Greetings! Since sending my initial message a few days ago about my retiriring & moving to Vancouver Island, I have been very touched by the amount of replies I have received from you. Please accept my apologies for not responding individually as it’s rather a crazy time right now. The moving date is looming! Just know how much I appreciate each & every one of your responses & wishes for a smooth & fluid move. I will carry them in my heart as I make my way out of sorting, packing & ferrying to Vancouver Island. Also a most pleasant surprise – a number of you have moved to Vancouver Island & a few even in Nanaimo & Gabriola Island, a short ferry trip from Nanaimo. So we may find ways to continue the Continuum!
It occurred to me also that in making this transition, I also want to acknowledge my community here in Vancouver. I moved here with my husband, Claude & my two children at the time (2 more came later) in 1961. We made our first home in North Vancouver & later moved to Richmond & then into Kitsilano on the Point with all 4 of our children. While we were in Richmond, I went back to study at UBC, obtaining my Masters in Education & ending up for a few years teaching in the high school system. We got involved in the Human Growth movement while in Kitsilano whch led to my leaving my marriage & entering the Cold Moutain sponsored Antioch progam. That led to my counselling career, private practice & leading workshops.
Following my move to Bowen Island where I lived for 15 years, things shifted as I contracted Post Polio & found the healing waters of Continuum. Continuum offered me a way to integrate my journey physicaly, as well as emotionally & spiritually. I will be ever grateful to Emilie Conrad & Susan Harper for expanding the horizons of possibility of being a human in this planet of ours. I am gratefrul to all of you who have entered into this path with me & shared the deep & profound experiences this process has to offer.
I will miss so much of my community here in Vancouver, especially the rest of my family, my sons, Del, his partner Terrie & my grandaughter Ella, Doug & his partner Mark, my grandson Daniel & my granddaughter Nina..  Close to my heart is my women’s movement group which has been meeting & sharing for over 25 years. There is a wonderful episolde on Ted Talks with Lilly Tomlin & Jane Fonda on Women’s friendahips that is heart warming & hilarious & speaks to the value of my women’s group in my heart & soul.  What would I have done without you!
Perhaps somewhere in my future, I hold the intent of writing a blog on my web site & maybe more dabbling into painting & photography. I would love to bring more perspective into the process of aging, especially as a woman in our culture & especially dealing with the slowing down & lessening of physicaly capacities which have been such a challenge & struggle with me, enhanced by the Post Polio symptoms. I will be 82 this June & thought if I was going to make this move I better do it while I still can!
For now, I wish you all much love & compassion, joy, responnding to the challenges life has to offer, trusting yourself & connecting with beings that surround you, Doris
Doris Maranda