tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15890143163157560512024-02-20T14:29:55.156-05:00the gratitude project :: dare to be grateful ::Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger110125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1589014316315756051.post-50789200463327686092014-03-05T11:39:00.004-05:002014-03-05T11:39:49.443-05:00an invitation to explore gratitude...<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you have made your way here via the wonderful Deb Ozarko's <a href="http://debozarko.com/unplug-podcast-19-jo-anne-guimond-radical-power-gratitude/" target="_blank">UNPLUG podcast series</a> - WELCOME! Although *<em>the gratitude project: dare to be grateful</em>* came to a close on December 31, 2013, I invite you to stay a while to explore the blog and all it has to offer. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">A great place to start is with <a href="http://www.daretobegrateful.blogspot.ca/2013/12/celebrating-lives-greatly-full-looking.html" target="_blank">this post</a>, with an alphabetical list of links to every one of the stories posted as part of the "<em>celebrating lives greatly full</em>" series. In addition to these, the blog will offer you photos, quotes, <a href="http://www.daretobegrateful.blogspot.ca/2013/12/the-gratitude-project-assignment-abby.html" target="_blank">student essays</a> and personal reflections from yours truly.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Thanks for stopping by...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">gratefully yours,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">jag</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1589014316315756051.post-60223077024427081612013-12-31T07:00:00.000-05:002013-12-31T10:01:23.358-05:00i couldn't have done it without you...<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Planning - and following through with - *<em>the gratitude project: dare to be grateful</em>* may very well be one of the bravest things I've ever done.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> And by far, the best part of the entire experiment was connecting with others and allowing them to be a part of this. At times, the asking came easily; other times, not so much. But every time, the asking led to being on the receiving end of incredible generosity. Every. Single. Time.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You were so giving of your time, </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> your expertise, </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> your support, </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> your presence,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> your confidence,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> your enthusiasm,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> your gratitude.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">At the risk of forgetting someone, I want to express my deep gratitude...</span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial;">to Sean & Stephanie - my creative advisors, for that first conversation at Bridgehead Coffeehouse and for your ongoing support</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial;">to Giacomo - for sharing your experience in gathering stories and for suggesting "the gratitude project" as a possible name for my experiment</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial;">to GGT Mike - for sharing your experience in engaging others in a cause and for your unfailing support of the project (and of me personally!)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial;">to Cheryl - for your graphic design help, allowing me to go from a concept in my head to a logo on a t-shirt, business cards and postcards!</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial;">to Suzy - for introducing me to the mysterious world of Twitter and helping me set up a presence in the Twitter-sphere</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial;">to Stuart and Chrisann - for being there, and for helping me reach out to others in our community engagement events</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial;">to those of you who, early on, bought our limited edition t-shirts - for supporting the project and for continuing to ignite gratitude with the simple question: <em>what are you grateful for?</em></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial;">to Paulette - for allowing me to have a space at Hintonburg ArtsPark (our first community event)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial;">to Alisa - for inviting me into your school and sharing your students' essays with us</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial;">to Kathleen - for giving *the gratitude project* visibility in our community via your article in the Kitchissippi Times</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial;">to Stephanie (OAG) - for letting me come to your gratitude party</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial;">to the travellers - for sharing your stories of gratitude as we sped across this beautiful country by train on VIA Rail's <em>The Canadian</em> </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial;">to my 39 grateful guest bloggers - for your honesty and willingness to share your gratitude</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial;">to the unknowns who sent in a postcard - for your leap of faith and willingness to be a part of something bigger than you</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial;">to the hundreds who followed along/contributed on Facebook and/or Twitter - you will never know the thrill I felt when I started seeing names of people I didn't know joining on board!</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial;">to Jason Mraz, Patience Salgado and Brene Brown - for the original inspiration </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial;">to Brian - for loving & accepting me as I am and supporting my seemingly outrageous ideas. Always.</span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Seriously, I couldn't have done this without you - inspirers and cheerleaders, contributors and readers. <span style="font-size: large;">T</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: large;">hank you</span> seems wholly inadequate, but it's all I've got. That, and memories of an unforgettable year <em>soaked</em> in gratitude! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Here's wishing you all continued blessings, joy and daring on your gratitude journey...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWq16014pwnhUanJ9h3f7WdxspLe_4GuoFdD_Hi7Ie3WGbhIfMNZQtt3K6vicYT4sGGZHnhRzt-rRu4AFuXAjXrZMcdTD2iIvqgYagpKBAJjBhWIYmatZMfYKxzTadD2xNQEvvLtmoIR4t/s1600/kownacki+quote.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWq16014pwnhUanJ9h3f7WdxspLe_4GuoFdD_Hi7Ie3WGbhIfMNZQtt3K6vicYT4sGGZHnhRzt-rRu4AFuXAjXrZMcdTD2iIvqgYagpKBAJjBhWIYmatZMfYKxzTadD2xNQEvvLtmoIR4t/s320/kownacki+quote.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial;">gratefully yours,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">jag</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">p.s. <em>... and that's a wrap, m'friends! :-)</em></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1589014316315756051.post-45289591680138714402013-12-30T08:00:00.000-05:002013-12-30T13:04:03.879-05:00preparing for a new focus...<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Early in 2013, as *<em>the gratitude project: dare to be grateful</em>* began to take shape, I drafted the following description:</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">Overview</span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><em>The gratitude project: dare to be grateful</em> is a social
engagement experiment triggered by my personal desire to celebrate the many
blessings in my life in concert with others. It was sparked by the simple
question: “<em>Wouldn’t it be cool to find out what others are grateful
for?!</em>” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">Project Goals</span></div>
<ul>
<li><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">To express and share my personal gratitude with others<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">To reach out and engage others - friends and strangers - in a conversation around gratitude<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">To inspire others to put their gratitude into action<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">To step out of my comfort zone and learn<o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">
