Time to take out the trash.....

For every action, there is a reaction.  

There is no reaction if there is no action.  

Change requires action.  

Action oxygenates our communities.  

Communities need change. 

Change means rising UP!  

ACTING!  

DOING!  

Communities need action for reaction.  

Communities need change. 

Change is the only antidote to apathy.  

Apathy IS the poison choking our communities. 

Apathy is the refusal to change how we think and how we feel.  IF we have the incentive to make a shift in our thinking and in our feeling, then we have the energy to ACT.

Politics is in my blood.  It was liberally poured into conversations around the dinner table from my earliest memories.  Daily newspapers and weekly magazines were always within reach.  I grew up in a household where you got involved, and you knew the issues, municipally, provincially, federally.  There was a great deal of respect for the political process.  The majority of politicians were revered and it was felt to be an honourable pursuit.

As an adolescent, my interest grew as I got involved in various campaigns.  Quickly, I felt the thrill of an election campaign.... how it could completely consume you into a world of action and strategies, of comraderie and a sense of empowerment that you could be a part of change.  Policies, opinions, all Candidates nights, door to door campaigning, putting up signs, plotting, fundraising, finding the tempo and the key issues............the cheering, the competition...... the standing up for your beliefs and sharing your voice... supporting a candidate and being right there for the whole story to unfold .... it was all a part of the FUN!

I joined a political party in my early twenties, one that wasn't the same as my parents.  I was following my own opinions and perspectives and it was through this choice that I met my future husband.  I joined because I had an unrelenting sense of idealism and a hunger to learn more, to be involved, to take a stand.   Why, because it all felt like it would matter. 

Since then, I have jumped into the backroom planning fray every once in a while, helping out a few candidates.  Normally, i have been involved in coordinating the "big day" of a convention.  It challenges the "event planner" in me as well as the bossy girl persona I can dredge up at any time.   

It is such a buzz to direct a speech demonstration....timing it right down to the second, making sure the music kicks in and the placard waving supporters know where and when to march the candidate up to the stage.  The pre-convention planning meetings with folks who also thrive in that environment, who have the same strong convictions for the candidate, but who also LOVE a good chewing debate over issues, policies, strategies fuel me with good energy.  To be a part of change........ to be a part of a movement..... of moving forward is such a BUZZ!

Fast forward to where I sit today.  I can't say that I havent thought about running for office every once in a while.  Some days the desire is strong. I have these blips of believing I could make a difference at that level of power.  My brain is wired in a way that I can read the nuances of how government works.... Critical thinking and analysis of stories, situations, policies, problems continue to be my preferred way of stretching my brain muscles.  

But, something has changed in the past couple of years.  As soon as I ponder this thought, I quickly JUMP right out of it, with a taste of disgust in my mouth.  There is no sense of reverence for our elected members.  Whatever honour was attached to dedicating one's career to this political arena has been trashed by everyone involved........ be it the elected official, the backroom gangs, the talking head media and biased journalism, the demanding public.  The whole atmosphere of entitled individualism........ the sense of "what's in it for me" has inevitably altered the way we look at our government.  AND, it has also moulded the type of people who come forward to be elected.

Like many many others, my thinking and feelings have been scabbed by the lack of integrity and maturity found in the once revered legislatures of our country.  The very idea of running for office, or even getting involved with these type of interactions.... where posturing, and pendantic behaviour is the order of the day escapes me.  Good honest Samaritan principles, which once were the cornerstone of our political system  have evaporated.  I see it, hear it, read about, feel it every single day.  

Either you observe a raving lunatic giving the middle finger salute and calling someone a punk during Question Period or you hear once again that yet another lightweight who is good at senseless pomposity, but can't for the life of him advocate or even abide by his promises or you learn about infidelity, frauding, or simply trying to do a sitspin to cover his ass!  Or, what about the chest thumping "I care about this place" people who RUN for the HILLS if anyone confronts them with their opinions?? I'm sick of it!  And it makes me want to tune it all out.   It all seems so childish.  It all seems such a waste of time. 

But, here's the glitch.  If I sit back, and you sit back........... and we all sit back together, we become the marginalized and nothing changes.  And by the grace of God, we need change around here.  Empathy, respect, honour, loyalty, advocacy, justice, and TRUST come on back!!  It's time to take the trash out.  It's time to help get a good honest human being elected.  And, I know just the right person!

I can't sit back.  Time to get involved again, because you can't orchestrate from the outside looking in.  It just doesn't work that way.  I will not run for office, but I refuse to sit on my hands, without a voice, in the margins.  Whether it will help institute change or not, who knows.  What I do know is that without action there is no reaction.  Let's just hope my stirred up passion isn't misconstrued by the fear mongering police as unfit.  Nah!  That could never happen, could it? 

unfairness

Nothing, absolutely nothing burns my ass more than unfairness.  It is deceitful, immoral, inhuman, unethical, disrespectful, underhanded, and just plain rude.  When I hear of a situation someone has found themselves in that is clearly unfair and are having a tough time trying to rectify it, I can feel my rankled nerves fire up.  Push that button in me, and seriously watch out because no one, I mean NO ONE should be treated unfairly.

In my world, unfairness revolves around castrated systems.........made up of bureaucratic tapeworms that devour living, breathing human beings and spits out faceless cut outs whose forms fit certain policy garb.  One dimensionally shaped the same, void of feeling, and emptied of any unique story that may make them an exception to a rule, faceless cut outs are much easier to contend with than the real deal. Prejudged even before the person can open their mouth.  Prejudged even before there is a face to face meeting.....if one is even arranged, and if it is arranged, the balance of power is always, always TILTED, weighed down by rules and regulation ammunition, and preconceived myths.

Unfairness reeks of injustice.  It distorts perceptions by slapping judgemental labels on the nearest victim. Empathy is laughed at. There's no room for empathy.  It's for sissies.  But you know what?  Systems can't be unfair without human beings manipulating it right?  Systems are driven by living breathing humans who bleed too...... sadly,  humans who are afraid to deviate from the fear mongering policy manual.  Is that it?  Afraid to listen, afraid to help, afraid of reprimands if they risk stepping out of the assembly line?  Perhaps it just comes down to the fear of FEELINGS??

We all have biases.  Mine is focused on unfair practises. I have no time for them. I will fight them. I will go to bat for anyone I believe is getting the shaft, who needs someone to be their designated hitter. No problem.  However, my emotions often get the best of me because of how much I am triggered by unfairness venom.   Most of the time, I don't care.  I can figure it out after the wrong has been righted............ or at least we've given it our best shot. 

