I have a couple of favourite pubs. One is very local, while the other is a good 20 km away. Covid-19 has been difficult for retail businesses. The pub I had to drive to, closed early on in the pandemic. It changed from a temporary closure to “Closed Permanently.”

Some background. This pub was nothing to look at from the outside. It didn’t stand out. Once I entered it the first time. I knew I fit in, but I didn’t understand why.

With its closing, I have given thought to what made the pub a favourite of mine. What could I learn about myself?

The age profile of the customers was above the university crowd. Folks didn’t seem to stay in their seats. They got up, walked around, visited with others. There was a high recognition rate amongst the customers. Most places were taken, but a person at a table invited us to join them. Very unusual.

My only similar experience takes place at the Edmonton Folk Music Festival. I see lots of greetings, hugs and other behaviours not currently recommended during the pandemic. Generally, people were there to enjoy themselves and not disrupt the enjoyment of others.

Would you like to sit with us on our tarp? Would you like to sit at our table?

Bones. It was the excellent bones of the setting that made the difference and made it a favourite pub. I was surrounded by folks who were very social but not drunk and falling into my lap. The servers were happy to be there. Service was a bit slow, as time was taken for conversations with customers. They often welcomed a customer back again. “Good to see you, again.”

The food was a big step above basic pub food. It was made from scratch, appropriately cooked and presented with colour and love.

The room wasn’t big but handled a variety of activities simultaneously. A pool game was happening at one end, while live music was performed at the other.

In summary, it was a familiar place with a happy vibe, delivering a high-quality product. Good bones.

Figuratively speaking, what are my good bones? I’m nothing to look at from the outside. But I can and do work hard to continually develop and maintain good bones. I regularly reflect on addressing the issue of how to be more like the person I want to be. I look for opportunities to tweak myself.

I encourage you to set aside 5 minutes each day to reflect on your good bones. What are the essential aspects of how you walk through the world, that could be tweaked? Make a specific plan to change. Pay attention to what circumstances would flag it as an opportunity for change.

How will you know you succeeded? Change – the devil is in the details. Oh, yes. One other thing. Enjoy the journey as the destination is only a moment in time.

My thanks to St. Albert Seniors Association: 780-459-0433 for making this Blog possible.

Glenn Walmsley
Volunteer
TheBlog@stalbertseniors.ca
https://staging.stalbertseniors.ca/