1. My Bench

It was a beautiful spring evening when I headed out to Ambleside to find my bench. It was difficult, at first, to find one that wasn’t the cookie-cutter “from your loving family” type bench. I wanted something more unique, something more interesting and inspirational to write about. Then, after what felt like hundreds of benches, I found it. “In our hearts, the image of a gallant ship and the spell of the great sea” read the inscription. Instantly, ideas of poems to use, how I was going to write my own, and various descriptions flew through my head. This, I knew, was my bench; it was exactly what I was searching for! If one did not read the inscription, one would think this was just like every other bench along the seawall. A metal frame, bolted to the pavement, supported varnished wood slats that formed the seating area. The bench was slightly weathered from the wind and the sea, and the engraving plate was tarnished. This bench, however, told a story. It bore witness to the people who had sat on it overlooking Burrard Inlet, and seemed to have some sort of rugged personality. It was slightly more worn in the middle, where people had rested, and the varnish was starting to disintegrate. Soon one of the maintenance people would undoubtedly come by and reinstate the bench to its former glory, but I liked the used feel the bench possessed. All in all, it was a good looking bench, strong and sturdy, but on the engraving plate is where its true magic is held.

2. What I See, Think, Feel, and Want

The sun is setting and its warm rays are caressing my skin. Slurpee in-hand, I relax and drink in the view. Burrard Inlet, full of its freighters and fishing boats, stretches out before me in the evening light. The lamps that line the seawall turn on and the remnants of the sun’s soft glow are interrupted with harsh halogen emissions. A young couple, maybe early twenties, walks by; she can hardly take her eyes off of him. I wonder if that is what true love is like. Could it really be possible that one day I would feel the same way about a man? I am lost in thought until a gull cry ends my daydream. He lands on the rock wall and stares at me; probably wondering if I’m a tourist that would feed him. Sadly, for him at least, I am a local, and I know how annoying seagulls truly are.
This whole area of West Vancouver is nostalgic for me. My grandmother lived two blocks from the seawall while I was growing up, and we would often make our way down to the winding concrete to spend time together. She showed me the various shell fragments that washed up on the rocks, held my hand as I walked along the wall beside the doggy-trail, and showed me how to make the tallest rock towers possible. She also taught me to try and learn something new from every person you meet. Regardless of who they are, each individual has something to offer, and it’s your job to draw it out of them. As I sit on my bench, thinking about my grandmother, I feel some how vacant, as if a part of me died along with her two months ago. It’s comforting to know that I will one day see her again in heaven. At the moment, I want nothing more than what is laid out before me. Here, I feel like I possess the world. A sunset is the greatest gift that nature can give, and I, in this instant, am the recipient. What more can a person need? With great friends, a loving family, and a home in the most beautiful city on earth, I cannot “want” anything. However, if I didn’t know how cold the water was I might want to go swimming.

3. My Bench

The sun shines over the rocks at the top of the Grouse Grind. It is a beautiful scene, with all of Vancouver laid out below. There, however is one little problem with this paradise: it is an international tourist destination, but there is nowhere to sit. I understand how vital the tourists are to our economy, and that is why I would want to improve this space for them. When hikers come up the grind, they are perfectly content to rest their weary bodies on the sun drenched rocks below the world famous Grouse Mountain Super Skyride. Tourists, on the other hand, are not quite as keen to sit on the dirty ground as the locals are, and it is a common sight to see them standing awkwardly, looking for a nice place to sit. If I was to have a bench dedicated to me, I would put it amongst the rocks at the top of the grind. There, it would stand as a reward to the person who was fast enough to claim it. My bench would be a welcome relief for fatigued feet.
On the engraving plate, there would be a short phrase; something witty for the educated public – I think I would put “Thank God we aren’t Sisyphus.” Sisyphus was a character from Greek mythology. He angered the Gods and was punished in Hades by having to roll a giant rock up a mountain, only to have it roll back down on him once he reached the summit. It is not hard to come up with the correlation between this story and climbing the Grouse Grind. When people finish they grind, they are filled with a sense of accomplishment and relief that it is over. For Sisyphus, however, there is no such relief because he must run back down to the bottom to push the rock up again. After climbing “The Grind” once, the last thing I want to do is force myself up it again.

