Tripping Janet 6

To travel the world

This travel bug is dedicated to the life of Janet.

Janet had a childlike enthusiasm for life.  Her curiosity about just about anything was wondrous and almost bemusing to behold.  A kimono-clad ‘Hello Kitty’ cellphone charm; the shell of an abandoned robin’s egg; a giant sized moth; the lyrics, presumably verbatim, of an obscure Led Zeppelin song.  Often she grabbed your arm to draw your attention to something she had just noticed.  She couldn't wait for "show and tell", whether it was her latest thrift store acquisition, the results of an art experiment, her discovery of a new and exciting business, or a sample from a culinary adventure.

And she really couldn't wait - things would be brought out of the bag when you stopped at a red light or waited at the bus stop.  If she bought you a gift, (and she had a talent for scouting out really good ones), it was rare that she could hold off till your birthday or Christmas.  .

Her enthusiasm was palpable.  You couldn’t stop her if you wanted to, and many of us have tried. The mime lessons she had as a child were lost on her – she drove us crazy with her congenitally missing mute button. But still her critical abilities remained intact.  Her keen intelligence was evident in her writing, especially in her book reviews.  Her opinions were well thought out and eloquently stated.  In many reviews of children’s books, she wrote in a larger context for the thinking adult.

She was equally passionate about the good and the bad.  If you had done something that Janet deemed socially unacceptable, you could expect trouble.  It could range from a tongue lashing that followed you off the bus if your 'personal listening device' wasn't quite personal enough, to a full out police incident if your perceived sin was at the corporate level.  Sometimes Janet had regrets - other times, not so much. Some grudges were carried to the end!

In her journey as an artist, it was fascinating to see her personal style develop: a love of Victorian botanical drawings, the structure of the human skeleton, historic fabric patterns, bugs  (she loved bugs), the tribal, the natural world. Unexpected combinations that were macabre yet beautiful. And so Janet.  With that artist's eye, Janet took the time to truly see the things that we so often miss.  Weaving was a slow process as she would stop after each throw of the shuttle to touch the fabric and admire the interlacement of colours.  She made pancakes and carefully flipped the little drops that she called "Barbie pancakes".  When Janet prepared a meal, you never knew when you might actually eat.  She wanted you to see and hear about the ingredients she had acquired in some foreign country before they disappeared into the recipe.  And she would stand there talking, spatula in hand.  It was all part of the slow creative process – for good reason, her childhood nickname was “Speed”.   

People were very important to Janet.  It was easy to talk to her and comfortable to be with her. She could and would make conversation around just about anything, and before long a connection was made - one that would last forever. When a relationship was established, Janet nurtured it.  She remembered and often shared your interests and passed on information.  She remembered and celebrated special occasions.  She picked up the phone or even sometimes a pen.  At the end, Janet defined her quality of life as being able to spend time with others, and a lifetime of friends were still in touch.

Janet lived as though she had known from the beginning that life would be far too short.  Her bucket lists go back decades - she actually wrote them down, and she accomplished an astonishing number of the things on the lists. In her house remains quite the collection of strange and random things clearly destined for a future project.  If she had a break from active treatment, she packed a bag and went off to check something else off the list.  In the final weeks of her life, she refused to feel sorry for herself or waste time wishing she had done this or that.  She continued to encourage others generously.  She looked for the things that she still had time and capacity to do.  She showed us how to live graciously and whole-heartedly.  She was an inspiration for wringing every last drop of opportunity out of every day, and that is her legacy.