The response to last years “Ice Cream Values” article was tremendous, and so many of you shared how connected you felt to adopting these ice cream values in your own life.

Since then, I’ve been working on listening to my own advice. I even booked a week off to go to a little cabin in the interior, followed by a road trip with a friend with no particular destinations in mind.

This is my first time off in the summer that’s strictly “Do not Disturb” in over a decade. I’ll be focusing on my sleep, fun, family, and balance. In other words, I’ll be focusing on ice cream values (and might even get some ice cream on the way!)

Ice Cream Values include:

1. Taking Time to Slow Down: In a fast-paced world, we often forget to slow down and savour life’s simple pleasures. Ice cream provides the perfect opportunity to pause, indulge, and enjoy the moment with loved ones.
2. Changing Mental Focus for a Happier Experience: Embracing a more positive outlook and finding the good in any situation can have a profound impact on our overall well-being. I have had some difficult life experiences and the only way forward was often to seek out the learning opportunities they presented, which then helped me see the good in the experience overall.
3. Being Present: The ice cream parlour was a place where people gathered, engaged, and truly lived in the moment. Being present with others fosters genuine connections and enriches our lives.
4. Sleep: The number one thing you can do is get more sleep. Give into your afternoon cravings for a cat nap!

To celebrate ice cream and its power to bring joy, I once again present “The Ice Cream Trail,” a list of handcrafted ice cream and treat locations on the South Island. So, go ahead and explore these delightful spots, and perhaps invite someone along to share in the happiness.

Ice cream values don’t stop once you leave the ice cream shop. After ice cream, I encourage you to treat yourself to a tea, coffee, or walk to continue this joy.

Shop local! Here’s a list of Think Local First Victoria Businesses:

Download the form HERE

Family relationships can be complex, but I can honestly say that my relationship with my mom was not complicated at all. However, my mom had a complex relationship with herself, and it is this complexity, along with her personal values, that strongly influenced who I have become today.

Mom came from a good, solid, farming family in Alberta. They had an acreage, but not a mega-farm. Her wholesome values revolved around family, good food, an organized home, and believing in the best in people. She was raised to be a good farm wife with traditional values around boys and girls. Her cultural background was Danish and American.

Mom had a lot of common-sense rules, like dinner every night at 6 pm on the dot, play hard and sleep hard for the kids, meals which included meat, starch, vegetables (ideally from the garden) and a salad plus milk. We were always encouraged to drink more water. She made sure to spend equal and individual time with each of us 4 kids. Frequent family visits with our grandparents, aunts and uncles, and cousins enabled healthy bonds with our kin. Overall, she was fair and ethical.

As the only daughter, I was either privy or more in touch with Mom’s inner voice. Or both. This was the complex part of her. She was open about her values through her commentary on the world around her. I knew she was teaching me through her stories and insights into other people. She did not want me to have the same struggles she experienced.

There are very few pictures of my Mom. Her big-boned structure (from the Danish side) and weight were her demons. She was loved and accepted by her parents, but as a child and teen, she was teased and bullied – she looked older and was, therefore, treated with different expectations beyond her age and emotional ability. In her mind, she was not ‘the pretty one’ or ‘the glamorous one.’ That was her sister Val. Her inner voice reinforced not being smart or pretty enough by social norms, and for this reason, very few images exist of her.

Although she never said it, I am certain my mother had a learning disability. She never read books or the newspaper, and she never finished Grade 12. As my one brother went for remedial reading support and through alternative schooling, she was his biggest advocate for education. But my mom was smart, had an impeccable memory and was a quiet champion for others to believe in themselves. What she did not have for herself, she wanted for others.

In the 70’s, a new neighbor became Mom’s best friend. “Lou” was from the tea-growing area of Ceylon in India. As the only girl, I got to go on all the little adventures they would think of – they were both foodies before that became a thing. They were always laughing. And this carried on until Lou died suddenly from a brain aneurysm. What made their relationship special was that Lou was an Indo woman married to a Caucasian man. In British Columbia at that time, there was clear racism against Indo immigrants and new Canadians, but Mom adored Lou and her culture. Both the mixed marriage of Lou and the ‘mixed’ friendship with my Mom were almost unheard of for that time, and I recall them talking openly about these issues. They chose to embrace a friendship with love, acceptance, and a sense of fun. And in my mind, this was Mom’s happiest time where she felt accepted, appreciated, and confident.

There are favorite sayings from my mother that I cherish, which really represent her teachings:

• I never regret marrying your father.
• You always have to root for the underdog.
• Don’t kill someone’s spirit.
• Let’s go to the nursery.

A favourite memory of mine stems from our annual spring trek to the nursery to buy our plants.  She always allowed me to pick my own flowers and plant them. Purple pansies were, and still are, my favourite. To me they represent maternal love, tradition, nurturing, new growth, and spring awakening.  And the flowers look like happy faces.

As I reflect on my relationship with Mom, I realize that even though she had her own struggles and challenges, she always put her family first. She made sure that we were all taken care of, loved, and supported. Her simple yet profound teachings have shaped me into the person I am today, and I will always be grateful for that.

Despite Mom’s personal complexities,  she was a loving and supportive mother who instilled in me the importance of being a better person. Many of these values are foundational to being a Notary Public — the highest level of integrity, openness and acceptance of people, and finding the best in people and in situations. In every interaction I have with my clients, friends, and family, my Mom’s spirit and legacy live on.

Thanks Mom! I miss you.

Click HERE to read our March 2023 Newsletter!

Beverly has written an article about the importance of Walking with Sunshine in our Heart.

Beverly welcomed her First Grandbaby to the Carter family in January.

Sign up for our upcoming Spring Herbal Forest Walk with Herbalist Betty Norton.

Read our Think Local piece on Lifestyle Markets and enter to Win 1 of 4 ‘Healthy Jumpstart to Spring’ themed gift baskets.

Wishing you and your family a great March and wonderful start to Spring!

-Beverly & The Carter Notary Team