Yes, I can see the big picture when it comes to the overarching reasoning behind needing structure, guidelines, rules, laws.  And Yes, I can sometimes/barely work within a system if I have some respect for it.  I'm not a pushover though I have advocated in the past for people who turned out to be frauds.  But, I do react too quickly sometimes when I see a Samson and Goliath scenario playing out. 

Today, unfairness poisoned the air all around me.  It festered and laughed hideously while jousting with a firepoker. It pissed me off!  As much as I have learned how to manipulate unprincipled actions into submission, I do know how to play the game, how to stretch the sides of a policy, how to talk nicely and even bomb it with love. Sometimes though, I slip up and let my anger lead the way.  Today, I let it rip!  On purpose.  Because I could. I punched the lights out on unfairness.  Tomorrow round two.  Bring it ON.  I'm not finished.

Yes, today was a good day.  I got an emotionally charged cerebral workout while teaching someone how to stand up for their rights.  Empowerment should never be overruled by a human driven system made for cut outs.

adversity.....

As darkness falls, a soft touch brush has left a roseblushing above the hills. A curtain of misty fog lifts up from the river. It's almost like there is too much water for it to hold that its turned into rising condensation. Perhaps its an offering to help cool the muggy heat leftover from an afternoon of cloudbreaking after torrents of rain. Firefly magic, merrily flit here and there leaving minute glowtickles in the still air. Stars begin to appear through the thin stretched clouds which continue to linger from the stormfront. Quiet hushes the birds who until recently were clambouring for orchestral attention.

They have gone to sleep.
As have the babies.....
As I will.......soon.

I take a deep breath......
I take in the beauty of a new night....
I listen to the tiny noises in the nature around me.
I let the night air breeze cool my skin as I gaze out at serenity.
I give thanks to the blessing of being able to live in a place that is safe and beautiful.
I send a prayer out to the human beings in Iran who are re-learning how to express their spirits and to grab hold of their future and their right to freedom. I hope that one day soon they can stand outside on the cusp of a summer night and have the chance to embrace serenity. May they know that all the world is watching....and that all the world is sending them prayers for peace.
May the clouds break freely...........and may the sun shine down on them.

where's the party?

My friend Charles Leblanc was invited to attend a gathering in his honour this morning at the local courthouse. He supposedly "earned" this invite because he crossed onto the lawn of the New Brunswick Legislature in April to document the unfolding demonstration of concerned voters who were protesting against closing MacTaquac Park during the winter months. As with many other protests and rallies, our most famous New Brunswick blogger wanted to capture the emotion, the clashing and the stories behind it all. This is what he does and does WELL. This is what drives some folks CRAZY. My "in your face, ask too many questions, tell it like it is, take a slew of pictures, ADHD" friend attended the rally in April and was promptly arrested for trespassing and breach of whatever. You see, he was banned from the grounds in 2006.

In April 2009, after hundreds of visits to the Legislature and dozens of interviews with politicians and other muckymucks....many of which have been posted on his blogsite and on Youtube, someone decided to arrest him! It made no sense to me then, and it certainly makes no sense to me today. Consequently, Charles Leblanc was invited to a gathering at the courthouse in his honour today..... TODAY was the day. And guess what? His name wasn't on the list. Because of this little glitch....his name could not be called out loud. Did those folks who make the courthouse guest list up not see the big COUNTDOWN clock on Charles' blog?

So, what is that all about? Obviously there must've been some planning discussions behind the big wooden door on that cold day in April that the DAY had come to arrest an unsuspecting Monsieur Leblanc as soon as he arrived with his trusty camera and his effervescent directness to document the event. Wouldn't ya think? Or was it some random decision to cuff the guy and take him away, thereby putting a huge damper on the real story let alone the concerted efforts of the MacTacquac Park supporters? Either way, there must've been at least a little bit of discussion that the act of arresting Charles would automatically prove to be a political hot potato and would hit the media sideways.?? Yes? No? I mean, isn't this the same dude who took on the SJ Police force to argue his credentials as a verified media rep. after they confiscated his camera a while back? Isn't this the same person who made the National news by having the guts (or the craziness) to force the issue thereby moving the role of Blogger up a few notches on the journalism food chain?

Did someone think they could arrest Monsieur Leblanc without no one noticing. If a tree falls in the forest, will anyone notice it? Ah....well....Charles would. He'd be yelling TIMBER in both official languages while taking photos and riding his bike out of there. !!! His voice and his manner....and what he does has taught us to listen and to SEE when a tree falls. We notice now. We notice. And if we DONT notice, Charles barks and bellows until we wake the frig UP!

Action = Reaction.

Cause = Effect.

Confused....this is the word Charles used today as he stepped out of the courthouse when he realized his name wasn't on the docket. I'd be mighty confused too, and a wee bit stirred. He has been left with no direction, no explanation, no closure on the whole debacle. I don't see anything right about this whatsoever. Is he on the list or not? Is he charged with anything or not? Can someone clear this up? Puhlllleeeeze!

As much as he has the balls of a brave warrior and the yappiness of a pitbull, he also has another side to him too. The HUMAN side. As much as Charles has documented and played this story up on his blog (and of course he would.....) he also has other stories he works on too. The HUMAN stories. Hardly a soul pays attention to the other stories unfolding..... Charles does and he has introduced us to many of them....people, places, events, the issues of the marginalized....the joyful and the most sorrowful of them all..... as he learns about them himself. He's not afraid to put it all out there. By so doing, he stirs up hornets nests and forces many to discuss them. It's a good, good thing. He pays attention. And you know what, he reaches out to others more than you will ever know. And all of those people KNOW and are grateful. I know I am. And I know of a few others..... :)

His heart is huge. His heart is what leads him. Charles is truly a person no one forgets....

And yet...someone forgot to put his name on the list for the gathering at the courthouse??

So, my friend..... let me be the one to announce you.....

Hey Crazyman Charles!! Come out to play!! Bring your glove and we'll toss the ball around. I know a great locale...it's across the street from the Beaverbrook Art Gallery. Know it? Well, of course you do. You pitched a tent there one summer didn't you?

ps.....Hey Charles...You know how you told me all winter long that good things happen to good people? You were right. Now, I pass this message back to you. Good things happen to good people....especially to those like YOU who do good things for others. It's your turn.

prosperity

The welfare office is a strange place to learn about prosperity. But, as I pushed through the myriad of emotions this week trying to keep my focus on wrapping up the many tasks I had to complete before the lights went out on this job, I became more and more cognizant of the fact that this is exactly what i've learned. I also was thinking that due to the global economic circumstances, many are looking at what prosperity really means. Hey! Perhaps this is where they need to hang out.....

