les hauts et les bas d’un p’tit gars canadien

2010 will perhaps be the most important year of my life. That’s not hyperbole: a number of landmark, once-in-a-lifetime things happened.

Mom: Despite 10 years of her living with emphysema, countless visits to hospitals, and one particularly horrific journey from Australia to New York in 2005,  Mom’s death in September gutted me. I am a momma’s boy through-and-through and I still have moments…perhaps days…when I ache so much to see her, hear her (“you’re an idiot!” would be music to my ears), touch her, tell her how much I love her, what a great Mom–and person–she was. So much of who I am–the activist, the scholar, the nurturer, the lion–I get from her. Getting to delivery her eulogy has been–will be, I suspect–the greatest honour of my life. It’s available here if you’re interested, the password is Pat.

And if you still smoke cigarettes, please stop. Today. If you can’t for your own health, look at those who love you and imagine the horrors you will subject them to as you gasp for that one decent breath that never, ever comes. Please.

And yet…there were so many other wonderful things earlier in 2010. So many it feels callow to write about them. But remembering what was awesome doesn’t diminish my loss. Or pain. And, truth be told, Mom was as excited for them as I was.

Volunteering for the Olympics: It started in 2009, but the time I spent with my friends on the Uniforms team was golden. We had fun, we worked hard, and we got infused with the Olympic and Paralympic spirit months before most of the country. Some of these folks will be friends for life.

Torch relay: running with the Olympic torch in Logan Lake was the highlight of the year. I can remember watching the relay when I was a child; I think I even dared dream about carrying the flame into the stadium. But me? Carry it? For real? Not gonna happen. Except it did and for 6 minutes on 06 February 2010 I was the only person in the world holding the Olympic flame. Wow!

Hosting the Egans/Smiths: I’m not sure how I ended up with zero house guests during the Games. I figured someone would want to crash here for a few days. Instead my brother Tommy, the lovely Theresa, and the beauty that is Tina, along with most of Tommy’s in-laws, rented a house together. So over a week I played happy host. We took in several events, meals, and touristy stuff. They were such a great group of folks to spend time with.

My Games experience: watching Canada win 12 medals live, in-person (7 gold, 2 silver, 3 bronze), getting to the final full dress rehearsal for the Opening Ceremony of the Olympics, going to the real Closing Ceremony of the Olympics (on the floor!), and the Paralympic Opening. I was there for the Golden goal then walked over to the Closing. All on my 46th birthday.  Best moment of that day? My mobile ringing while walking between the too and Mom saying “I’m so excited for you! I’m so glad Canada won! I cried when they played “O Canada”!” Best. Mom. Ever.

New role: after the amalgamation of several units on campus, a new role came up and I got it. It’s been not quite 2 months so far and I’m still settling in (ugh, I frickin’ hate settling in), but I think I’m gonna love doing this. Whatever precisely this is!

As we move into 2011, I wish you all peace, love and joy!

About John P Egan

Learning technology professional.
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