Description<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>
<em>The gratitude project</em> is a multi-faceted initiative that lives and evolves on several levels: blog, community events, travels & story collecting, postcards project, charitable fundraising…<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"></span><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">The timeframe is March - December 2013, however neither a forced ending nor extension will be imposed. <o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"></span><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">Part of the learning will be around the use of social media, including a blog, Facebook, Twitter & Instagram.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
So, here I am - at the closing of 2013 - looking back at what has been accomplished. Have my goals been met? Why turn the page now? What is next?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">I have known for a couple of months now that *<em>the gratitude project</em>* would be ending at the close of 2013. It just feels right. To continue would feel forced and would lack the authentic drive and energy that has nourished the project thus far. As I review the goals established at the onset, I can say - without a doubt - that they have been achieved. And for the most part, wholly surpassed! I could never have imagined the response to this experiment from both friends and strangers alike. I experienced moments of pure <span style="font-size: large;">connection</span> with people... connection on a level where we can all agree that Life is a <span style="font-size: large;">blessing</span> and that we have much to be grateful for. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: large;">Beyond all our differences, there is gratitude</span>.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">I have learned that I can step waaaay outside my comfort zone... and live to tell the tale!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">I have learned that I can ask for help... and that my courage grows in the asking.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">I have learned that "<em>what are you grateful for?</em>" is the best conversation starter ever. :-)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">I have learned that gratitude is a lens that is always within my grasp. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">I have learned that there are others who are dedicating themselves to celebrating gratitude and I will continue to turn to them for inspiration in those moments when gratitude does not come easily. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">The one element of *<em>the gratitude project: dare to be grateful</em>* that I did not develop fully was the charitable fundraising aspect. I had hoped to put my gratitude into action in a concrete way by creating fundraising events to give back to my community. It just didn't happen. Well, not yet anyway. </span><span style="font-family: Arial;">It seems perfect that "giving back to the community" is the one component of the project that will be following me into 2014... </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">The time is right for a new endeavour. New goals. New learnings.</span><span style="font-family: Arial;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">I hereby declare that <span style="font-size: large;">2014</span> will be my <span style="font-size: large;">year of the marathon</span>! Yes, that's right. I will be running my first full marathon (42.2K / 26.2 miles) in New York City in November 2014. And inspired by so many of the people I met this past year, I plan to use this new "project" as a platform to raise awareness and funds for charitable causes within my community. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">And so, although I am turning the page on *<em>the gratitude project</em>*, I will continue to <span style="font-size: large;">dare to be grateful.</span> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">I will put my gratitude into action in conjunction with my new <span style="font-size: large;">focus:</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">- <em>to successfully complete a marathon while raising awareness and funds for a local charity.</em></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">gratefully yours,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">jag</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1589014316315756051.post-88428319917198369092013-12-29T08:00:00.000-05:002013-12-29T16:37:57.058-05:00celebrating lives greatly full :: looking back...<div style="text-align: center;">
<em><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">A project is a temporary endeavor designed to produce a unique product, service or result with a defined beginning and end (usually time-constrained), undertaken to meet unique goals and objectives, typically to bring about beneficial change or added value.</span></em></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">With this "project management 101" definition in mind, and with the permissions and parametres I set for myself at the beginning of <em>*the gratitude project: dare to be grateful</em>*, I have decided it is time to bring the project to a close. I will be sharing my reflections on this social engagement experiment over the next few days, as I begin to wrap things up here. </span><span style="font-family: Arial;">This is not the end of gratitude in my life - I don't think that is even possible! - but rather a turning-of-the-page towards a new creative focus. More on this in a future post... </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Today, I want to honour and thank the 39 people who accepted the invitation to share their gratitude as part of the "<span style="font-size: large;">celebrating lives greatly full</span>" series. Time and time again, as I received their submissions, I was humbled and moved by their <span style="font-size: large;">honesty</span> and their <span style="font-size: large;">daring</span> to be grateful.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">I savoured their words. I was moved to tears. I rejoiced when they told me how valuable the exercise had been for them. The ripples of gratitude spreading in so many directions! And so, in alphabetical order (by last name), here they are... the storytellers, the lifeblood of *<em>the gratitude project: dare to be grateful</em>*. Truly, a celebration of lives greatly full! <em><span style="font-size: x-small;">(My h</span></em></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"><em>eart may be exploding with love & gratitude right now. Just sayin'.)</em></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<ol>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://daretobegrateful.blogspot.ca/2013/10/celebrating-lives-greatly-full-anonymous.html" target="_blank">Anonymous</a> (postcards)</span></li>
<li><div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://daretobegrateful.blogspot.ca/2013/07/celebrating-lives-greatly-full-liz.html" target="_blank">Liz Arocena</a></span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://daretobegrateful.blogspot.ca/2013/08/celebrating-lives-greatly-full-kelly.html" target="_blank">Kelly Barton</a></span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://daretobegrateful.blogspot.ca/2013/12/celebrating-lives-greatly-full-shulamit.html" target="_blank">Shulamit Day Berlevtov</a></span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://daretobegrateful.blogspot.ca/2013/08/celebrating-lives-greatly-full-myra.html" target="_blank">Myra Bierria</a></span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://daretobegrateful.blogspot.ca/2013/09/celebrating-lives-greatly-full-katjana.html" target="_blank">Katjana Biljan-Laporte</a></span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://daretobegrateful.blogspot.ca/2013/09/celebrating-lives-greatly-full-david.html" target="_blank">David Blaikie</a></span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://daretobegrateful.blogspot.ca/2013/10/celebrating-lives-greatly-full-ted.html" target="_blank">Ted Buglas</a></span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://daretobegrateful.blogspot.ca/2013/07/celebrating-lives-greatly-full-lissa.html" target="_blank">Lissa Constantine</a></span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://daretobegrateful.blogspot.ca/2013/06/celebrating-lives-greatly-full-donna.html" target="_blank">Donna