We all easily get swooped up in the tide awash with the materialistic side of the equation, when in reality what matters are the simple gifts unattached to any price tag. Not that simple gifts come easy. They do if you recognize them for what they are, or if you realize you're resting beside one waiting to be smiled at. Realistically, nothing ever comes easy, not even the simple gifts. There are many adverse life lessons one has to encounter and to process before this awareness of prosperity shines a different light.....before we earn the vision of seeing the abundance of a simple gift.

I had a short conversation this week with a man from Bosnia who settled in my town a few years back with his family after having to flee his home country. I know much of his story from a mutual friend, but had never had the opportunity to meet him. Our mutual friend explained to the man that I was losing my job and moving onto another that didn't have much security etc. The Bosnian man, who was very outgoing and expressive....said..... "Never forget that life can be much worse. You are in big trouble if you accept the fact that what you are going through is the worst it could be. Believe me, it could be much worse. If I ever accept that it can't get any worse, I am defeated and I can't go anywhere from there." His words will continue to ring inside....

Last summer, my blogger friend Charles and I helped a woman who was in dire need. It was emotionally heartbreaking and satisfying to be able to offer her a bit of help and she was so grateful you just wanted to do more for her. Afterwards, when we got back in the van while I tried to pull myself together again, both of us overwhelmed by the intensity of it all, Charles said....."You know whenever i feel like I've hit bottom and things can't get any worse, I meet a person who is worse off than me. We did good here today." His words continue to ring inside......

I spoke with a man on the phone this week.....I hadn't talked to him in several years. I first met him 10 years ago when he was applying for a disability pension because of his poor health. We met in his little home in the woods and talked for a couple of hours about his struggles, and his frequent hospitalizations. What was loud and clear to me then was how settled and grateful he was to have his own home, his own sanctuary despite its bare bones feel.

6 years ago, he called me to ask if i would help him find a way to learn how to read. We decided the best approach would be through a tutor and not in a classroom. He wasn't able to commit to that kind of structure because of his health. So, it was arranged quickly on my end and that was that. I never heard how it went, or if he was successful.....until we connected again this week. He called to ask me if I would go to bat for him to try to get gas money to travel to and from his tutoring lessons. He drives 45 km one way twice a week to meet with another man who has been teaching how to read for the past 6 years. I had no idea! When I asked him how well his reading was coming along......he proudly informed me that he can read well enough to understand instructions and letters that come in the mail, and that he's able to read some of the words in the books his Dad left him...."not the big words, mind you....can't read the big words yet."

Will this man ever be financially self sufficient? Will he ever be able to read a novel? Will he ever be able to overcome his kidney ailments? As much as he yearns to get a job, he will never be able to work. If he could just have a bit of gas money....he would feel that he can continue to chip away at his goal of becoming literate. This would make him feel prosperous....

The conversation continues to ring inside.

How do we define prosperity.....? It depends on where we are sitting. It depends on what we have learned, and what we value. In these topsy turvy times when many are being forced to strip down, pare down, and heaven forbid do without.....we are pushed into situations where adversity challenges unrelentingly, offering big important lessons. This collective world in which we live....this big global community may just learn a few good lessons that have the capacity to shift how we define prosperity. I recommend a visit to the welfare office.

Prosperity means abundance. Abundance is measured by our value gauge. What is important to us, what we are willing to push through adversity to acquire. Money most definately plays a role, as does good health, but it isn't the answer to prosperity. Stuff accumulated isn't the answer to feeling prosperous. Pushing through adversity while learning through recognizing the signposts along the way is the road to prosperity.....the riches lie there. So does having people to engage and connect with. So does being affirmed, having someone express to you that you matter....feeling significant....knowing you are heard, and recognized you are a human being just like everyone else. These are the golden touches which bring forth the feeling of prosperity. We may be penniless and suffering, and yet we can all feel prosperous.

Not long ago, I had the privilege of sitting in a hospital room with a young man who was dying of Crohn's disease. I was shocked initially at how skeletal he was....how different he looked, and how unbelievably sick he was since I had first met him a few years back. His energy was very low. His lips parched and dry because he was receiving all his nutrients and food sustenance through a tube in his stomach. He was too weak to digest it any other way. He had been in the hospital for 4 months already and has suffered through 3 painful surgeries. He admitted that he didn't know if he had the strength to go through another.....

At first, I didn't know if he could physically handle my visit, but I was there to help him get some extra money by applying for a disability. So, he had saved his strength and greeted me with as much energy as he could conjure up. This man had previously studied to be a preacher, and was able to run a parish church in a rural area in Northern New Brunswick until he fell too ill to lead. But, his faith and his way of looking at the world were still very much intact, and this is where our conversation led.

He spoke of the kindness of the hospital staff......how they arranged for a private room for him even though he didn't necessarily qualify. He lit up when he talked about his best friend, who had been visiting when I arrived and praying quietly with him....how they had studied together to be preachers....how they used to go fishing together. He talked about how blessed he is to have three children whom he loves dearly and feels so upset that he probably won't be around to see them grow up to be adults. He pointed out the flowers that arrived yesterday in the middle of a snowstorm....how his grandmother always comes to visit and that she has been the constant person in his life. He lamented on how much he misses the ulimate freedom of going for a drive into the country all by yourself. And as he reflected....as this man with such poor health, and with no money reflected....he told me how rich he was in so many ways.

2 hours later, I left his hospital room far richer too than I had been when I arrived. I left with the sound of a church bell ringing inside...faith encapsulates the blessings layered in a river of prosperity.

Henri Nouwen writes about people and compares us to mosaic stones. Each one of us is represented by a tiny piece of colour, beautiful on its own, but much more revealing of the face of God when seen as a design together. Our community lives and breathes suffering and struggle. It lives and breathes love and compassion. It displays the faces of humanity, shaded by the lined scars of adversity....and a longing for connection and validation between human beings. Community, he writes, is "where humility and glory touch." And to me, that is where prosperity dwells. You see it abundantly in the welfare office. It is an integral part of our community, sometimes considered on the fringes of the busy work districts, but most definately integral in the whole of our society. We see humility and glory touching daily here.

This place and the people i've met, the colleagues I grown up with and love and have had the privilege to walk a mile or two with will continue to ring on inside me forever. On this my last day of work there, I leave a very rich woman indeed, with an overflowing market basket of simple gifts.

Priceless......

