Looking East, Perseverance, and Which Came First
Good Morning from Prince Edward Island,
Thank you for the invite into your home this morning, put the kettle on and let us have a cup of tea.
Drink your tea slowly and reverently, as if it is the axis on which the world earth revolves – slowly, evenly, without rushing toward the future. Live the actual moment. Only this moment is life.” Thich Nhat Hanh
Here is a photograph I took at 6:31 am., this morning while standing on the front lawn of our home facing east.
Apropos that I share “ A Morning Offering”, a poem by John O'Donohue
I bless the night that nourished my heart To set the ghosts of longing free
Into the flow and figure of dream
That went to harvest from the dark Bread for the hunger no one sees.
All that is eternal in me Welcome the wonder of this day, The field of brightness it creates Offering time for each thing
To arise and illuminate.
I place on the altar of dawn:
The quiet loyalty of breath,
The tent of thought where I shelter, Wave of desire I am shore to
And all beauty drawn to the eye.
May my mind come alive today
To the invisible geography
That invites me to new frontiers,
To break the dead shell of yesterdays, To risk being disturbed and changed.
May I have the courage today
To live the life that I would love,
To postpone my dream no longer
But do at last what I came here for And waste my heart on fear no more.
Fear No More...takes me to the World Acadian Congress kicking off this weekend. Acadians from around the world come together to reconnect with their families in Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia.
For those who are reading this and wondering about the word Acadian. Here is a wiki link that explains a bit about this people group.
The expulsion story, families are torn apart during the expulsions of 1755, and deportation from France to Louisiana had me thinking about the word “perseverance.”
Perseverance, as described in a thesaurus, is determination, endurance, stamina, and tenacity. This describes the Acadian community.
The forging of the Acadian and Cajun spirit bring the world a joyous collection of creative souls. They celebrate family through all they do. Their sense of community is shared through music and food. They express a unique joie de vivre.
There is much emphasis on notoriety and fame in our society. Our newspapers and television keep giving us the message: What counts is to be known, praised, and admired, whether you are a writer, an actor, a musician, or a politician.
Still, real greatness is often hidden, humble, simple, and unobtrusive. It is not easy to trust ourselves and our actions without public affirmation. We must have strong self-confidence combined with deep humility. Some of the greatest works of art and the most important works of peace were created by people who had no need for the limelight. They knew that what they were doing was their call, and they did it with great patience, perseverance, and love. ~ Henri Nouwen
Speaking of endurance and stamina. Our staff are doing utmost to serve everyone in an expedient and courteous fashion. They impress the heck out of Shirley and me.
We are short three to five full-time people. A common problem in the service industry in North America. Makes it tough, especially in Prince Edward Island with our seasonal economy.
The wait times in our restaurant are above normal. The volume of people coming in for food is almost three times the amount of people we usually serve. This can be challenging for any host/hostess and kitchen which makes all dishes to order. They are doing a herculean job and we are proud of them.
Perseverance can tip the scales from failure to success.
This morning, I was reading a blog from Seth Godin, called Words that Matter.
Discipline, rigour, patience, self-control, dignity, respect, knowledge, curiosity, wisdom, ethics, honour, empathy, resilience, honesty, long-term, possibility, bravery, kindness and awareness.
All of these are real skills, soft skills, learnable skills.
But if they’re skills, that means that they are decisions. A choice we get to make. Even if it’s not easy or satisfying in the short term.
These skills are in short supply sometimes, which makes them even more valuable.
In relation to perseverance, this TED talk by Angela Lee Duckworth is worthy of the 10-minute watch.
Also, some good Acadian foot-stomping music. The band Vishtèn paid homage to their traditions and to the historic and strong musical connections on their island Acadian communities.
From the Library of Congress YouTube Site.
Vishtèn is an award-winning Canadian band that performs both traditional and original Acadian music with rock energy. Their original "neo-traditional" compositions blend updated versions of French and Celtic genres. The trio comprises multi-instrumentalists Emmanuelle and Pastelle LeBlanc from the Evangeline Region of Prince Edward Island, and Magdalen Islands' native, Pascal Miousse. These three artists are accomplished solo musicians as well. Located off the north coast of Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island is home to a small but thriving a Francophone Acadian community with a rich tradition of song and instrumental music. Nearby, the even smaller archipelago of the Magdalen Islands (les Iles de la Madeleine) is predominantly Francophone, recognized for its distinctive French dialect, songs and unique fiddling style. All three members of Vishtèn were raised in homes in which traditional music, percussive dance and kitchen parties were part of everyday life.
Want to wish you a constant hot cuppa and a great weekend.
Thank you for your time today. I'd love to hear from you, your comments mean a lot.
With love from Prince Edward Island,
Bruce
ps.
I ordered a chicken and an egg on Amazon.
I’ll let you know.
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