Day 744: Poetry Friday

Needed to hear this today. Just in case you do, too, I thought I’d share. Powerful. . Because opening our heart to others often begins with opening our heart to ourselves. And that doesn’t mean letting ourselves off the hook, or giving ourselves an easy ride. But digging deep to be our best selves. Finding […]

Day 743: Only love can conquer hate

Some days it’s not easy to see the good in people. We’re surrounded by so much heartache and turmoil and violence and catastrophe that it numbs us to the small, tender mercies that can help us heal. I heard this story on CBC Radio’s As It Happens today, and even though it broke my heart […]

Day 742: Survival of the kindest

. In honour of the upcoming World Peace Weekend (Sept. 23-24), wanted to share this amazing video. It highlights a project that began in Washington State in 2012, called the “Compassion Games” — an antidote to the “Hunger Games” atmosphere of much of our world today. In 2012, there were two teams in the Compassion […]

Day 741: Elevator diaries

So, how’s your day going? Busy? Not busy enough? I hear ya. Mine’s going okay, pretty quiet. So quiet that something occurred to me today. I realized that without consciously thinking about it, I’ve started to talk to strangers more than I used to. Now, the thought of saying even “Hello” to a stranger used […]

Day 740: Lone wolf

. Came across this little story today and it really stuck with me. Maybe because of all the crazy headlines and political turmoil out there right now. I’m certainly guilty of letting it get to me and lashing out online or in person about things I have zero control over. I want to keep coming […]

Day 739: Falling for transit

So, I came across this story today and it really hit home (no pun intended). Ever since I had a bad fall last September on a city street and dislocated and broke my wrist, I have been very nervous walking down the stairs at the subway. Just like the man in this story, I’d been […]

Day 738: The power of music

We’ve probably all experienced the power of music at one time or another … how it can entertain, bewitch, even heal. This story struck me for two reasons. How volunteering can change the life of the volunteer even more than those they’re helping (it’s done that for me). And how music connects with a deep […]

Day 737: Lost and found times two

Once upon a time I had a pair of mittens. Warm mittens. Emblazoned with a maple leaf. I was so careful with these mittens, you’d think they were spun with pure gold, not wool. When I wasn’t wearing them, I’d tuck them into my purse or a tote bag so I wouldn’t drop them. I […]

Day 736: Paying it forward… on wheels

You hear the term “paying it forward” a lot, and I’m here to tell you how cool it feels when you actually get to do that. This was a small example, but hey, every little bit helps, right? A couple of weeks ago, after a looooong day, I fell asleep on my bus. So fast […]

Day 735: Ice, ice, baby

. Okay, so it hasn’t been quite this icy on Toronto streets lately, but it has been pretty slippery in spots out there. And I have broken both wrists over the past two years … the left one after a very bad fall that bruised both my arm and my ego. So, forgive me if […]