Davis</a></span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://daretobegrateful.blogspot.ca/2013/09/celebrating-lives-greatly-full-ali.html" target="_blank">Ali Edwards</a></span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://daretobegrateful.blogspot.ca/2013/06/celebrating-lives-greatly-full-deb.html" target="_blank">Deb Gleason</a></span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://daretobegrateful.blogspot.ca/2013/05/celebrating-lives-greatly-full-ryan.html" target="_blank">Ryan Grant</a></span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://daretobegrateful.blogspot.ca/2013/03/celebrating-lives-greatly-full.html" target="_blank">Stephanie Guimond</a></span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://daretobegrateful.blogspot.ca/2013/08/celebrating-lives-greatly-full-alli.html" target="_blank">Alli Hanson</a></span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://daretobegrateful.blogspot.ca/2013/04/celebrating-lives-greatly-full-paul.html" target="_blank">Paul Harris</a></span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://daretobegrateful.blogspot.ca/2013/03/celebrating-lives-greatly-full-mike.html" target="_blank">Mike Herzog</a></span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://daretobegrateful.blogspot.ca/2013/05/celebrating-lives-greatly-full-stuart.html" target="_blank">Stuart Hickox</a></span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://daretobegrateful.blogspot.ca/2013/05/celebrating-lives-greatly-full.html" target="_blank">Dominique Hurley</a></span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://daretobegrateful.blogspot.ca/2013/06/celebrating-lives-greatly-full-greg.html" target="_blank">Greg Kelly</a></span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://daretobegrateful.blogspot.ca/2013/05/celebrating-lives-greatly-full-jim.html" target="_blank">Jim Ladouceur</a></span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://daretobegrateful.blogspot.ca/2013/06/celebrating-lives-greatly-full-kara.html" target="_blank">Kara Laricks</a></span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://daretobegrateful.blogspot.ca/2013/04/celebrating-lives-greatly-full-lisa.html" target="_blank">Lisa LaRochelle</a></span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://daretobegrateful.blogspot.ca/2013/12/traci-mclean-is-one-of-those-women.html" target="_blank">Traci McLean</a></span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://daretobegrateful.blogspot.ca/2013/09/celebrating-lives-greatly-full-vivienne.html" target="_blank">Vivienne McMaster</a></span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://daretobegrateful.blogspot.ca/2013/06/celebrating-lives-greatly-full-alex.html" target="_blank">Alex Munter</a></span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://daretobegrateful.blogspot.ca/2013/07/celebrating-lives-greatly-full-jack.html" target="_blank">Jack Murta</a></span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://daretobegrateful.blogspot.ca/2013/11/celebrating-lives-greatly-full-sasja.html" target="_blank">Sasja Nieukerk</a></span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://daretobegrateful.blogspot.ca/2013/04/celebrating-lives-greatly-full-giacomo.html" target="_blank">Giacomo Panico</a></span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://daretobegrateful.blogspot.ca/2013/12/celebrating-lives-greatly-full-joe-rios_22.html" target="_blank">Joe Rios</a></span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://daretobegrateful.blogspot.ca/2013/11/celebrating-lives-greatly-full-richard.html" target="_blank">Richard Rohr</a></span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://daretobegrateful.blogspot.ca/2013/10/celebrating-lives-greatly-full-patience_26.html" target="_blank">Patience Salgado</a></span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://daretobegrateful.blogspot.ca/2013/03/celebrating-lives-greatly-full-terry.html" target="_blank">Terry SanCartier</a></span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://daretobegrateful.blogspot.ca/2013/08/some-people-become-old-friends-instantly.html" target="_blank">Angela Smith</a></span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://daretobegrateful.blogspot.ca/2013/04/celebrating-lives-greatly-full-gina.html" target="_blank">Gina Smith</a></span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://daretobegrateful.blogspot.ca/2013/09/celebrating-lives-greatly-full-kathrine.html" target="_blank">Kathrine V. Switzer</a></span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://daretobegrateful.blogspot.ca/2013/07/celebrating-lives-greatly-full-kathleen.html" target="_blank">Kathleen Wilker</a></span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://daretobegrateful.blogspot.ca/2013/10/celebrating-lives-greatly-full-ray-zahab.html" target="_blank">Ray Zahab</a></span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://daretobegrateful.blogspot.ca/2013/03/celebrating-lives-greatly-full-sean-zio.html" target="_blank">Sean Zio</a></span></div>
</li>
</ol>
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Each and every one of these people have touched my life. And now they have touched yours.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">We are beyond rich.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">gratefully yours,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">jag</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1589014316315756051.post-72758863774536892202013-12-28T07:00:00.000-05:002014-01-12T15:23:51.165-05:00the gratitude project assignment :: elly...<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">This is the last in a series of essays from Grade 8 students from <a href="http://www.broadviewps.ocdsb.ca/index.php?id=15" target="_blank"><span style="color: #d52a33;">Broadview Public School</span></a> here in Ottawa. I had the pleasure of meeting with Ms. Viner and Ms. Krochmalnek's classes just before our Canadian Thanksgiving, to talk to them about *<em>the gratitude project: dare to be grateful</em>*. (<a href="http://daretobegrateful.blogspot.ca/2013/10/the-gratitude-project-goes-to-school.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: #d52a33;">Read more about that here</span></a>.) Students were then given an assignment to interview a friend or family member about what they were grateful for, and to submit a short essay based on that interview. If you have not been following along, you will want to read these. Seriously. These kids rock.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">(Read </span><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">Julia's essay</span><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"> <a href="http://daretobegrateful.blogspot.ca/2013/11/the-gratitude-project-assignment-julia.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: #d52a33;">here</span></a>, Minseong and Judy's essays <a href="http://daretobegrateful.blogspot.ca/2013/11/the-gratitude-project-assignment.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: #d52a33;">here</span></a>, O'Dane and Evan's essays <a href="http://daretobegrateful.blogspot.ca/2013/11/the-gratitude-project-assignment-odane.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: #d52a33;">here</span></a>,Dylan's essay <a href="http://daretobegrateful.blogspot.ca/2013/12/the-gratitude-project-assignment-dylan.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: #d52a33;">here</span></a>, Selina's essay <a href="http://daretobegrateful.blogspot.ca/2013/12/the-gratitude-project-assignment-selina.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: #d52a33;">here</span></a>, Lily & Noah's essays <a href="http://daretobegrateful.blogspot.ca/2013/12/the-gratitude-project-assignment-lily.html" target="_blank">here</a>, Hannah's essay <a href="http://daretobegrateful.blogspot.ca/2013/12/the-gratitude-project-assignment-hannah.html" target="_blank">here</a> and Carson's essay <a href="http://daretobegrateful.blogspot.ca/2013/12/the-gratitude-project-assignment-carson.html" target="_blank">here</a>.)</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New;">Elly's essay below just blew me away. Knowing there are young people like her and her friend Ashley gives me great hope for the future...</span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For my interview, I have chosen someone who I feel has a
lot to say and will not be afraid to tell me what they are truly grateful for.
