Compassion

While thinking upon our actions of this past year and the goals we wish to set for the year to come, perhaps the words of the Charter for Compassion can move us towards peaceful action.



Last year, Karen Armstrong spoke to the TED community about her wish to make religion a force for harmony by creating with others the Charter for Compassion. She speaks well about how we are currently being summoned towards compassionate action; how we have to move away from toleration and towards appreciation of others.

Short Break

Short break to recover from a cold, the wonders of a big family Christmas celebration, and just time to wind down....

Courageous Heart

"Shaffi Mather explains why he left his first career to become a social entrepreneur, providing life-saving transportation with his company 1298 for Ambulance. Now, he has a new idea and plans to begin a company to fight the booming business of corruption in public service, eliminating it one bribe at a time."

What a fascinating concept. I wonder whether this might not be a new viable solution to a long tradition that needs to be eradicated.

If you want to know more about the Acumen Fund activities, please consider reading their blog.

Frozen Blossom

I wanted to write a poem of love revisited, but only struggled with a jumble of phrases whose pieces, no matter how placed, didn't mean anything of importance. So, instead, I surrender and just gift you the image of a frozen blossom.

It's Snowing

It's snowing in Luebeck and what a fine thing this is! Fairy lights and falling snowflakes and Christmas on the horizon. I wish I could sing this joyful feeling into a song. Instead, I made a collage for you.

My last day of work was Wednesday. Will take two weeks off and just enjoy the company of family and friends. Come January, I'll start looking for meaningful employment.

Pride

My grandmother took
Pride
In the fact that
We were
English.

In a French-speaking Canadian province, our family name
Stood
For all those great
Anglo Saxon
Values our
People
Grew up on.

I don't believe she ever visited
England in her
Lifetime.

As a child, I thought her
Pride
Was
Carved In Stone
And this made it hard for us to approach her in a
Heart-felt... manner.

As an adult, I wonder whether
It (that Pride)
Was rather a cloak
That covered an
Unspoken Yearning
To feel more important
Than she normally
Did.

Insignificant beings
That
We are.

Back on Key

I've got over my disappointment at having stupidly erased all my documents last month. The first change in activity was to make up a few collages.

This one was inspired by waves and wood. Many years ago, I had the thrilling experience of flying over Greenland while the sky was clear and springtime had just arrived. What was startling was to see the various wave motions embedded into the glacier formations. I had never thought that solid mass could be flowing movement as well.

Ghost from the Past

About 18 years ago, I became acquainted with a woman who had been laid off from the company I worked at. This short acquaintanceship taught me a painful lesson about naivety and ignorance.

After having met with her a few times, I hired her to come and clean my apartment once a week. She was very thankful for this additional source of income and all went well for a few months. After a while I began to miss a few items. Since I am a very forgetful type of person, I didn't think anything of it. It was only after she suddenly stopped coming to clean (having given the most weak of excuses) that I began to make the connection of missing items to times she came to clean.

A horrible moment of realisation about how stupidly naive I had been, came when I went into my cupboard and took down my jewelry box. It should have contained all the jewelery I received as a child in Venezuela and the pieces I had inherited from my grandmother. I found it empty.

I haven't thought of the lost jewelry in many years, until yesterday when the woman came into the Oxfam shop when I was working there. She didn't recognise me. It has been nearly twenty years after all. I'm probably only one of many people she stole from in her life. Yet, I recognized her for she's the only one whose stolen from me.

It would be nice to say that I felt forgiveness towards her, but I didn't. Instead, I just felt this leaden dullness in my heart. The whole episode was like a visit of a ghost from the past.

Breath of Winter

Winter breathes cold silver slivers upon the skeletons of grass blades and faded summer leaves.

Speak Out

Annie Leonard created the really interesting series Story of Stuff. Now she's looking into the Cap and Trade practices.



I think she clearly states her argument and expresses her worries well. What about you?