WHOA! I THINK SHE'S GOT IT!!!!!!!!

A small incident from many years ago reappeared in my memory bank this week right after a completely separate and seemingly disconnected event happened in my life. Yet, it somehow managed to turn on an internal switch I think I've been fumbling with for what seems like forever. It also turned my frown into giggle when I quickly saw the absurdist analogy. What stumps me is how such a small seemingly inconsequential blip in my life journey has obviously continued to float in the ether of my collective experiences just waiting to become part of a "teachable" moment.

25 years ago, I backpacked through parts of Europe with my friend Heather. Along the way, we hooked up with other travellers...sometimes just for the day.......sometimes a little longer. It depended on the connection and interests....it depended on which direction we were headed. Sometimes, the fates kept intersecting throughout the trip so that our new friends would pop up unexpectedly at another destination unbeknownst to anyone.

This happened consistently with Mike, a beautiful gregarious man from Minnesota whom we had originally met while he was fumbling at the front desk of a dumpy hostel in Athens trying to sort out accomodation. He had just managed to make his way through to Sarajevo for the Olympics and all on his own travelled south by train, crossing a border and dealing with all that entailed. But, for some reason, he couldn't get his act together to communicate his wishes. We watched him for a while....and then went to his rescue. He bought us a beer. We became fast friends.

(shoot! now I'm all wrapped up in ALL the stories of my travels with Mike and I just wanted to share one incident!! ggrr..... gotta stay on track here..... I'll write another piece about him another time because it is a wonderful story about the realness of serendipity...)

So........fasttrack.....we left Athens.....bizarrely reunited on the ferry to Italy.......did Rome in more than a day (AMAZING CITY.....) and ended up in Florence. He and I saw Pisa and Sienna together and loved it while Heather chose to stay in Florence to soak in the art. On the last day together (or so we thought because fates kicked in twice more on this backpack trip to pull us together) we were standing in the Florence train station with plans to go in different directions. At this point, there were two Brazillian travellers with us who spoke English and Portugese.

It was a bit chaotic that morning....notorious Italian strikes the day before had messed up the train schedules. So, Mike took it upon himself to approach a tiny old Italian woman who was standing behind a counter to ask about departure times. Without any hestitation, he asked her in English....not even considering the woman may not speak the language. The woman duffed him off with her hand telling him in Italian, "no english..." So, what did Mike do? He spoke LOUDER and SLOWER!

Hello!? A little smacking of entitlement stirring around in that manboy's body??

Frustration on both sides filled the air. It was classic. The old woman completely dismissed him as an idiot American traveller. And Mike who was a pleasant friendly guy was hurt in some weird way....he was misunderstood. I think it was an ego bite. We added to the bite by asking him YET AGAIN how he had managed to travel solo through Eastern Europe without someone knocking his block off? Why did he always assume everyone could speak and understand English??

One of the guys from Brazil took over. He approached the old woman behind the counter while we stood off to the side, far enough away that we couldn't hear the conversation. In seconds, he had the woman smiling and conversing. Strange.....he didn't speak Italian, and we assumed the woman didn't speak Portugese. And yet, he managed to return to us with the departure time information. Dumbfounded, I said to him....

"I didn't know you spoke Italian..."

"I don't," he replied, "I just changed the accent on my Portugese. There's enough similarities in the language that she was able to understand me."

I hadn't thought about this silly incident for years until I was driving home one day this week. I had just been confronted with the realization that my emotions were eating me up and driving others away. Not only that, because I hadn't been heard....or they hadn't been acknowledged therefore not affirmed as a human being (this is how it felt....I think its an EGO thing!!!), I did what I do best,.....I had been rachetting them up a notch or two. I had been consistently turning up the decibels. And when that didn't work, I sucked them in and simmered in the sludge of pissed offness. I know I have channelled them into my writing, but apart from that venue, they were either being supressed or spilling out scaring people.

Listen to me for God's sake! Can't you understand the language of my emotions???? This was the frustration I have been feeling in all parts of my life. If a person dismissed me because they were afraid of how intense my feelings were, I felt rejected. If a person tried to help me unravel the now pent up potent stew boiling away, I flooded them. No inbetween seemed to be available to me. No explanations or attempts to describe it using the same language helped me at all. It never occured to me that all I had to do is step back and perhaps change the accent. I seemed to have been stuck in a place of entitlement like Mike and expected others to get it.

There is absolutely no doubt that I am an emotionally driven person. I always have been....I feel it in myself and I feel it deeply in others. This is what helps me be a good counsellor. This is what I can POUR out as a facilitator in front of a classroom full of learners. I see how it helps me connect to others who are trying to scramble up out of a hole. The complicated feelings that make up a deep firey belly of passion has tremendous implications, both positive and negative. Cognitively I understand this....and intellectually I know many don't have this desire or capacity to pull from in themselves. Big feelings scare the shit out of most people. My fears are different.....spiders, snakes, flying....death, drowning, being rejected.....the whole God existance or not thing...... lots of fears here. But, I ain't afraid of emotions.

I have been told time and again I'm too sensitive....too dramatic....my feelings are right there on my sleeve, expressed through my vocal chords, in my writing. The most unnatural thing for me to do is to suppress. The absolute worst thing someone can do to me is ignore me....to remain silent simmering in their own feelings. When this is combined with a sense of something being unfair, well I have a tough time coping. I want to fix it. I want to express it. I want equality.

My father always said I was a "do it" person. I am that, and I thank him for this gene he passed onto me. On most days, this is a good thing. Stuff gets done. But, what I've learned this week (again, because I'm sure this lesson has hit me over the head a thousand times before ) is that sometimes my feelings can shut down others feelings because they swamp them. I have enough gumption to express it for a whole ball team if needed. But, sometimes that doesn't help them, nor does it help me. If and when I tackle life that way, I am more often than not shut out, shunned, not believed.

An example on a smaller scale, I could feel it in a team meeting the other day when I was describing a particularly meaningful interaction I had with a client. I could see that some were with me as I thought i was carefully choosing my words and actually keeping my feelings in line. But, there were others who shut down and dismissed me because they think I'm some Pollyanna airhead who doesn't see reality. Little do they know, not only do I see reality, I feel it in my bones too!

Feeling people are unpredictable people. Out of control feeling people (when affirmation or recognition doesn't happen for a long time.....or when life seems too damn chaotic and unreliable) are caustic. Rachetting it up a notch NEVER helps.