I have known my interviewee for more than 6 years, and through that time they
have been nothing but meaningful and honest to me and their other friends and
family. Ashley is expressive verbally, physically and artistically and has much
to be thankful for. When I asked her what personal quality she was most
grateful for, she answered with <em>sight</em> because she loved all the beauty that the
world had to offer.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">To start off the interview, I asked my Ashley the
question <em>‘what personal quality are you most grateful for?’</em> She thought about
it for a few seconds and the first thing she said was “although I have so much
in my life to be grateful for, I would have to say my sight”. The interviewee
told me about why she chose this and I thought her examples were absolutely
fascinating.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The first one she gave me was about the world always
changing. She talked about the leaves and the sky and how crazy it was that
everyday is different from the others. Each day has something special about it.
The weather is always changing. With global warming, were not getting the same
amount of snow and coldness as we used to. When I was little, the snow banks
used to be up to the stop signs, though recently, the snow hardly passes a
couple of feet. Ashley made a very interesting connection when she gave this
example. She related the uniqueness and always changing weather, to people.
Everyone changes as they get older. They have new friends, a new personality
and they branch off in different directions.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ashley also
loves to preserve the memories she sees everyday. She told me about some of her
hobbies that are truly has a passion for her. <em>“I love to take pictures because
it is showing someone else how I see the world”.</em> Since everyone sees the world
differently, a photo with a lot of voice really opens a window and lets people
see into your head. What you take pictures of is completely up to you, and what
you choose to capture really shows your personality. Ashley stated that she
loves being able to share her experiences with other people who haven’t been
able to experience it for them be themselves. Painting, it’s a way of
expressing yourself through colour, pattern and shape. This is another thing
that Ashley finds herself drawn to. While I was interviewing her, she told me
something that really got me thinking, <em>“I like to paint the world, not how it
is, but how I see it”.</em> This could be interpreted in so many different ways by
different people. When I read this, I think of a forest. If most people were to
paint a forest, they would do a couple of brown lines and some green spots, but
Ashley would have all the animals and the patterns on the bark, the way the
morning sun glimmers and shines off the leaves, and all the gorgeous flowers in
full bloom.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One of the last
things Ashley talked about towards the end of the interview, was being able to
see things the way she sees them. <em>"If they stop and really look at something,
just a little closer, they can find beauty in everything”.</em> This reminds me of
an expression, ‘stop and smell the roses’. It means that if you take a second out
of your day and stop what you’re doing, you can find beauty in nature and in
the world. Anyone can, but not everyone will.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS8Xc-jyT5ZFZUOhDv6i7OzLmQFQ7GE9irYt2Cgi4D3VYSLv8WwS4XcgQ5UEIsrpgGXJidUVkXYTycjRL3HE6p9ohWT1ZQhfpE_3ghL8GoCITkeLeimX-6fSpQbK7IHI9YANKfqh-y7VRM/s1600/Abby's+Eye.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS8Xc-jyT5ZFZUOhDv6i7OzLmQFQ7GE9irYt2Cgi4D3VYSLv8WwS4XcgQ5UEIsrpgGXJidUVkXYTycjRL3HE6p9ohWT1ZQhfpE_3ghL8GoCITkeLeimX-6fSpQbK7IHI9YANKfqh-y7VRM/s320/Abby's+Eye.jpg" height="188" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Thinking back
to the interview, I can really relate to everything that Ashley talked about
when she said everyone has a different way of seeing things. Personally, I
absolutely love photography and take my camera everywhere with me. I take
thousands of pictures when I go on vacation because it is a totally new
experience. What also speaks to me are upclose shots of plants and animals,
because you cannot see things like that without a special lense. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When I share
my work with others, some really love it and want to see more, where as some
don’t find it that interesting. That is because everyone is unique and sees
things in different ways. Reflecting on other things that were said in the
interview, I can see that Ashley is truly grateful for her quality of sight and
does not take it for granted. She loves being able to see the world and all the
people in it from her own perspective, which is unlike anyone else's. By having
sight, she is able to look into other peoples interests and differences which
is very special. If it were me being interviewed, I may have said something
very similar to Ashley, because sight is a personal quality we should all be
grateful for.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What are you
grateful for?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1589014316315756051.post-65103732227604118592013-12-27T07:00:00.000-05:002013-12-27T07:00:01.830-05:00the gratitude project assignment :: carson...<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">Our ongoing series of essays from Grade 8 students from <a href="http://www.broadviewps.ocdsb.ca/index.php?id=15" target="_blank"><span style="color: #d52a33;">Broadview Public School</span></a> here in Ottawa. I had the pleasure of meeting with Ms. Viner and Ms. Krochmalnek's classes just before our Canadian Thanksgiving, to talk to them about *<em>the gratitude project: dare to be grateful</em>*. (<a href="http://daretobegrateful.blogspot.ca/2013/10/the-gratitude-project-goes-to-school.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: #d52a33;">Read more about that here</span></a>.) Students were then given an assignment to interview a friend or family member about what they were grateful for, and to submit a short essay based on that interview. I have been publishing a selection of these essays here on the blog over the past several weeks. You will want to read these. Seriously. These kids rock.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">(Read </span><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">Julia's essay</span><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"> <a href="http://daretobegrateful.blogspot.ca/2013/11/the-gratitude-project-assignment-julia.