Mayne Island

This week Mike and I went to Mayne Island.  This is one of the Gulf Islands in B.C. and it is very beautiful.  The island has many options for hikes and we tried to do them all but 3 days was just not enough time.  There were many times when I felt like we were the only people on the island.  This was especially true when we visited the Japanese Gardens which are a tribute to the Japanese who were initially on the island before WWII when they were displaced.  Here was the first time that I really felt reenergized and started to relax.

The one thing that Mike and I noticed was that there were a number of encounters with local people where our friendly hello's were not welcomingly received.  My first thought was that they did not like tourists and was a little taken back.  We also noticed that frequently on our hikes, there were many signs that said PRIVATE or KEEP OUT along the paths.  Yet the trails were absolutely clean and well maintained.  It was then that I started to wonder if the responses we received were because the locals had just endured another summer of being overrun by tourists who may not have always been respectful of others properties.  So instead of letting this deter us, we made more of an effort to talk to locals and make sure we were cheerful and respectful.   We talked to our host who did validate our assumptions on the summer season and how that impacts some of the locals.  We met some great people there and saw many neat things that made the trip very memorable.

It was a great reminder that just because you don't get the response you are expecting initially, it should not make you stop trying as you never know what is happening in that other persons life. Stay true to yourself and be the person you imagine you can be.   The only thing you can be responsible for are your own actions so make each of those actions count.

See you on the mats!