Hi Friends!
Did you see the mountains today? They are literally glowing. If by some miracle I’ve gained an international following, and you don’t live local, I mean the Golden Ears mountain range. The fresh fallen snow that has graced the peaks of the Ears is illuminated in the sliver of sunshine that we’re seeing today. The Golden Ears mountains have always held a special place in my heart. Every year when the first snowfall touches the peaks I am moved by their beauty. Most years I call my Mom to announce their new season of splendor, but most times she’s spotted them even before me. My Mom is the one who passed on her love of the mountains. For years she volunteered for Search and Rescue, and has always been an avid hiker and cyclist. She would pick me up after school in her rusted out Ford as early as Kindergarten and take me down the winding roads leading to the gate-keeping sheep (if you know, you know) to park at the trail heads of the Golden Ears mountains. We hiked most days, and when we didn’t we rode bikes along the dikes, which offer a picturesque perspective of the mountains. As a kid, I didn’t appreciate them so much; I would drag my feet and complain at times, but over the years the love for those mountains grew.
Some days when I would drive into work I would crane my neck, nearly driving off the Pitt River bridge to take in their beauty. When I bought my first house I had a could see them from both my bedroom and living room windows. Now, in my little condo I have a magnificent view of the mountains from every window, and most importantly the patio. Those mountains fill my heart with gratitude. When everything seems to be going mad in the world, those mountains never move. They stand strong, and beautiful, only changing with the seasons to show you different sides of their dynamic personality. When I drive in different directions I like to notice how their perspective changes, or rather my perspective of them. On my 28th birthday my sister and I hiked to the summit of the Golden Ears mountain. In 12 hours we ascended the West Canyon Trail 22 km up, past Alder Flats, gaining 1695 m of elevation along the way to very peak of those glorious mountains, before stumbling our way back down to our car for a victory meal at The Black Sheep pub. It was a lifelong goal for me to summit those beauties, and I couldn’t have been more honoured to do it with my sister by my side. A year later I commemorated the journey by having a mountain range tattooed on the inside of my arm.
Those mountains fill my heart with gratitude on a daily basis, and today, while moving my new display cooler into my tiny cafe, my Mom pointed out the view. From behind the counter, The Good Wolf Cafe has a perfect view of the Golden Ears mountains. It was the perfect reminder that even though things like building a business can be tough, and frustrating at times, I must remember to feel grateful.
One thing that I have been immensely grateful for during this process has been the support and generosity from unsuspecting strangers, and today was the perfect example of just this. Today I met Joe Allard, a local business owner, actor and craftsman. Joe owns Iron Raven Fitness in Port Coquitlam. He also owned Raven’s Grub Hub, but shut down through COVID. I found Joe when he was selling a piece of equipment on Facebook. While making arrangements to pick up the equipment, I was taken aback with how generous and kind Joe presented. Not only did he give me a great deal on the cooler, he also helped load, unload, deconstruct and reconstruct the piece until it was perfectly in place; Joe gave me recommendations for suppliers, offered to sell me other equipment, and has invited me back to build custom shelving in his new workshop. The world truly needs more people like Joe.
But Joe isn’t the only supporter. Daniel and Roseangela at Capri Cafe in Maple Ridge have inspired me since day one. Not only do they run a gorgeous cafe with the tastiest food, but they are also amazing humans. Before COVID I had tossed around the idea of opening the cafe, and dished my dreams to Daniel while ordering a London Fog. He invited me back to sit with him and his wife to cost out equipment and take a tour of his cafe, to help me get a better understanding of what I was getting into. Now that I’ve committed to opening, he’s stopped by to take in the layout, offer advice and suggest suppliers. Cindy at Once Upon a Tea Leaf (T’s) in Maple Ridge has also been amazing. She’s given me advice from her cappuccino bar days, and offered support and suggestions along the way. Cindy was also a major source of inspiration for The Nut, Jessica and Jason’s adorable cafe in the Brickwater Village development in Maple Ridge. They were super kind, offering advice, and explaining their experience in a recently opened cafe.
I can’t express enough gratitude for all the people I’ve connected with so far in this journey. What I’ve learned is how important it is to be authentic and share your passion everywhere you go. Find what you love, and shout it from those glowing mountain-tops. The more you share your passion with the world, the more chances you get to connect with like-minded people that will offer you support, encouragement and inspiration along the way. You’ll also find the other kind of people: the ones who doubt you, who challenge your abilities and question your commitment. This is all the more reason to persevere in your quest of authenticity, as it serves as an excellent filter for ridding your life of people who might dull your sparkle.
So today I ask you: what do you love? Do you take enough time out of your day to pour your heart into it? Do you tell everyone you meet about it? Do you feel gratitude for having it in your life? And, more importantly, when someone else shares their passion, do you cheer them on? Feed your good wolf by finding what you love, and shouting it from the mountain tops, and when you hear the calls of passion coming from a friend, shout right along with them!
P.S. Try to catch a glimpse of those beauties before the rain rolls in again!
Be kind, take care, and feed your good wolf.
Jerrica