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: #d52a33;">here</span></a>, Minseong and Judy's essays <a href="http://daretobegrateful.blogspot.ca/2013/11/the-gratitude-project-assignment.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: #d52a33;">here</span></a>, O'Dane and Evan's essays <a href="http://daretobegrateful.blogspot.ca/2013/11/the-gratitude-project-assignment-odane.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: #d52a33;">here</span></a>,Dylan's essay <a href="http://daretobegrateful.blogspot.ca/2013/12/the-gratitude-project-assignment-dylan.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: #d52a33;">here</span></a>, Selina's essay <a href="http://daretobegrateful.blogspot.ca/2013/12/the-gratitude-project-assignment-selina.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: #d52a33;">here</span></a>, Lily & Noah's essays <a href="http://daretobegrateful.blogspot.ca/2013/12/the-gratitude-project-assignment-lily.html" target="_blank">here</a> and Hannah's essay <a href="http://daretobegrateful.blogspot.ca/2013/12/the-gratitude-project-assignment-hannah.html" target="_blank">here</a>.)</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New;">And now, introducing Carson...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Gratitude Project: by Carson</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
<o:p><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
My grandma is very special. Born in Windsor she has moved
4 times to Elliot Lake to Niagara Falls then to Atikokan and back to Niagara
Falls. She also has a lot of allergies. There are so many I can’t list them all
but here are a few, she’s allergic to wheat, grass, dust, citric foods, some
fruits and the list goes on and on. She has worked as a school teacher and a
chemist. She is also a very strong Christian. The best part about her is, she
is a great grandma. :)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span>
</o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I asked my grandma <em>what failure are you most grateful
for?<o:p></o:p></em></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
</span><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6HelU4sk_DP7NImOpVoo-YqrOJy95pseyfB2zAOVC9IzCXLtc1lOb6pX-Ldf5PvhOlDW3NfYLPzpRapO054zR56TjHm9WNzX5Kwi0WAhlBZjPyd_RNYCaajzaSkLq4elkHcDsgS5E6QXK/s1600/grandma.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6HelU4sk_DP7NImOpVoo-YqrOJy95pseyfB2zAOVC9IzCXLtc1lOb6pX-Ldf5PvhOlDW3NfYLPzpRapO054zR56TjHm9WNzX5Kwi0WAhlBZjPyd_RNYCaajzaSkLq4elkHcDsgS5E6QXK/s200/grandma.png" width="191" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When my grandma
worked as a chemist in Windsor there were two guys that were always messing
with her when she was doing her job and we all know that when you’re working
with chemicals you don’t want to mess up. My grandma, who’s not very graceful,
thought she was doing a good job of not messing up. Normally, at the end of a
project, you wash the beakers and lab equipment with acid but this experiment
was different, you were supposed to clean the equipment with water not acid.
She wasn’t thinking and the two guys were distracting her and she accidentally
washed the materials with acid and that created a deadly gas and everyone had
to evacuate the building. That’s when she realized that she needed to leave
that work field because it was putting others in danger. She then decided to start
teaching and get married. She is most grateful for the chemical accident
because it lead to a safe and more enjoyable job. It also lead to her getting
married and having four kids and 10 grandchildren!</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span> </span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I think she made the right decision changing jobs. One
reason because it lead to me and it also could have saved some people’s lives.
;) It also let her do a job that she enjoyed more which was teaching.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span> </span><br /></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1589014316315756051.post-7656027174372636662013-12-23T07:30:00.000-05:002013-12-23T07:30:03.800-05:00the gratitude project assignment :: hannah...<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">Our ongoing series of essays from Grade 8 students from <a href="http://www.broadviewps.ocdsb.ca/index.php?id=15" target="_blank"><span style="color: #d52a33;">Broadview Public School</span></a> here in Ottawa. I had the pleasure of meeting with Ms. Viner and Ms. Krochmalnek's classes just before our Canadian Thanksgiving, to talk to them about *<em>the gratitude project: dare to be grateful</em>*. (<a href="http://daretobegrateful.blogspot.ca/2013/10/the-gratitude-project-goes-to-school.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: #d52a33;">Read more about that here</span></a>.) Students were then given an assignment to interview a friend or family member about what they were grateful for, and to submit a short essay based on that interview. You will want to read these. Seriously. These kids rock.</span><br /><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">(Read </span><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">Julia's essay</span><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"> <a href="http://daretobegrateful.blogspot.ca/2013/11/the-gratitude-project-assignment-julia.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: #d52a33;">here</span></a>, Minseong and Judy's essays <a href="http://daretobegrateful.blogspot.ca/2013/11/the-gratitude-project-assignment.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: #d52a33;">here</span></a>, O'Dane and Evan's essays <a href="http://daretobegrateful.blogspot.ca/2013/11/the-gratitude-project-assignment-odane.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: #d52a33;">here</span></a>,Dylan's essay <a href="http://daretobegrateful.blogspot.ca/2013/12/the-gratitude-project-assignment-dylan.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: #d52a33;">here</span></a>, Selina's essay <a href="http://daretobegrateful.blogspot.ca/2013/12/the-gratitude-project-assignment-selina.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: #d52a33;">here</span></a> and Lily & Noah's essays <a href="http://daretobegrateful.blogspot.ca/2013/12/the-gratitude-project-assignment-lily.html" target="_blank">here</a>.)</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New;">Here's what Hannah discovered during her assignment...</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The person I chose to interview was a person named Emma.
