Think about what matters

What are those things that matter?

I recently had the opportunity to hear a presentation by an occupational health and safety specialist who reminded me that we need to find those important things in life and treat them well.

Spencer Beach was a third-generation flooring installer and among the best in his field when he endured a horrific flash fire that left him permanently and severely scarred. After spending 14 months in the hospital and a year more of rehabilitation, he now shares his story all over the world.

As we are all caught up in the rat race of getting to the next meeting, the next practice, the next mortgage payment, Spencer reminded me that maybe those really aren’t the things that matter. You see, in those moments during the fire when Spencer accepted that this might be his time to die, he wasn’t thinking of tomorrow’s flooring installation, or missing his buddy’s bachelor party on the weekend. He was thinking of his wife and their unborn child (she was four months pregnant at the time of the fire). Those were the things that mattered.

Seven Persons’ Olympian Sage Watson recently won gold in the 400 metre hurdles at the Pac-12 conference championships in Eugene, Oregon this month with a time of 55.01 seconds, then the fifth fastest time in the world. When she visited Medicine Hat in December and was asked what she thinks about as she crosses the finish line, her answer was simple: It was her little brother Waylan. He was the thing that mattered.

Para-athlete Sarah Mickey from Redcliff is also making great achievements as a female athlete in sport, winning gold in discus and bronze in javelin and shot put in her first international track and field meet in Tempe, Arizona this month. When asked what the highlights of the meet were, she did not reference the medals. She said it was having her mother at the meet with her, and getting to experience a large meet with athletes from other countries. Those were the things that mattered.

We all have to toil to achieve what we need in order to do the things that matter, the things that fill our cup, whether that is spending time with friends and family, buying a home that keeps us safe and warm, or pushing your body to achieve greatness you never thought possible. But don’t let the toils be your stresses. Let the focus be on the things that matter, and the rest is just a means to get there.

Terra Petryshyn is the Recreation Program Coordinator for the City of Medicine Hat and a member of the Females in Action Moving and Empowering Committee. She can be reached at terpet@medicinehat.ca.