So, lesson learned.....everyone has to have the chance to express their own stuff, that many are not comfortable AND WILL NEVER BE comfortable with big emotions..... and that it would be best to learn how to speak Portugese with an Italian accent rather than talk louder. Interestingly, I've always had a thing for the passion of the romantics. BELLA!

for or against the flow....

Fairness....the word which floats up from the cosmos of my brain this morning. It's one of those concepts which seem to have as many definitions and interpretations as there are people. Or maybe the way its definition is shrouded by one's view of the concept of democracy, or what is considered correct and just. Fairness encompasses justice, integrity, decorum, balance, equality. It seems so straightforward when one simply skims the surface of it. Ah, but it's certainly NOT. We may all strive to accomodate the other meanings, the other layers of what constitutes fairness. Our way of perceiving it is seen through a prism of our own heartfelt emotions, our values and our logic. My logic may look very different than your logic. My logic has a tinge of blue and a smattering of red in it. What colour is yours?

Fairness means that a process is considered soley collaborative. Competition is not in the picture. Or maybe there is fairness within the realm of competition? I mean, someone has to win and someone has to lose in a game and we accept that as fair. But, I can't help but scoff at the times when one starts out in a competition with governing rules about who wins and who loses and then in the middle of the game, the rules change. Is that fair?

Is democracy competitive? Of course it is. Is it fair? hmmmm......On the level headed idealistic thin skinned surface it is, though I don't believe most democratic processes are purely and honestly played out. Strategies and behind the scenes political maneouvering are the norm, some more subtle than others. But, we plebians will never know the kitchen table talk that truly goes on during the course of a hard fought battle for leadership unless we are invited to the table. The way our systems are set up, its obvious the power of a few override the power of the masses. We are fed what they want to feed us in whatever packaging they feel will sell.

We can easily slip into the thinking that there is constant tyranny of the majority, and sometimes there is, but there comes a point when we have to grab hold of something solid and take a leap of faith. The problem is sometimes its damn difficult to figure out when we let something slide and when its time to stand up to the majority. It's mucky when the majority is a veiled version of democracy.......

Or maybe it isn't difficult for you. to figure it out. Maybe you have a clear picture in your head and heart of what is right and wrong....of what you will stand up for and against which drives your actions and in turn drives the decisions you make in your life? That's fair and good on ya if you're clear on this. Most days, I'm jumping back and forth on an issue trying to see the reasoning....

Well, there are some heavy duty deal breakers in my mind....equality, honesty, safety, respect, dignity..... if someone is living under the cloud of terror, whether it is a domestic abuse situation or it is under the constant threat on their lives, where power dictates from a place of hatred and greed, I'm triggered. If there is a brutal bully involved, be it on the local or global playground, fairness becomes a clearcut black and white issue for me as it is most likely for you. HOW it is handled may be different, and this is where fairness gets all cloudy in my mind.

Do you think my definiton of fairness simply comes down to recognizing that my interpretation of "an eye for an eye" is different than someone elses?

And then there is the whole side of this longwinded thought.....will i just think about what is and isn't FAIR and ruminate on it until the cows come home? Will I bark out my opinions and bellow at the moon over the unfairness of whatever event/situation/issue turns my cranky crank? OR will I step up to the plate and ACT? Am I a victim or am I a player? Will I sit on the sidelines cheering or booing or will I take the leap out of the stand, grab the ball and run??? What sparks my butt to get up and take it on?? And if I do take it on, can I be fairminded enough to see the underlying manifestations of someone else's motivation? Fairness is a compromising balance of striving for reconciliation isn't it?

Whether I decide to step up to the trough without thinking about what's for dinner, that's my individual choice to make. However, if I want to be "in the game..."..... if I want to "play...." I have to be cognizant of the fact that all is never what it appears to be and in accepting that, I have to figure out which hills we fight over or we'll spread ourselves too thin. Too thin and my anorexic approach to tackling something meaningful to me is useless. I wouldn't have the strenth to stand up to what I honestly believe is right or wrong, immoral, unethical, promising, hopeful, inhumane, evil if we aren't aware of the issues and how they impact our values. And, if I'm aren't aware of our values, I am soaked in a brine that leaves life limp and salty. Who the heck wants limp and salty?

Sometimes I read something on a blog and it broadens my thinking on a subject which may be burning a hole right through the heart of the author and perhaps I havent really put my time or energy into understanding the issue....or I had been locked in my own opinion. This happens most often when I read a piece where the owner of the opinion has taken the time to lay out their argument in their own words using their own passion. I may not agree with their "take" on an issue, but I can at least appreciate their candor.

Its easy to pluck a news story or a video and paste it on ones blogsite disguised as a personal post. I tend to avoid those heavy handed political blathering blogs. They aren't interested in discourse with anyone who may question their stance. Their opinion on fairness is clearly drawn in the dirt with the message that their way or the highway is the only way. Don't see it their way, you suck, you're wrong and you don't count. See it their way and you can join the circle jerk. Yes, I avoid those barking blogs because whatever argument comes to the forefront is smattered with personal "your mother wears army boots," jibes. Who needs to spend time with someone even if its in cyber land who simply is looking for a cheap fight?? I see no fairness or equity in that approach. It just reeks of bad breath.

In all that is fair....? They choose to use their cyber-platform as they wish. I choose to move on. It's the same as the choices I make with respect to my overall learning. Important to note on many levels, because what i choose to learn is smothered by my interests, my life situation, my values, my upbringing, opportunities, access....etc, etc.....

So we pick and choose our "battles" based on our passions and personal experiences, sometimes clouding our ability to see how another is perceiving the fairness of situation or at the governmental level, of how a direction was decided upon. It's the same at the street level where decisions are made that impact us personally. Fair? Democratic? Am I right and you're wrong? Are you right and I'm wrong? Is fairness ever monochromatic? It really gets bogged down into the paralyzing core of political correctness doesn't it?

Am I confusing the hell out of you, as I am myself?? Is it even fair to ask these questions? Sorry, I have been in the car a heck of a lot this week and consequently the convoluted permutations and vascillations have wreaked havoc..... eeek!

Fairness......its a fundamental concept we try to teach our children at a very young age, often starting out as measured equality and broadening out with parameters and rules to guide it. It's a concept we continue to struggle with through the prism of our moral reasoning which is layered by how we learn how to see the world, what we hold dear to our ethical fabric, what is impacted us personally, and what we have learned. Fairness is the underpinning of our values. It is what gets our blood and juices flowing. It is an everchanging kaleidescope impacted by the experiences we step out and into, by what we feed it through our learning. It is as complicated to figure out as it is simple to establish. It drives our notions of democracy and has the capacity to allow us to walk a mile in someone elses shoes....... OR it can be a deal breaker in the eyes of someone who is not willing to focus beyond their line in the dirt.

gee, and to think this little word....this little concept came to mind when I was trying to figure out if it was fair that I didn't get that job...... hmmmm, that's a bit of confessional self absorption isn't it? ....... I guess when I try to look at it from another side, it was fair in someone's eyes. :) And if I look at it another way, the experience left me with much to think about. that's a fair trade i guess. ;)

making the untenable transform into one spoken word.

