We got up early and set off, starting with a lazy breakfast of fresh-baked muffins, bagels, hot chocolate and coffee at Gastown. Once upon a time – a birthplace of Vancouver, today – a mixture of souvenir shops, boutiques, galleries, decor stores and restaurants.

Sitting down and eating together is quite often perceived as a ‘privilege’, a practice so often forgotten in the bustle of a daily life. The below poem – penned by Rebekah Knight – is a great reminder that there is nothing greater or more valuable in this world than a simple act of spending time together.

Slow down mummy, there is no need to rush,
Slow down mummy, what is all the fuss?
Slow down mummy, make yourself a cup of tea.
Slow down mummy, come and spend some time with me.
Slow down mummy, let’s put our boots on and go out for a walk,
Let’s kick at piles of leaves, and smile and laugh and talk.
Slow down mummy, you look ever so tired,
Come sit and snuggle under the duvet and rest with me a while.
Slow down mummy, those dirty dishes can wait,
Slow down mummy, let’s have some fun, let’s bake a cake!
Slow down mummy I know you work a lot,
But sometimes mummy, it’s a nice when you just stop.
Sit with us a minute,
And listen to our day,
Spend a cherished moment,
Because our childhood is not here to stay!