celebrating lives greatly full... lisa larochelle

Photo by Eric Castro

I met Lisa LaRochelle through my sister.  I'll never forget the first question she ever asked me: "So, what do YOU do for fun?!"  I was so taken aback; no one had ever asked me that as a get-to-know-you question!  I must admit, it was at a time in my life when I had trouble finding an answer and, if I were to meet Lisa for the first time today, I would be ready.  :-)

Lisa inspires me through her love of friends & family and her sense of adventure. Her wanderlust has allowed her to experience the world first hand and - to borrow shamelessly from George Bernard Shaw - to grab hold of that splendid torch of life and to make it burn as brightly as possible. So glad to have you share your gratitude with us here, Lisa!


I have lived an incredibly fortunate life.

I often feel very guilty about why I was given such a life and other people have lived with so much pain and difficulty.

This incongruence means that I am highly attuned to the gifts that I am given.
I strive to nurture and cultivate a spirit of immense gratitude in my daily living.

One of the things that I am grateful for, which is a constant source of energy and joy in my life, is my physical being. I cherish

• my ability to laugh
• using my eyes to observe beauty in all that I encounter
• the way my legs carry me where I need to go
• how I can hold the ones I love
• my sense of touch
• this physical vessel that enables me to explore the world

My favorite thing to do is walk the streets of a city at night - when sound is muffled, familiar shapes look different in the shadows and the world sleeps.

I love that I am a tactile person.
To be connected physically to people and animals who are important in my life – to touch, hug, bridge that physical gap.

I love to give massages.
When I have the opportunity to practice massage, I can often feel palpable relief and release as people respond to the healing power of touch.

My favorite gift to myself is travel.

I seek out new opportunities to grow as a result of the connections that I make when I change my perspective and observe the world as it so beautifully is.

I know my body will not last forever, especially in the way that I know it now, but I feel gratitude for the gifts I’ve been given so far.

I fully intend to celebrate the gifts that hopefully will come my way tomorrow.