4. A Bench For My Grandmother

I loved my Grandma, and she loved me, but what she loved almost as much was Stanley Park. We used to walk around the lake there, feed the ducks, and talk about the natural wonders we saw. She taught me the names of the trees, the various types of flowers, and to recognize the multitudes of birds by their calls. Although I have forgotten most of her lessons now, since her passing, the memories of those endless days in the park will stick with me perpetually. If I was ever to dedicate a bench to someone, I would give a one to my grandma. She was such an influential person in my life, and it would give me a great sense of closure to have a place to go to visit her spirit. I would make certain I could find a spot overlooking the lake, where other grandparents could take their grandchildren to feed the ducks. On the bench, I would put something exceptional. I would not want to write anything generic, because my grandmother was far from average. Instead, I would include something special. Something along the lines of this: “Born under a wandering star, from east to west, Oma’s spirit will continue to ride with the wind. But if she, for some strange reason, wants to rest a while, here is where she’ll sit. –Love peanut”
This inscription is very specific to my grandmother because she loved to travel. If you were to name any fantastic place in the world that you wanted to visit, I can guarantee that I have a photograph of her standing there. From the immense pyramids of Giza, to the Great Wall of China, my grandmother has been everywhere. Her and my step-grandfather took exotic trips all the time; and though I wish I could have joined her, the chance to follow her example and set out on my own brings me unimaginable joy. I too share her curious intellect, and the whole rest of my family sees my grandmother when they look at me. We are two of a kind, and I cannot even begin to express how much I miss her. When I first read this question, it was obvious who I would dedicate a bench to: my wonderful grandmother.

5. Journal Response

My Nissan Pathfinder

My hands are still shaking as I clutch the steering wheel. Kati is yelling in the passenger seat, “That guy almost hit us!” She is right – it was a close call; too close. Driving down Main Street on our way to Ambleside I was going through an intersection with a fresh green light and someone almost turned into me. If I had not slammed on the breaks immediately it would have been t-bone time. With adrenaline flooding my system I struggled to get my body under control again so I could finish the drive.
We took the road along the train tracks, past the huge silos of grain, and marveled at the sheer number of birds flocking after the seeds. The rest of the trip was uneventful: a stop at 7-11 for slurpees, a debate about which radio station to put on, and a run through the gas station. Then, camera in hand, we set out along the seawall. It must have looked a little strange as we ran from bench to bench, yelling out the inscriptions to each other. We chatted and wandered along the concrete path that lines the sea. With the smell of brine in our noses and the sunset lighting our way, it was hard not to be impressed with the absolute beauty of our surroundings. The sun faded away and the lights of downtown became clearly visible against the dark night sky. As the temperature dropped, the chill set in and we hurried along the seawall back to my truck. The same truck whose brakes saved us only a few hours before was waiting exactly where we left it. Of course I had forgotten to close the moon roof and the same chill we were trying to escape had penetrated the vehicle. I closed the roof and turned on the heat' we had some errands to run: cake mix was needed for a friend’s birthday cake. Needless to say, we drove very slowly, and very carefully…

6. A poem that relates to the bench

The magnificence of the ocean is expressed in both the poem and in the inscription on the bench. The imagery they contain is undoubtedly similar. The sea is described as “great” on the bench and one cannot help but feel the same way when reading this poem. The poem speaks of hard work and true joy, the same joy that is felt when reading the inscription on the bench. The speaker in the poem says that “there’s no other life” for him except to be a sailor; a sailor of the “gallant” sea. It is impossible to believe that there would not be hardship when living on the ocean, but the “ship” on the bench is the sailor’s home, a proverbial safe haven where he is surrounded by his “boys;” his family at sea.
The quote on the bench creates a picture on the reader’s head. It is almost like a painting with spray shooting off in to the sky as the bowsprit rises to spear a white puffy cloud. The poem, while slightly more subdued, leaves a similar image: “a three masted schooner” sailing sleekly through the waves.

Wave Over Wave

by Great Big Sea

Oh me name's Able Rodgers, a share man am I

On a three masted schooner from Twillingate Isle

I've been the world over north, south, east, and west

But the middle of nowhere wheres' I likes it best

Where its wave over wave, sea over bow

I'm as happy a man as the sea will allow

Theres no other life for a sailor like me

And to sail the salt sea boys, sail the sea

There's no other life but to sail the salt sea

Well I leave my wife lonely ten months of the year

For she built me a home and raised my children there

She never come out to bid farewell to me

Or ken why a sailor must sail the salt sea

Where its wave over wave, sea over bow

I'm as happy a man as the sea will allow
Theres no other life for a sailor like me
And to sail the salt sea boys, sail the sea
There's no other life but to sail the salt sea

The work it is hard and the hours are long

But my spirit is willing, my back it is strong

And when the works over the whisky will pour

We'll dance with the girls upon some foreign shore

I've sailed the world over for decades or more

And oft times I wonder what I do it for

I dont know the answer its pleasure and pain

But with life to live over I'd do it again

Where its wave over wave, sea over bow

I'm as happy a man as the sea will allow

Theres no other life for a sailor like me

And to sail the salt sea boys, sail the sea

There's no other life but to sail the salt sea

This Song and other songs and postings about Great Big Sea can be found in the video bar at the bottom of the page.

