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In a special talk, storyteller and author Wakanyi Hoffman illustrates personal expressions of ubuntu through her daughter's graduation, a friend's traditional wedding dress that travelled from Kenya to the Netherlands to Japan. Through a tapestry of stories, Hoffman discerns the difference between detachment and disconnection, and the possibilities that unfold when we choose to prefer love. Echoing Maya Angelou, who stated, "I come as one but I stand as ten thousand," Hoffman notes, "I come here as one, but I am one ... of ten thousand ancestors who have made so many decisions in order for me to be sitting here today." After the call, Wakanyi shared a photo (pictured above) that has since inspired a range of captions such as "She's not heavy, she's my sister" . . . . "Walk alone if you want to go fast. Walk together if you want to go far" . . . . "We all need a lift sometimes!" . . . . "Can't you just imagine their song?" [Read more here ...] |
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"The edges of things are always deceptive / because we are taught to believe / in endings and beginnings," she begins, observing how "people like to put thingsin their places." Yet, the visceral experience of life doesn't always have such clear delineations, such as when "the red of your heart spills / into the red of the rose spills / into the red of the sunset spills / into mehendi on the hands of a bride. / and who can explain these things?" Threads of interconnection stretch far beyond our comprehension. As the infinite domino effect of each act, word, intention, or situation begins to seep into our cores, she invites, "now tell me the story of your life / (whoever you are) go on / i Double Dare you! / tell me the story of your life / without once touching / mine." [Read the full poem here ...] |
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Happiness Schools International Online Course
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Dutch Digital Detoxers Are Poised For An International Launch The Offline Club, a digital detox cafe started in Amsterdam early this year, offers patrons the opportunity to check their mobile phones at the door. In one month, the cafe saw 125,000 new Instagram followers. Ilya Kneppelhout, one of the co-founders, said “We live in quite an isolated world where we’re ever more connected online, but in the physical world, it’s hard to meet people. This is a real experience: where else are you going to be in a cafe with 30 others, and read a book or draw?" Read the full story about this unique cafe here.
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From Isolation to Inclusion: Rebuilding Connections After Aphasia Anthony Choon woke up in the hospital unable to say the letters of the alphabet or even his name. He had aphasia, a brain injury-related disorder that impairs the ability to speak, write, or understand words. In Singapore, 2,500 people are impacted by aphasia every year. One organization, Aphasia SG, is creating a community of support. Watch the brief, touching video below for more. |
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Some of you might remember Heart Pins -- how they are made (and more). And many stories from folks like Sehr in Dubai, Sunita in India, Bonnie in the US, whose Church has made heart pins as their logo!
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The Good News You Might Have Missed In a brief TED2024 talk, Angus Harvey delivers a striking reminder that there are plenty of hopeful stories worth bringing into focus: diseases like Hepatitis C were eliminated in Egypt, AIDS prevalence declined worldwide, extreme poverty declined to its lowest level in human history, and deforestation across the Amazon Basin declined by 55 percent. “This is not some weird attempt to cancel or balance out the bad news,” Harvey admits. “But if we want more people to devote themselves to the task of making progress, then maybe we should be telling more people that it's possible to make progress.” Check out the 9 minute talk below or find the full transcript here.
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In Niger, a branch of Niger River has been asphyxiated by plastic waste. Karim Elhaj Adamou is an actor, puppeteer, set designer, and drama teacher who is on a grassroots storytelling journey to educate young people on sustainable living. "Today, they are the important ones of tomorrow" said Karim. Watch the inspiring short film below! |
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Magical Moss Helps Women Thrive In Rural Peru In rural Peru, the harvesting of sphagnum moss is helping locals thrive while also helping to protect and regenerate the land. This special moss is widely used in horticulture but also works as a natural pool filter and has helped clean oil spills. Inka Moss, a social enterprise, helps local collectors (nearly two-thirds of whom are women) supplement their income by harvesting the moss, which also accounts for about one-fifth of all exports from Peru. At the heart of the social enterprise are communal values. “The main change I have seen in the community is that children can now get the proper food that they need to be healthy,” said Fiorella Anchiraico Montalvo, a Peruvian woman working with the moss. Read the full story here.
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During meditation, Stacey repeatedly received a powerful call to run for political office, and while it was the last thing she wanted to do, and after strong resistance, she ultimately ran. “The thought of actually saying no and turning my back on that felt so paralyzingly flat or disconnected. I knew I had to step in.” During a campaign event, a stranger walked up to her and said, “I hate you.” Stacey’s response surprised even herself, and helped her realize that standing in our power is “doing what's called for and doing it with love," even when we may never know the reason why. [Read more ...] You can also join us for an Awakin Call with Stacey on June 8. Find details and RSVP here. |
