From far and wide ... O Canada

Hello everyone,
I hope today finds you well. With something interesting happening to you today.  Something good.

It felt spontaneous, even tho’ someone must have started it.

Yesterday, about 300 people gathered at the London, Ontario mosque to tell its members and the Muslim community that we care about them and will never accept the hatred and prejudice that led to a murder of six men at a mosque in Québec City (with many other men wounded).

People spoke from the heart ... all clear about Canada as an inclusive place ... that our neighbourhood, our city, our country respects and needs everyone.

Someone began to sing O Canada, our national anthem.  And people joined in and sang out.  Me ... I couldn’t get my voice to work.  I mouthed the words.  I’ve never before really felt the emotion behind the words.  I felt it then. 

From far and wide ... O Canada.

Be well,

 Why's Woman

Let's find the ways to make the win

Hi all,

Hope this note finds you well.

Just read an article about a minor hockey president's anti-woman comments* (referring to the January 21 march) ... comments on his own blog ... but he's held positions of responsibility where young people are for many years.  I don't buy his comment that the words were taken out of "Context" (especially since he's posted other things over the years).  Sexism and powertripping language are sexism and powertripping language, and examples over time just paint the picture of the speaker.  It's good for people to read the words, feel the attitude.  We need to know this stuff is out there. 

To quote from a recent, much publicized Golden Globe winner: "this instinct to humiliate when it's modeled by someone in the public platform ... filters down into everybody's life because it kind of gives permission for other people to do the same thing.  Disrespect invites disrespect.  Violence incites violence.  When the powerful use their position to bully others, we all lose."

We all need to listen, heed the sign that says "Tomorrow, there'll be more of us" ... marching, and paying attention to political goings on, and working to not just keep things that are good but to make more things better. We're going to find the ways to make the win.

Hastily expressed ... and with all best regards,

Why's Woman

*http://www.lfpress.com/2017/01/25/windsor-hockey-exec-says-hes-sorry-for-facebook-slur

Beautiful Healthy Terrace Garden Has Big Effects

Hello!

I hope this note finds you well.

My great interest is urban agriculture ... and I always follow stories on a Canadian website City Farmer.  City Farmer gathers articles from all over the world, and shows that there are many innovative, entrepreneurial, active, positive things happening world wide. Food is the way to bring people together!

I've just taken a look at the flourishing urban, vegetable garden tended by Anusuya Sharma, on her terrace in Bengaluru India.

She’s taken courses on vegetable gardening, and says that over twenty years ago she “learnt that terrace gardening could be a full-fledged way of cultivating crops for sustainable living. Since then, my passion for it only grew and I have never looked back”

She catches and uses rainwater, and recycles.  And says that “fresh chemical-free vegetables grown at home reduces my family’s carbon foot print, a core issue in global warming,”

It helps my heart to read about someone who understands her own and her home’s place in such bigger cycles.

See the article at its original source here:

http://www.thenewsminute.com/article/bengalurus-oldest-urban-farmer-leads-way-sustainable-living-55716

Best regards to all!

Why's Woman

Paying attention to what others say

Hello everyone,

I hope this note finds you well, moving into this new year 2017 with good health and good things happening.

This year I will try to add more often to my ongoing books of quotations (I write them in Paramahansa Yogananda's Inner Reflections daybooks).

A friend ran across something that reflects how important what people write is to our lives: "When you read a line that is so well written, you just close the book and stare at the wall for a while."  No name was given for the original writer of this, but I understand the feeling and the action of it.  I've had these moments in books as diverse as Agatha Christie's mysteries, Margaret Atwood's trilogy that begins with Oryx and Crake, and Robert Munsch' children's books.

Like so many people, I sought out the clip of Meryl Streep's speech at the recent Golden Globe awards.  Without naming names she gave chastisement to one, and good advice to all:  "...this instinct to humiliate when it's modelled by someone in the public platform by someone powerful, it filters down into everybody's life because it kind of gives permission for other people to do the same.  Disrespect invites disrespect.  Violence incites violence.  When the powerful use [their position] to bully others, we all lose." 

What is the balance between being respectful of everyone and understanding political/power game playing so that one is able to maintain equality, and one's own power?  How much does one have to play the gameplayer's game to simply not lose?  Or are those even the questions?  How far can one step away from the gameplayer and interact, instead, with the pawns the gameplayer is using, and make the connection and change there?  How to watch one's back while looking forward? 

Complicated questions and complicated thoughts from them ... not sure if I'm near answers.

For a lighter heart quotation, another anonymous says "A clean house is a sign of a wasted life".  Cleaning is not a waste of time ... it does have some practical value!  However, the quotation is a nice out when the place gets out of hand!

Very kind regards to all!

Why's Woman