7. My Pholosophy of life

This poem embraces the carefree spirit of the ocean, and I try to possess a similar spirit. The speaker is described as “happy” and “willing,” and satisfied with his life on the sea. The fact that the speaker embraces everything the sea throws at him and understands the “pleasure and pain” shows how easygoing and accepting of the inevitable that he is. I also believe that we should be ready to take whatever life throws at us. It is important to live in the moment, and enjoy the gifts life lives every day. Though there are hard times, storms and squalls, the sun will inescapably return. We should live our lives with no regrets, and enjoy every moment, because all the experiences we have today form us for the future. Like the speaker in the poem, we should not want to change the decisions we make, “but with life to live over” make the same decisions again.
Also, I believe that once a person has found their calling, they should stick to it. The speaker in the poem says that “there is no other life” for him except for being a sailor. Eventually, I too hope to find my passion, and be able to be as happy as the speaker in the poem. Personally, I believe that everyone is destined for something, and that it is our job to figure out what that something it. Every person, while possessing many talents, is fated to make their mark on the world in some way. The speaker of the poem continued the east coast tradition of being a “sailor,” and I will find my calling as well.

8. Parks - Their Purpose and My Thoughts.

Parks have many purposes. They provide green space which is important for the environment, they can be used for entertainment purposes, and they enhance a city’s appeal to tourists. Vancouver is known as a very green city due to our immense number of parks. All over our city there are little areas set aside for trees, animals, and bushes so that Vancouver will remain green. From Stanley Park, to West Vancouver’s seawalls, Grouse Mountain to the neighbourhood play ground, parks keep Vancouver a beautiful and healthy place to live. These same areas that keep the city green are also used for recreational purposes. Athletics and other activities flourish in Vancouver because of our parks. Here, people can go and play soccer, ultimate, football, and all other kinds of sports any time they like. Vancouverites also take advantage of the great hiking trails, mountain biking terrain, and ski hills that surround the city. We are an active group of people, known worldwide for our outdoor enthusiasts. The spectacular natural areas in our province attract tourists from all over the world. People come to observe our majestic forests, towering peaks, and rushing rivers. The Capilano Suspension Bridge is an example of a popular outdoor tourist destination that accounts for busloads of sightseers every year. Also, these same travelers who enjoy the natural beauty of our parks contribute heavily to the British Columbian economy. Tourism is one of the biggest industries in the province, and helps pay for all kinds of infrastructure and public services. Without it, this province could not function the way it does now, and the people who live here would have a much lower quality of life.Personally, I think parks are one of the most important parts of a functional city. For the reasons outlined above, parks improve a city on almost every level.

I love to be outside. Whether I’m just tanning at the beach, or hiking up the grind, I always enjoy the time I spend in Vancouver’s outdoor recreational areas. They are an important part of my personal fitness regime, they provide a way to obtain natural endorphins, and they improve the environmental side of our city. If we did not have any parks in Vancouver, I would most certainly move as soon as I possibly could to an area teeming with fields, forests, and mountains.

9. A Poem Reflecting Upon the Bench Experience

The bench experience was definitely a unique one. I have never even heard of a project like this. I found it very easy to be inspired by my surroundings because they were so beautiful. This poem is a mixture of the inspiration I felt after reading the quote on the bench, and sitting and looking at the view of the sea. It is about a young person as they set off on a journey around the world from the West Coast and back again. It paints a very surreal image that would make anyone want to experience the pleasures of the sea. I hope you enjoy!

The wanderer
by Anna La Lau

A breeze
Such a simple little thing
But the way it rustles the grass
causes the crickets to sing

The water
so very vast and blue
Will roll on for eternity
Look, it's beckoning you

Come, come my wandering child
Hear the sea is calling
From raging storms to weather mild
Listen as the seabid cries, galling

White sails
They unfold to catch the wind
We're off to the races now!
all our faces grin

The Ocean
It has captured my soul
head for open water
There I am finally whole

Come, come my wandering child
Hear the sea is calling
From raging storms to weather mild
Listen as the seabird cries, galling

Eternity
It seems too long for some
But if i could sail my whole life long
The happiest I'd become

Home
I shall return once in a while
But only to wash my clothes
And leave for another exotic isle

Come, come my wandering child
Hear the sea is calling
From raging storms to weather mild
listen as the seabird cries, galling

A Laser Two, The type of boat I raced, and taught other young people to race