Yesterday we celebrated Canada’s 150th birthday. We have come a long way as a country, and my hope is that we continue to grow respect for all living things and truly realize how interconnected we are to one another and nature.
I recently had the pleasure of hearing Frank O’Dea speak. As co-founder of Second Cup, you would assume certain attributes about this gentleman. You might be surprised as I was to find out that Frank, who is now a successful businessman many times over as well as a philanthropist, started out the earlier years of his life as a homeless addict. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_X7fmgyrVWQ
What shifted Frank’s life around is a total stranger who gave him a dime (over 50 years ago), and he used it to make a call to Alcoholics Anonymous. Frank said that stranger will never know the positive impact that dime had on his life.
Have you had someone like that in your life, or have you been that person for someone else?
Frank lives by the motto: Hope, Vision, Action. The first step is to have hope. I have to admit that I have had my own hope shaken lately in regards to humanity and my ability to make a positive difference. Glimpses of hope have started to be restored through Frank’s talk, some serendipitous meetings, and through conversations with friends. My wish is that if you have felt the lack of hope lately, that these words might in some small way help you along this journey that we call life.
Never doubt that your actions of help or support for others go unnoticed. They may feel insignificant to you, but never to the living being who receives your gift of kindness in whatever form it looks like.
A quote I recently saw in the Human Rights Museum totally sums all of this up:
“Sometimes it falls upon a generation to be great, you can be that generation.” Nelson Mandela
My hope is that you be great not only to yourself, but also to others as well as all of nature. We are all connected.
Sending loads of sunshine and faery magic your way,
Susanne
One time i was in a grocery store line up buying a bag of chips and realized i was 50 cents short. Before i knew it the guy behind me said he had an extra quarter and then the guy in front of me said he had another one. I felt very blessed by those two earth angels that day. I will never forget them.
How awesome to be sandwiched in between two earth angels! It is those little things that make such a difference for each and every one of us.
Thank you for the wonderful inspiring message Susanne.
Thank you for taking the time to reply with your kind words.