Emma is 15 years old and a student at Canterbury high school. The reason why I
chose to interview her is because I look up to and admire her.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The question I chose</span> to ask Emma was <em>what life experience
are you most grateful for?</em> This question could have so many possible answers so
I was curious to see how she would respond to the question.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The one life experience Emma is grateful for is outdoor ed.
The reason why she is grateful for this is because she met a lot of new people
and experienced new activities with that group of people. Emma also said that
outdoor ed was a great way to meet new people that are going to be into the
same things as you because outdoor ed has specific activities.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<o:p><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></o:p><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">She also is grateful for the program because it was a
change from school. Sometimes it is nice to just drop everything and go to a
new surrounding. She was in the Gatineau’s so it was a totally new environment to
learn new things in. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<o:p><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></o:p><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Many activities that she did were mountain biking,
camping outside and canoeing. These were activities that she was grateful for.
Some of these activities she had either not done before or she didn’t do the
activity very often. She said that by doing the outdoor ed program she learnt a
lot about the activity, actually did the activity and had fun while doing all
of this.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<o:p><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></o:p><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I think that by asking Emma this question, I learnt new
things about Emma and the things that she is grateful for. I learned that Emma
is open to trying new things and she like to engage with new people. I think I
would have chosen a different life experience to be grateful for but that is
her opinion and that is what she is grateful for. Based on this interview I
think that I would like to do the outdoor ed program because she has had a good
experience and I might too.</span> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1589014316315756051.post-61897942702213858302013-12-22T07:00:00.000-05:002013-12-22T09:42:22.331-05:00celebrating lives greatly full :: joe rios...<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiueQUoQQAepiCcqfs916OJVQSrB0Cdgr6m6ftoXEZJ9wBfcLeFy4HxmiV5WmbD4P5m3jVcB4dyRnlkzEGzacZ8OG1BdAKzSUWgLFAgtwxyMcnbyxfvvbFyLmBsB7HHanFwwbvuv2qHNJQa/s1600/JoeRios-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="153" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiueQUoQQAepiCcqfs916OJVQSrB0Cdgr6m6ftoXEZJ9wBfcLeFy4HxmiV5WmbD4P5m3jVcB4dyRnlkzEGzacZ8OG1BdAKzSUWgLFAgtwxyMcnbyxfvvbFyLmBsB7HHanFwwbvuv2qHNJQa/s200/JoeRios-2.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">I was first introduced to <a href="http://apt613.ca/tour-de-blogosphere-running-ultramarathons-for-charity/" target="_blank">Joe Rios</a> in the virtual world by <a href="http://daretobegrateful.blogspot.ca/2013/03/celebrating-lives-greatly-full-mike.html" target="_blank">a mutual friend</a>. Mike thought Joe & I would hit it off and that our synergy could somehow lead to great things. I had the pleasure of meeting Joe in person just last month and I am honoured and humbled at the very thought! Joe has an authentic enthusiasm and passion for many things - and his gratitude is infectious! The two passions that stand out in his public life are running and supporting great causes. This is particularly evident in his drive to run a marathon on each of the seven continents (4 down, 3 to go) and in the creation of a growing yearly event called <a href="http://thrivewithjoe.com/run-4-a-cause-project/" target="_blank">Run 4 a Cause</a> (#RUN4AC). </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">I'm not sure Mike knew that 2014 would be my "year of the marathon" and that I intended to use this event to raise funds for a local charity, but I can't imagine anyone better than Joe to have on my "team"! Whether or not our connection will lead to great things or not, only time will tell. For today, I am thrilled to share Joe's personal sharing on gratitude as the end of 2013 draws near. I look forward to seeing what great things 2014 will bring! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New;">You can follow Joe's adventures on <a href="http://thrivewithjoe.com/">THRIVEwithjoe.com</a>...</span><br />
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Instead of completing a list of New Year's
resolutions, my friends and I <a href="http://thrivewithjoe.com/2012/12/31/how-do-you-want-to-feel-in-2013/" target="_blank">brainstormed a word</a> that we wanted to feel all
year long.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Without a doubt, for me
“INSPIRED” has been abundant and prevalent in 2013.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A buffet of warm intentions, karmic energy
and contagious enthusiasm was present at the table throughout this year’s
races, travel, fitness classes, presentations, conversations and new
challenges. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The result: feeling driven, motivated, and wanting to do more!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The inspiration was magnified & elevated by those who
I decided to surround myself with in these activities. Travelling this week
with my family in the Hawaiian islands I learned a powerful word: OHANA,
defined by the Hawaiians that we are all part of an extended family. My OHANA
are genuine individuals that believe in my passions, push me to step outside my
boundaries and champion me to succeed. The more this occurs, the more I am
energized to do the same in return and hence creating a magical support system.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We all need one and I'm forever GRATEFUL for mine: <a href="http://www.goodguystri.ca/" target="_blank">GGT</a>,
Goodlife, Lemons, Team D, family & friends! The phenomenal part of my
