Today, March 3rd, is my Second Life Day. Anyone who has been reading my blog for the past few years will likely be familiar with Second Life Day – the anniversary of the day that I was given a second chance at life after nearly succumbing to a diabetic coma (also notable, is this is how I discovered I WAS diabetic!). On this day, I try to take time to be mindful about the life I have lived over the past 18 years, knowing that each of those days was a gift. It’s crazy to think it’s been 18 years since that trauma occurred. As always, I won’t rehash all the details again in this post, but you can read all about my diabetic odyssey here.)
I often (usually) take today off from work so that I can fully be present in the day, do things that I actually enjoy (no offence to work, but… ya basic.), treat myself a little, and just fully maximize the day. That did not happen quite that way this year. I did not take the day off from work, mostly since I was on vacation last week and I felt bad taking another day off mere days after a week off.
Read more: Sanctuary and Second LifeMy wife and I just returned from a week’s vacation in the Dominican Republic a few days ago. After a long and tiring end to 2025, we both decided that we needed to retreat and to treat ourselves to some substantial downtime. As luck would have it, the same resort we had visited seven years ago (Sanctuary Cap Cana) happened to have a tremendous deal on a week’s stay. We could not have asked for a better sign – the same all-inclusive, five-star, adults-only resort, with direct flights, and it would actually cost us less than our first trip seven years ago! The price the week prior, or the week following the one we chose saw the price jump by a few thousand dollars. It was meant to be!
We were in the Dominican Republic from February 18 to 25. The weather was perfect; we had clear blue skies every single day with temperatures around 30ºC (85ºF). Because we had already been to this resort, our comfort level was extremely high. We knew the layout, the restaurants, the services available. The familiarity made everything feel effortless. The resort lived up to its name for us – it became our little sanctuary.
We had one single goal for the week – we both wanted to be bored at some point over our seven days. I am happy to report that our objective was met! But we were bored in a good sense of the word. We would get up early (I think the latest we slept in was until 7AM one morning), grab breakfast at the buffet, then head down to the beach for a couple of hours. We’d find some chairs, read for a bit and spend some time in the ocean. By late-morning, we’d usually be getting our fill of the sun and make our way back to our room to shower and get on with the rest of the day.
Afternoons would consist of having lunch, then finding a spot to go sit and read. Sometimes we sat by one of the pools (and took the occasional dip to refresh ourselves), sometimes we sat in the shade on the palapa behind the Blue Marlin restaurant, reading and watching the turtles bobbing up and down in the water alongside it.
It was a week of absolutely nothing but reading, swimming, sunshine, food and drinks (mostly water, but a fair few “fun” drinks for me mixed in). Most nights, we were asleep before 10PM. Lather, rinse, repeat. The simplicity of our routine, the luxuriousness of the location, all meant that we were safe, secure, happy and serene. There’s something deeply restorative about letting the world shrink down to sun, water, words on a page, and the person you love beside you.
I truly appreciated the downtime. I knew that both Isabelle and I were tired before we went on this vacation, but I don’t think I had truly understood just how tired we were. The stress of the real world melted off me quickly and allowed me to embrace the stillness and rest that was being afforded me by this trip. By the end of the week, I felt like a whole new person, or maybe more fitting, I felt like the old version of myself that I had not felt like in quite some time. I found peace in my mind and in my heart. In that stillness, I found my Sanctuary.
And that brings us back to my Second Life Day. While I didn’t take the day off per my norm, I suppose that’s okay. Instead, I tried to bring little moments of pleasure, peace and appreciation into my day. Isabelle and I took a little coffee break early this morning and treated ourselves to some Starbucks. Bonus that today was also the launch of their spring menu, so welcome back Iced Lavender Cream Chai! I chose to pair the drink with my favourite donut from Halo Donuts (the Triple Chocolate). I had bought a half dozen a few weeks back and froze them so that I could treat myself from time to time; today seemed an appropriate day.
I took the time to do a meditation, to help bring a bit of serenity and create that internal sanctuary space for myself. And lastly, I treated myself to some pizza for supper since I was on my own this evening.
It’s easy to forget to enjoy the moments when we get caught up in the day-to-day of our lives. Everything moves so quickly. Everything is urgent. Everything is important. We lose sight of the moments that bring us actual joy, peace and gratitude. As much as I try to be mindful, I often find myself lost in that deluge of madness that is life. That’s why days like Second Life Day are vitally important to me. It’s moments like these that help me to reconnect and ground myself a bit. I need to put more emphasis on being grateful each day for the blessing that is the life I live. I need to prioritize my own well-being (physically, mentally and spiritually) above all else.
I was given a second chance at life on March 3, 2008, and I’ve had some amazing experiences over the past 18 years. I know that tomorrow is never to be taken for granted, so I hope that you can all take the time to stop, look at your lives, and treasure all that you have, even if you think you don’t have much. Life is far too fragile and precious to let anxiety about the future ruin the present and it is far too important to let the past drag you down. All we have is now. Recognize that, and you’ll find your own inner sanctuary.
Happy Second Life Day!
Musings of A Boxhead 