenager. We lived in the valley below, beyond the end of this fence, and unless you hiked up the mountain, you'd never know the grassland and the valley (shown in the photo of me above) are there. In fact, as I was leaving the area on the day I captured this photo, a man walking his dog asked me how I found this place. He thought I was someone passing through on the Trans Canada Highway below.

I realize now, that we were very lucky as kids to have easy access to nature. Most kids who live in large cities do not, and as a result, do not develop an appreciation for nature - an appreciation that is so vital to the survival of this planet.

The area where we hiked was to most people, unknown. But recently, the City of Kamloops declared it a Nature Park, and it is now frequented by hikers and families who walk their dogs.

Originally, I planned to show the journal in a wider-angle setting, showing this "hidden valley" (as I call it), with the Kamloops Valley on the other side of the ridge in the background. But when I saw the barb wire fence, I was inspired to do what comes naturally to me, to create a more intimate detailed view, with the fence as a leading line. The vegetation in the background is sagebrush and pine trees, and the soil a very fine clay-like sand. Kamloops is hot and dry in the summer, like a desert; very different from the general perception that British Columbia is all rocky mountains with glaciers.