Everybody can be great... because anybody can serve. You don't have to have a college degree to serve. You don't have to make your subject and verb agree to serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love.

Martin Luther King Jr.

The other day, I had to grab a cab from downtown to get home. Unlike my memorable trip to find Pip's house, I knew the way this time! However, when the cab driver asked me where I would like to go, I joked and replied..."Montreal. I'd really like to go to Montreal." He laughed and seemed game actually, but then I gave him my address and off we went, yapping away like we'd known each other from another planet or something. Gotta love the friendliness of cabbies!

Our conversation ran the gamut of topics, led mostly by my philosophical and very intuitive cabbie. I was fascinated by his "take" on Quebec and our constitution, on bilingualism, psychology, and the very idea that we don't own thoughts we just borrow them in the space where they dwell (try and get your head around THAT one...loveitloveit!).....and in fact asked him if he was writing this stuff down (he's not, but I did encourage him to become a blogger....and gave him the link to mine so he may be reading this!) Anyways, one thing he spoke of really stuck with me and for some reason it flows into my thinking on this day of hope.....Obama's inauguration.

In the middle of a story he was sharing with me, he asked me if I knew the original meaning behind the word "universe." I had never thought too much about it before except that it had such a vast infinite connotation.......something almost so intensely open-ended, its galaxy seemed untenable and beyond my grasp. When I think of the word "universe," it makes me feel so small and inconsequential, that whatever i do in this vast expanse we live in would never really make a dent of a difference. I tried to put pull together what I had always considered the meaning of the word...... but then he broke down the word into three.... uni-ver-se.... this one word was formed by three words.... translated as "single-spoken-word".....or another translation is "turned into one"

Universe means single spoken word.....

or turned into one.

Today, we all watch in anticipation and hope all the while holding our breath as a man who inspires like no other on this planet right at this moment takes the oath of office. Our hopes are pinned on his lapel. Somehow, Barack Obama has generated such a universal feeling of action, of possibility that only change can produce even in the face of such enormous obstacles....he has somehow turned us into one. Obama, with his compassionate words AND his compassionate actions thus far has wiped away the face of apathy and replaced it with inspired energy. He has stretched our imaginations to include the fresh air idealism which feeds a sense of oneness needed to create a major shift in the collective conscience and consciousness of all. When he uses the chant, "Yes we can!" he is calling on all of us to take part.....American, Canadian, French, Australian, British, Kenyan, Brazilian, Mexican...... Have you ever experienced anything like this rush of energy across this universe??

Universe..... single spoken word.....

turned into one.....

How can he succeed against such odds? Only if we help....only if we all take responsibility for the long "to do" list which sits on the desk of the President of the United States of America, only if we recognize our role, our duty to make a difference. Obama has been clear that he can't do it alone. He has been vocal about the long haul ahead of us.....economically, emotionally, spiritually, how it's going to be fraught with false starts and small steps towards a better place. What is threaded throughout his speeches, is a message of a single spoken word. We must listen.....and act.

Service

Yesterday to acknowledge Martin Luther King Jr Day, Obama helped roll paint onto the walls of a homeless shelter for youth, beautifully and symbolically marking a challenge to all who are paying attention. Service in action.

Service

Martin Luther King Jr said...."An individual has not started living until he can rise above the narrow confines of his individualistic concerns to the broader concerns of all humanity"...... this is what I'm hearing from Obama.....spoken in his own calm, deliberate, intelligent manner....He is challenging us to live outside of ourselves, to recognize the thousand threads which bind us, to begin anew by doing. This leader of our times had chosen a single spoken word to capture the vastness of the issues of this planet.....

Service.

Perhaps this is how we can help make the untenable transform into possiblity....through our acts of service.... We begin to perform small acts in our communities, for our schools, in our neighbourhoods, at the local shelter, with a soup ladel in hand at the community kitchen, reading to a child at the library, donating to the food bank, buying locally, supporting one another, looking out for one another.....its all found in a single spoken word.

Service.

Barack Obama knows his destiny and success lies in our hands as well as in his own hands of action....this is the essence of a good leader. In his acceptance speech after winning the democratic nomination, he spoke of promise..."What is that American promise? It's a promise that says each of us has the freedom to make of our own lives what we will, but that we also have an obligation to treat each other with dignity and respect"......He goes on to say....."Our government should work for us, not against us. It should help us, not hurt us. It should ensure opportunity not just for those with the most money and influence but for every American who's willing to work. "

"That's the promise of America -- the idea that we are responsible for ourselves but that we also rise or fall as one nation: the fundamental belief that I am my brother's keeper. I am my sister's keeper."

"We are responsible for ouselves but rise or fall as one......"

Even if we don't live in the United States of America, we are enthralled because this man plans to lead us into working as one. His actions and his appointments indicate this. Turned into one. We are inspired when we hear the single spoken word....Service..... Let him reframe how we look at our universe so that we all feel significantly needed in the embrace of change.

It's possible. Yes we can.

Let the change begin.

somebody cry why, why, why?

I left this morning in the bitter cold and headed east and then south to Saint John to deliver a 3 day workshop to a group of frontline staff. The temperatures dropped drastically. It had turned the wet lash flakes that seemed to playfully cover the landscape on Sunday night into a mean hardened encasement on the limbs of the burdened trees. Snow had blown onto the highway and mixed with the dangerous black ice that gripped the same colour pavement, leaving the driving conditions intense. Warnings had been voiced throughout the radio morning show.....to be careful.....to go slow.......to take your time.

The sunrise skyline in front of me was a blurred soft salmon like someone had used pastel crayons to colour it in and them used the warmth of their fingers to rub it into a delicate sleepiness. As the sun rose higher into the horizon it too had a blurriness from the thin clouds that covered and captured whatever warmth emanated from it's centre. It was a storm warning sky, familiar to anyone who lives in snow country. It was silently beautiful.

