This week, we are ready for love.
A quick glance at the news flooding our screens proves that the month of love could not have come at a better time.
As a Canadian, I have always felt somewhat insulated from the senseless acts of violence that have sadly become a hallmark of our 21st century western culture.
That has now changed.
Resisting the urge to throw up our hands or point our fingers, we answer the call to gather and support each other. Last night, I realized the significance of our culture of community as I led a brief meditation for Quebec at Tamar in Central.
Next to me stood a young woman whose parents landed in Quebec from Vietnam a generation ago. Her family had been received with love. Her tears reflected sadness at impossible happening in her home. She was joined by her husband from France who, holding their baby girl, shared his impression of the profound community spirit he experienced in Canada as no where else he had lived.
Next to them stood the Imam of the Hong Kong Muslim Community who was moved by our small and incredibly diverse gathering whose shared citizenship connected our hearts. His was a message of gratitude and a prayer for peace.
Opposite stood the recently arrived Consul General of Canada who spoke with eloquence about our country’s continued commitment to diversity and our resilience and the understanding that we must address growing issues of separation in our society.
As we sent our thoughts and our love to the other side of the planet, we created a new little community. We had arrived as strangers to grieve a tragedy and honor lives lost. We left as friends prouder than ever to call Canada our home.
Our lives are fueled primarily by love and these little acts make a big difference in how we live.
As the marketers do their best to try and convince us that love can be purchased, we are finding love every day.
We see it in the actions of volunteers who reach out and provide assistance the forgotten. We find it among our members who follow their heart and rely on their passion to bring conscious products and service to a cynical, hyped-up, convenience-driven marketplace.
When we switch off our screens and connect with each other, we become aware of our own truth in quiet conversations.
It’s early in the month following the biggest holiday of the year and we are expecting a lot of invitations in the coming days as everyone gets into a new rhythm, refreshed and rejuvenated and refueled with the love of family and friendship.
We are ready for the cocky year of the Rooster.
Over the coming month, we will have plenty of opportunities to witness and share the love. The local production of A Plastic Ocean continues to attract and inspire and inform new audiences with local screenings and next week Craig will be on hand to discuss the film at a screening by the Royal Geographical Society.
It’s easy to look around us and see the differences and the problems and to assign blame to someone else. It is important to look inside us and love what is so we can begin to see how much we have in common and take responsibility for the part we play in what’s wrong before we can begin to affect the positive change we would like to witness and experience in our world.
We will be doing just that when we gather on February 23 for our next SoulFood Social.
How do you love?
Naturally,
Founder & Publisher
www.heartbeat.com.hk
natural life in the fast lane
Everything is connected.
Listen to your own heartbeat.
“We will respond to anger and hate with compassion and love.” Justin Trudeau