support system is that it's growing organically & effortlessly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1589014316315756051.post-72155152706006893872013-12-19T08:47:00.002-05:002013-12-19T08:47:47.595-05:00more grateful postcards...It's wonderful to see a few more postcards trickling in! Many thanks to those who take the time to share their inspiring words of gratitude...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5XcqF9ZCIatDZVKRE43k95NYviVcDyMe76qKFwXIx7oUS0Gl341CNLaAEOyh0T49OiC6XJUh2eyIR-j5tA4bPLsUy4iRJFBbqq6BwZIUczB3jK4KaUiKjWgm9JjZVVJpQcRj3tAmKf32i/s1600/Postcard-6.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5XcqF9ZCIatDZVKRE43k95NYviVcDyMe76qKFwXIx7oUS0Gl341CNLaAEOyh0T49OiC6XJUh2eyIR-j5tA4bPLsUy4iRJFBbqq6BwZIUczB3jK4KaUiKjWgm9JjZVVJpQcRj3tAmKf32i/s320/Postcard-6.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQEdT0p0KjNeJQAkT2TwMI7nbpChufFICfsK9zllSPE2SRLidWmPZNRRuAQyVcuIM_N6BwK8SGucR0bYMaDOQcj-EhlFqY4cM2BZzKG7yuJl7ICtn04_wpjjuXxHOTAb-TCQ6ZVSC0HjJ4/s1600/Postcard-7.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQEdT0p0KjNeJQAkT2TwMI7nbpChufFICfsK9zllSPE2SRLidWmPZNRRuAQyVcuIM_N6BwK8SGucR0bYMaDOQcj-EhlFqY4cM2BZzKG7yuJl7ICtn04_wpjjuXxHOTAb-TCQ6ZVSC0HjJ4/s320/Postcard-7.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT1lVAkb0lxQE5aXwT9OAluLwH873-A0RhsEQU5jQncMO7-IZhUNgvbOkh8egnfUYqEqu4MnP1GQwj1OSzJp7ydgdUTeY6zKmmLI_kYtSTdpXGjzLbErRPbdtN9C_IQKRTvisvsehQuuZe/s1600/Postcard-8.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT1lVAkb0lxQE5aXwT9OAluLwH873-A0RhsEQU5jQncMO7-IZhUNgvbOkh8egnfUYqEqu4MnP1GQwj1OSzJp7ydgdUTeY6zKmmLI_kYtSTdpXGjzLbErRPbdtN9C_IQKRTvisvsehQuuZe/s320/Postcard-8.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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gratefully yours,<br />
jagUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1589014316315756051.post-76988953736476175922013-12-15T07:00:00.000-05:002013-12-15T20:13:19.280-05:00celebrating lives greatly full :: traci mclean...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXIXziZGUpxWeRHoFY76vwnJ7mp6DNjMgZRWge5d7uZ6eVhrpyMmh9AkAW8h_SH81jn-rMTgzM7eQpHBcEvew9Y_w6PHQFCrQxGG8k7e2buVhLP0lIKKWi1PyahrBZQ_BaPnuqBdyXQpch/s1600/Traci.gratitude-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="161" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXIXziZGUpxWeRHoFY76vwnJ7mp6DNjMgZRWge5d7uZ6eVhrpyMmh9AkAW8h_SH81jn-rMTgzM7eQpHBcEvew9Y_w6PHQFCrQxGG8k7e2buVhLP0lIKKWi1PyahrBZQ_BaPnuqBdyXQpch/s200/Traci.gratitude-1.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><a href="http://www.linkedin.com/in/tracimclean" target="_blank">Traci McLean</a> is one of those women whose smile and eyes grab you from the get-go. And that voice... sigh. I first met her in 2009. She was the "new girlfriend" at a family gathering and, having gone through that same experience many (many!) years ago, I was drawn to her immediately. We bonded over that shared experience and have gone on to discover that we have so much more in common. She is a talented writer and professional vocalist based in Toronto, Ontario.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New;">Traci has been so supportive of *<em>the gratitude project: dare to be grateful*</em> and our conversations over the past year hinted at a deeply felt gratitude of her own. And so, when I invited her to share that gratitude in this space, she enthusiastically agreed. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New;">I feel blessed to have her in my life. Wish you lived closer, my friend...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"></span><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">What Personal Quality Are You Most Grateful
For and Why?<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">In some ways, I’ve been a late bloomer my whole life. It’s
not something I’ve ever taken much note of, except in grade 8 when I got teased
for still climbing trees and not wearing makeup. Hey… I had multiple flavours
of “Lip Smackers” on the go (Mom said clear lip gloss only) and I still climb
trees. I just no longer care if people find it strange. The joy of sitting in a
tree far outweighs the opinions of others. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I also think I’ve been slow to fully acknowledge my true
strengths. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As I looked at what qualities
I appreciate about myself, I became grateful for the exercise of answering this
question. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I discovered I’m grateful for: <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">my <span style="font-size: large;">courage</span>:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was
repeatedly tossed into some very dark places for over a decade and despite fears
that I’d lost myself at times, in the end, I emerged stronger than ever – with deep
gratitude for the family and friends who stood by me<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">my <span style="font-size: large;">playfulness</span>:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
love to play, to laugh, to explore, create, adventure, be silly, go on all the
rides, try new things and a beautiful carousel will make me cry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m grateful for the people in my life who
love the kid in me and join me in play.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">my <span style="font-size: large;">determination</span>:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t
give up easily. I possess a tenacity of mind/heart over matter for which I owe
great gratitude to the teachers and mentors who I trained with spiritually, in
meditation/communication practice. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">my <span style="font-size: large;">love</span>:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I love my
family, friends<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>and pets deeply and
fiercely with an “I’ve got your back” type of honour. I am so grateful to my
beautiful parents for teaching me this type of love and demonstrating it so
very well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">my <span style="font-size: large;">optimism</span>:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve
been affectionately teased my whole life about my rose-coloured glasses, my
silver lining, my boundless, eternal optimism. My Mom says I was just born like
that and my nephew is the same. I am beyond grateful for this quality. In
itself, it has been the silver lining during the darkest of days.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">But then… as I wound my way through these grateful moments
trying to pick<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>one, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I realized that, most of all, I’m grateful for
the way that I’ve grown - to be willing to openly share what I like about me.