The highway between Fredericton and Saint John is a well known one to me, and it has my utmost respect. Two lanes for the most part, hilly with very few straight stretches, it cuts through the training land for CFB Gagetown which is all forested. In some parts, a brand new serious looking fence separates the road from the forest to keep the moose where they should be..... and not gallavanting along the white dashes. They have been known to do that. Several people have been killed after their vehicles have collided with a moose. The fence is a life saver.

As much as I was keeping my eyes on the road and my brain alert and focused on the driving, I did take in the scenery as I passed by. The trees, mostly mature evergreens were covered in a thick coat of snow, so white it was almost blinding.....so heavy that they were all bent over like they were bowing to the motorists. It was stunningly beautiful, like a winter wonderland picture postcard. If it had been a different day, perhaps I would've been able to pull off the road and take some photos. Instead, I decided I would tuck the picture into my memory in order to be able to try to find the words to describe them.

While I was thinking about how one could describe the depth of winter's beauty on the landscape of this part of the world, a familiar song came on CBC Radio 2 (which by the way has completely enamoured me of late with its changes. I love the music they are playing in the mornings). It had been made famous 20 or so years ago by Paul Simon when he teamed with an African group named Ladysmith Black Mombazo. I remember the first time I saw them perform it.......on Saturday Night Live, and I remember being absolutely bowled over by the feeling that rose out of all them as they sang....knowing I would never forget the song or the feeling. This rendition wasn't accompanied by Simon but rather Sarah McLaughlin. Her voice fed right into LBM's harmony like an angel..........

Homeless, homeless

Moonlight sleeping on a midnight lake

Homeless, homeless

Moonlight sleeping on a midnight lake

We are homeless, we are homeless

The moonlight sleeping on a midnight lake

And we are homeless, homeless, homeless

The moonlight sleeping on a midnight lake

Such a contrast.......a mind awakening contrast.........there I was travelling through a stretch of what seemed like the fairytale version of the North pole with its snow artistry listening to a song that had transported me to the soul full beat of Africa. I couldn't be farther away physically from where this song originated but spiritually as I listened to the words and absorbed the sounds of a language I can't speak or understand, I was right there.

Strong wind destroy our home

Many dead, tonight it could be you

Strong wind, strong wind

Many dead, tonight it could be you

And we are homeless, homeless

Moonlight sleeping on a midnight lake

Homeless, homeless

Moonlight sleeping on a midnight lake

Homeless, homeless

Moonlight sleeping on a midnight lake

Somebody say ih hih ih hih ih

Somebody sing hello, hello, hello

Somebody say ih hih ih hih ih

Somebody cry why, why, why?

Somebody say ih hih ih hih ih

Somebody sing hello, hello, hello

Somebody say ih hih ih hih ih

Somebody cry why, why, why?

Somebody say ih hih ih hih ih

This is a song which entered our world only 22 years ago and helped broaden our awareness of world music. It was a daring thing to do......apartheid was still raging. Nelson Mandela was still imprisoned. Communism was still such a prevalent silencer to millions of people. The Berlin Wall was still a foreboding crippler of freedom when we were introduced to this song. But when you think about it, it's the art......music, paintings, novels, films, poems which always seems to lead the way to change and awareness. This song for me awakened my interests in learning more about African issues.........but also made me realize that some issues.........homelessness for example....and the feelings behind the issues are universally felt.

somebody cry.......why, why, why?

we can relate........communicating through our creativity.

we can relate by recognizing the very idea that we all think, feel, breathe and yearn alike.

we can relate by reaching out and learning about our similarities and differences.

December 10th, 2008 (tomorrow!!!) is the 60th anniversary of the Declaraton of Human Rights. WE still have major homelessness issues. WE still have people imprisoned behind walls. WE still have people who are brave and have tried to speak out about the injustices the see and experience in their countries. Yes, we have made major strides since Paul Simon did us a huge favour by introducing us to beautiful music filled with sounds and language we can absorb through our hearts. However, many people have been silenced..... Many people in our world....human beings like you and I live with NO rights. This is a violation we all need to recognize and we all need do something about.

Tomorrow, I will write about a couple of people, ordinary people who have taken it upon themselves to make a difference in the rights of others. Every Human Has Rights.....Inspiring.....

Tonight, as I hunker down in the port city of Saint John for the duration of the workshop, I want to share music......to inspire....... to wake up our passion for people who live far away from Canada's wintery landscape..... as a reminder of our individual right to freedom of expression. Written in collaboration.....follow this link....

ps....Today? I led a workshop on our basic needs. It went better than I expected because there was the music playing in my soul.

Words Fall to the Floor.....

This song was played this morning after a wonderful interview between Michael Enright and Joan Baez on CBC Sunday morning. Poignant and timely, we seem to have come around in a circle where we are faced with similar struggles. The learned "enemy" may have a different face and come from a part of the world than the "enemies" we are conditioned to point our grubby little fingers at. I don't think it really matters who it is..... turns out God doesn't pick sides. Good thing too. Sadly, i wonder if we'll ever learn from Him?

The lyrics:

"With God On Our Side"

Oh my name it is nothin'
My age it means less
The country I come from
Is called the Midwest
I's taught and brought up there
The laws to abide
And the land that I live in
Has God on its side.

Oh the history books tell it
They tell it so well
The cavalries charged
The Indians fell
The cavalries charged
The Indians died
Oh the country was young
With God on its side.

The Spanish-American
War had its day
And the Civil War too
Was soon laid away
And the names of the heroes
I's made to memorize
With guns on their hands
And God on their side.

The First World War, boys
It came and it went
The reason for fighting
I never did get
But I learned to accept it
Accept it with pride
For you don't count the dead
When God's on your side.

When the Second World War
Came to an end
We forgave the Germans
And then we were friends
Though they murdered six million
In the ovens they fried
The Germans now too
Have God on their side.

I've learned to hate Russians
All through my whole life
If another war comes
It's them we must fight
To hate them and fear them
To run and to hide
And accept it all bravely
With God on my side.

But now we got weapons
Of the chemical dust
If fire them we're forced to
Then fire them we must
One push of the button
And a shot the world wide
And you never ask questions
When God's on your side.

In a many dark hour
I've been thinkin' about this
That Jesus Christ
Was betrayed by a kiss
But I can't think for you
You'll have to decide
Whether Judas Iscariot
Had God on his side.

So now as I'm leavin'
I'm weary as Hell
The confusion I'm feelin'
Ain't no tongue can tell
The words fill my head
And fall to the floor
If God's on our side
He'll stop the next war.

