Scare yourself everyday.

My long time friend Jan Phelan wrote me to tell me she enjoyed my blog post “Swimming along side a cruise ship.”. Her son in law had done that very thing. He jumped off a cruise ship in the Panama Canal and did a triple. Go to his website and click video. He is one crazy mother trucker. His athletic ability and daring will blow your mind. Rorybushfield.com. He is a cult figure in North America. Ya gotta watch it! Jan’s daughter Sarah Burke was married to this daredevil. They were meant for each other. Sarah was a Canadian freestyle skier who was a pioneer in the superpipe event. She was a 4 time Winter X gold medalist and won the world championship in 2005. She died in a training event in Utah in 2012.  Their story is the stuff of movies- love, daring and commitment to excellence. Their motto “Scare yourself everyday.” They happily accepted that living on the edge meant the possibility of paying the ultimate price.

Jan continues to make beautiful work. I am almost sure it is her work that has got her through this heart breaking tragedy. I scare myself each morning by looking in the mirror. Here is a picture a friend sent me today from 2002. Dark hair and a little more of it. Gawd, it’s scary looking in the mirror. Now imagine the look on my face if I jumped off a cruise ship.

Here is one of Jan's beautiful vases.  Hugs and kisses ,Jan. I'll love ya till Niagara Falls.