The Things we Love, Dr. Terarai Trent, and Grassroots Capitalism

Good Morning from Prince Edward Island, 

Hope you had a great few weeks, sorry, for not getting the blog out last week, was feeling a bit under the weather and just couldn’t get the brain cells flexible enough to think.

To all that wrote wondering where the blog was, it was heartwarming and encouraging, thank you.

So put the kettle on, I am coming in from the cold, for a cup of tea. Thanks for the invite. 

"The things that we love tell us what we are."

-- Thomas Merton

I love my Creator.

I love my wife.

I love our daughters

I love our staff.

I love our customers. 

I love the sunrise.

I love early mornings.

I love my lessons learned.

I love the rain.

I love the wind.

I love nature.  

I love quiet.

I love you.

Look at you….all the possibility to change your world and the rest of the world. What a gift.  

There are so many more things I could gleefully list but heck the tea is getting cold.

ps….I love hot tea. LOL

Love is absolutely vital for human life. For love alone can awaken what is divine within you. In love, you grow and come home to your self. John O’Donahue Anam Cara

Early next week, I have been asked to speak to a class of high school students.  

The class is designed to help young people think about what they might like to do in the future as it relates to career.  

I remember all too well, the class in Grade 9 when the teacher asked me what I wanted to be, "I want to be an architect", I said. His response, No, no..you are too stupid to do that." Well, I will end the story there. Sad to say, a kid with aspirations had them dashed right then and there. It only reinforced what I was led to believe by other voices speaking into my life. 

Good news. I learned I wasn't stupid, but it took a long time, grit, perseverance and kind words from strangers.

One thing for sure, we need more leaders. And to my way of thinking, ANYONE who takes responsibility is a leader. Anyone who encourages is a leader. We can’t lead others effectively or well if we can’t lead ourselves.

I remember one of the best lessons, I have ever received, and it came in my 19th year.

While living in another province, I worked for a national retail chain. Our regional manager was getting a promotion to head office in Toronto, and others working in our store were set to move up the pecking order or lateral moves within the region. All these changes, caused to me to start wondering, what about me? So I asked that very question. The response was, short and to the point, “I don’t care about you!” Ouch.

It was exactly what I needed to hear at the time. Ok, if that is the way. I will take responsibility for my life from here on out. I will not count on my employer to determine my identity or my outcomes in life.

Did responsibility happen overnight? No. Did I blame others for my mistakes? Sure.  Am I over it, yep. I mentioned a few blogs back that my license plate says it all, Let It Go.

A few years back after a prompting, mental notification, gift from the heavens, whatever you want to call it, reminded me to honour my mother & father. Remembering the wisdom sent was one of the ten commandments.  So, I set about being intentional. I asked my wife, Shirley, to drive with me for a few hours after explaining that I needed to visit the gravesite of my adoptive parents.

Once there I vocally and prayerfully shared with them the stories of hurt. I promised, to no longer blame or complain about them, that I loved them and forgave them. Symbolic? Over the top? Maybe so but I think not, LIFE has not been the same.

Kathleen Raine, a Scottish poet, says that unless you see a thing in the light of love, you do not see it at all.

Is there anybody, you need to honour through pain? Perhaps, they didn’t see you through the light of love, but the wonderful gift of choice is given to all, and you can choose to see them this way.  Everything changes when we look through the eye of love.

Earlier in the blog, I mentioned that you could change your world with intention. The comment comes from watching Marie Foleo interviewing Dr. Terarai Trent. I found it to be incredibly inspiring. I hope you do as well.

Do you have an “impossible dream”?

In this episode, Dr. Tererai Trent discusses her book, “The Awakened Woman,” and how you can achieve your dreams, even in the face of crushing setbacks.

Through one incredible woman’s journey from a child bride in a small Zimbabwe village to one of the world’s most recognizable voices in women’s empowerment and education, this manifesto inspires women to pursue their sacred dreams through nine essential lessons brought forth from ancient African wisdom.

“I realized the pathway I was going through was silencing me.” Dr. Tererai Trent

A local story about four Maritime women who came up with an idea to create an inflatable life vest with a built-in tracking device is an inspiration as well.  All women are from coastal communities and were challenged by their technology management and entrepreneurship program at UNB to design and manufacture what could be a commercially viable product.  Read More here. 

I love grassroots capitalism. The internal creative gift in each of us waits for our decision to honour it and create something for good.

Those of you who read this blog, know that I love music. Particularly piano classical. This next story from our local CBC is so well done and tells a beautiful example of what the gift of music and compassion can do for others. 

Shona Pottinger has been gifted to lead others to joy through music therapy.  She leads a group of people living Parkinson's through vocal exercises, and for this story brings to perform an enthusiastic rendition of the classic song Side by Side. 

Irene Doyle, chair of the Parkinson Canada P.E.I. chapter describes the singing group as a "joyful experience," and "After we're singing for a while, it's just, the spirits [have] been lifted. We really are more joyful and really willing and able to take on whatever task comes." Read more here. 

All the best in the week ahead and thank you for your reading today. Perhaps, the mood was influenced by what I was listening to. 

Classical Music Playlist Piano: 14 Beautiful and Relaxing Piano Pieces

With love from Prince Edward Island, 

Bruce

ps. A nice box of chocolates can provide your total daily intake of calories in one place. Isn't that handy?