Arretez le Racisme

Hot off Youtube! My 11 year old son, Max and two of his classmates are delivering a presentation next week for their social studies class. Their topic? Racism. This is their first year in french immersion though have been learning french since Grade 1 along with their other subjects. So it will be their first presentation completely delivered in their second language. It will be accompanied with their video presentation they worked together to compile. Great photos, great flow........powerful song...... For a first attempt, mighty fine!

It's powerful as well as a bit irreverent in their choice of pictures they interspersed throughout the people pictures. A 1 1/2 minute snapshot of history through the eyes of wide awake 11 year old boys.
What I love about this assignment is how interactive it is on so many learning levels....! It's multi-sensory.....it's critical thinking...........it's connecting with others to make it work. Now, if we could just pull this little microcosm of what happens in good energy filled creative classrooms and apply it on a global field? We'd have it made!

Here is the link to the video.........for the life of me I couldn't imbed the darn thing here, even with step by step instruction!! So, please check it out by following the link, and let Max and I know what you think. :) thanks.

we are not afraid.

Two links I would like to share. I tried to post it right here, but have had no luck.

So.......

Please take in this speech. It leaves me with shivers of hopeful inspiration. Here is the link

Then, hear it in harmonious inspiration....... and sing along. Let the hymn breathe with you as it should wherever you are and however this finds you tonight.

We are not afraid.......we are not afraid....

We shall overcome someday.

shalom.

every child.....every right......

Over the course of the school year, my son and his classmates worked on a collective enrichment project on Africa. They individually chose their own topic under such a diverse umbrella, but also took part in various activities arranged by their teacher.......a teacher who is one for the ages. He's a true shining example of someone who is living his calling, and his students AND the school thrive because he teaches and learns from the core of his heart.

Africa was "taken on" by a group of 10 year olds keen to learn and keen to dive into it with gusto. African drummers did a demo and had the children take part. A local woman named Miss Alice, originally from Zimbabwe and who recently graduated from the university in her 70's came in and taught them throat singing and told them many stories about her childhood. They were introduced to music, culture, sports and song........they learned about the flags, and the different currency. They learned of endangered species, of fossils and bones.....they learned of the desserts, the ruins, and the rituals.

They learned about the plight of children, about extreme poverty and as an aside decided to raise money for Unicef, which they did as part of the larger school in the fall (the school raised more money than any other school in Atlantic Canada) and then again as a class. Just as a class of 30 or so kids, they have raised $1000.00 in change in the last month alone. They are now trying to figure out what they want the money to go towards......bug nets, water, school supplies..........they can choose this. The Unicef representatives from the Region have also been involved in helping to guide them as well and have recognized their initiative.

Amazing.............they now ALL want to visit Africa.........to see, hear, touch, inhale it for themselves.

They learned independently, collectively and far beyond their neighbourhoods. Last month, they presented all of their projects at a special event for the parents and family which to say the least was a mind blower. Videos, powerpoint presentations, clay pots, jewelry, structures, a set of drums were present on a variety of topics....... animals, people, geography, housing, the economy, and music..............all were covered by this group of kids. It was very very impressive and very very moving.

The presentation event began with this video which was developed for Unicef as a promotional piece. I welcome you to follow this link and watch...........it's SO powerfully moving.............and only a couple of minutes long...........I will wait for your return......................xo


Last night, I attended my very last Home and School Meeting at Garden Creek School. My family and I have been involved as "Creekers" since Martha began Kindergarten 10 years ago, and over those years I have personally focused my volunteer time to this place as President of Home and School a handful of times and as the Coordinator of their Christmas Bazaar fundraiser often. I have met the best people, the most dedicated teachers and staff, an amazing group of parents........and have felt such an affinity to the place and to the atmosphere which is always warm and welcoming.........respectful and engaged. During the meeting, we got to watch the Unicef video again, and again, I was moved and stirred by my strong interest in the plight of children globally, and always come away from watching or reading or thinking about this with a strong desire to do more as citizen of the bigger world.

Tonight, after hearing a horrendous story on the National news coming from the Save the Children Foundation research study on rampant sexual abuse of children by UN Peacekeepers and even from staff of helping agencies taking place predominantly in the most wartorn countries in Africa, I was struck again by wanting to do more. here is a link to the story.......


It appears so daunting. So many children are living and suffering from preventable diseases, they are dying of AIDs, malnutrition, and neglect. They are caught in the crossfire of evil, of war, of natural disasters. They are the innocents being abuse by people whom they should be seeking solace and safety from? What is wrong with this world when millions of children do not live and thrive under the same rights and freedoms that our children have the opportunity to? Why should any child be different?

For anyone reading this post and want to comment on the questionable validity of the above mentioned study, don't waste your breath. I am fully cognizant of the fact that the study most likely won't be taken seriously because it doesn't meet the reliability and validity standards of research and consequently wont be taken seriously by anyone in a position to seek out these sick perpetrators and deliver justice while supporting the violated and wounded children. However, my feeling is that this study........and these stories are simply the tip of the iceberg, given that most people would be so full of shame that they would never admit to the atrocities they have experienced. Also, my feeling is that if ONE..........ONE child is violated, raped, sexually abused in any way, we should all take note, take action and fight for the rights of every one of our kids in need of our love and intervention.

My volunteer time is now over at Garden Creek School. I may join in on some committees etc during my children's middle school and high school years, but I doubt it will be anywhere near as satisfying or directly helpful to the day to day running of a school. So, now I'm thinking about my son and his class and their enthusiasm which has struck a chord in me again, and I'm left wondering how I can begin to dedicate myself to the cause of children worldwide. I'm wondering how I can really help.

One of the first things I did tonight was sign the Declaration of Human Rights. YOU can do this too! I recognize that it's symbolic, but can see the importance of doing so. Given that it is the 60th anniversary since it was originally penned, the group called the Elders, whom I wrote about last year when they were formed by the intiatives of Peter Gabriel and Richard Branson, took this as one small initiative as a way to engage ordinary citizens in the awareness as well as the ownership of promoting and protecting human rights. Here is the link to the Elder site (I applaud them.........!! I want to meet them all!!) On it, you will find a link to where you can sign the Declaration as well as learn about this international leadership foundation. It also includes a video of the Elders speaking on the Declaration and pertinent information on how we as individuals citizens can help.....................can get involved.


Every child has the right to be loved and cared for. It is our collective and individual responsibility to work towards this goal. If we don't who will?




My son's class last year in Grade 4 during their first real foray into fundraising for Unicef, shown here with the Unicef reps. They're veterans now............and look so much older than they do here. Amazing how much they have all grown up in a year! Love them all, those scruffy ragamuffins!