A friend of mine recently came to Oregon to die. She had chosen to use Oregon's Death with Dignity law, and I spent her last two weeks showing her and her girlfriends around Portland. Those days have stayed with me.
In this episode of Cool Change Field Notes, I return to three moments: a drive through the Columbia River Gorge with the sunroof open and Supertramp turned up (she had asked me to take the long way home), watching her laugh with her eyes closed and the wind blowing; her delight at the koi pond in the Portland Japanese Garden; and one last great meal at Bellpine in the Ritz-Carlton Portland, where the chef brought her a lobster that wasn't on the menu, "with our compliments."
Over coffee in her hotel lobby one morning, she told me she felt she had achieved the purpose of her life. Her one regret was that she could have experienced more joy along the way. I keep coming back to that.
So here's the reminder, mostly to myself: don't postpone joy. Look for it in the ordinary moments that make up our lives.
Where are you postponing joy right now?
Chapters
00:00 I had a friend come to Oregon to die recently
02:06 I'm Chuck Allen, this is Cool Change
02:14 Latourell Falls and the sunroof
04:35 The hotel lobby conversation
06:41 Gourmet moments
07:12 The koi at the Japanese Garden
07:55 One last great meal at Bellpine
10:57 A reminder
11:07 Life is long
14:07 Where are you postponing joy?
CoolChangeLifeDesign.com | Instagram @chuckallen
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