Saying Goodbye and Making Progress “I’ll definitely be putting out another record. I plan to write next year and hope to have it out in 2018. [The Long Goodbye] is the first song, but I hope it’s not just a breakup album! I hope to create something bigger than that. I work hard at instilling hope, especially in songs like that, which speak to a pretty sad subject matter about loss and letting go. There’s still so much beauty in the world and so much more to be part of. I’ve got four or five other songs in process right now, but it’s too early to tell what they’re really about.”
The Sarah McLachlan School of Music “We’ve been running the Sarah McLachlan School of Music for fifteen years now, and I absolutely love it. It’s completely free for at-risk and under-served kids. We do rely 100 percent on donations from individuals and organizations. If anybody is interested in donating, they can go to SarahSchoolOfMusic.com.”
Feeling Beautiful “I think all of us are at our most beautiful when we’re feeling at peace and happy, and like we’ve achieved something. I did the Grouse Grind [hiking trail] the other day in 49 minutes and 30 seconds, and I felt pretty beautiful at the top—red face and all! “Before age 30 I was very sedentary. I sat on my ass, played piano and drew pictures. But around that age I realized that if I wanted to continue to eat like a horse I was going to have to exercise! It’s become a bit addictive—I recognize how much I need to be outside, rain or shine. I love any kind of exercise where you don’t even know you’re exercising—hiking, swimming, surfing, riding my bike. I don’t particularly like being in the gym, although I do it twice a week when I’m home. It feels really good to be strong. I’m going to be 49 in January and I feel like I’m in the best shape of my life.”
Feeling Healthy “I don’t drink, don’t smoke, don’t do drugs. I get a ton of sleep. I eat really clean—a lot of vegetables, a lot of lean protein, not a ton of carbs. But I have chocolate every day. I love full-fat everything: I eat an avocado every day and I make my own granola with lots of nuts and seeds in it. “I watched a dear friend of mine pass away in June at age 47 from colon cancer, and it really made me aware of what I choose to put in my body. My kids are getting on board now. I make a big salad for them twice a week for school lunches and they gobble it up. We talk a lot about putting good things in our bodies—your body is your temple!”
Confronting Fifty “I had my day in the sun and I loved every moment of it, and I’m still reaping the benefits of it: I still get to play music live and still have a vibrant, healthy career, which I’m really thankful for. At almost 49, I’m happy and healthy and my kids are thriving. I’m so happy where I’m at; I wouldn’t trade it for anything.” _______________________________________________________ Liberty Craig is a freelance writer and editor living and working in Vancouver.
28 | FRESH MAGAZINE | freshmag.ca
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2016