To share just as it is, without fear about the opinions of others and the
societal need to place people in an appropriate box. I don’t fit in a box… and
I’m happy with the awkward, wandering parts that make it so. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Though this path to acceptance of self has been lit by a
lifetime of experiences, wonderful friends and family I must share that it was
greatly accelerated when I met the love of my life, 5 years ago. Late bloomer,
remember? He sees me for who I am. He sees me in ways that surprise me
sometimes. Being loved and celebrated by him at my best and at my worst has been
a true catalyst that allows me to more safely step forward into fully being who
I am. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>Gratitude overload reached…
signing off now. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Namaste.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1589014316315756051.post-65221797606701218532013-12-14T07:00:00.000-05:002013-12-14T07:00:09.527-05:00the gratitude project assignment :: lily... noah...<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">Our ongoing series of essays from Grade 8 students from <a href="http://www.broadviewps.ocdsb.ca/index.php?id=15" target="_blank"><span style="color: #d52a33;">Broadview Public School</span></a> here in Ottawa. I had the pleasure of meeting with Ms. Viner and Ms. Krochmalnek's classes just before our Canadian Thanksgiving, to talk to them about *<em>the gratitude project: dare to be grateful</em>*. (<a href="http://daretobegrateful.blogspot.ca/2013/10/the-gratitude-project-goes-to-school.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: #d52a33;">Read more about that here</span></a>.) Students were then given an assignment to interview a friend or family member about what they were grateful for, and to submit a short essay based on that interview. I will be publishing a selection of these essays here on the blog over the next couple of weeks. You will want to read these. Seriously. These kids rock.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">(Read </span><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">Julia's essay</span><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"> <a href="http://daretobegrateful.blogspot.ca/2013/11/the-gratitude-project-assignment-julia.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: #d52a33;">here</span></a>, Minseong and Judy's essays <a href="http://daretobegrateful.blogspot.ca/2013/11/the-gratitude-project-assignment.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: #d52a33;">here</span></a>, O'Dane and Evan's essays <a href="http://daretobegrateful.blogspot.ca/2013/11/the-gratitude-project-assignment-odane.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: #d52a33;">here</span></a>,Dylan's essay <a href="http://daretobegrateful.blogspot.ca/2013/12/the-gratitude-project-assignment-dylan.html" target="_blank">here</a> and Selina's essay <a href="http://daretobegrateful.blogspot.ca/2013/12/the-gratitude-project-assignment-selina.html" target="_blank">here</a>.)</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New;">Allow me to now introduce these two great essays by Lily and Noah...</span><br />
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The Gratitude Project By:
Lily</span><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p> </o:p></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Hello there! I’m Lily and this is an
interview of my mom. We recently sat down by the Ottawa river and discussed
what we were grateful for, she talked about her favourite creative outlet:</span><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Her topic has a lot to do about our
cultural background, making Ukrainian Easter eggs (a.k.a. Pysanky)! Every year,
around a month before Ukrainian Easter (usually 1 to 5 weeks after the Easter
most of us know). When the time rolls around, we get out all our tools, a lot
of them from when my grandma was still around (I love you Babcha!). We try to
coax and drag our family to our dinning room table to at least make one egg,
and when we are settled, we start to talk…</span><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p> </o:p></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The great thing about making these eggs
is that it is very meticulous work, so we kinda’ lose ourselves in our stream
of consciousness. We talk about stuff that usually wouldn’t be spoken in a
normal, straight as a board conversation. It’s a great way to get to know each
other better, to bring us closer. </span><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Making Easter eggs is also quite extraordinary
because it brings us back 100s (if not 1000s) of years of tradition. It
liberates us from fast paced society nowadays. With all the technology and
problems of today, it’s not hard to get whisked away. Getting together every
year like this helps ground us, keep us together.</span><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p> </o:p></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I really agree with my mom. With all
that’s going on today, it’s hard to sit down and really think about our pasts
(whether it’s 100 years ago or maybe what you did that day). Holding a wooden
stick with a fine metal tip and drawing on an egg with it, the smell of beeswax
and candle smoke heavy in the air, is sort of a relief. And the final product
is also something to be grateful for as well! ~Lily</span><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
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<span style="color: #222222; font-size: 19pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Gratitude Project By: Noah</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">For the gratitude project I decided to interview
my mom Tessa. I asked her “what person are you most grateful for” and after
maybe a minute of thinking she chose to talk about her grandmother. </span><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">She had been so grateful for her grandmother
many reasons but she decided to pick these 3 examples. One reason that she was
so thankful was because she taught her how to cook delicious hungarian dinners
from scratch </span><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">such as goulash and snitzel. That would be
great because my mom told me she had always been at the cottage and her
grandmother showed her many, many ways to stay fed with a delicious meal. </span><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">This had taken up a lot of her choices so I
had pry out what other reasons for being grateful for her grandmother. Finally
I had gotten "business" as one of her most grateful parts from her grandmother
and I'm sure her grandmother </span><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">would have been very helpful in that specific
area because her job was finding and selling antiques. She taught her business
in a way that showed her how to make the most of the resources she had.</span><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The final reason she had chosen her
grandmother was to show her cottaging with skills she had not known such as pie
making and enjoying the cottage I know this does not sound like a very
important subject but when I listened </span><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">to her talk about it I noticed enjoying the
cottage is a very important part in life, for example if she never new
cottaging she would never be good in flipping houses for more money and profit
witch has helped her very much in life.</span><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">After sitting down with her for so long I can
now believe why she had choisen her grandmother. If she had not ever met her
grandmother she would have never learned how to flip houses make delicious
meals and enjoy life as it is!</span><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1589014316315756051.post-44704882504702692282013-12-12T07:00:00.000-05:002013-12-12T07:00:00.521-05:00the gratitude project assignment :: selina...
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">Our ongoing series of essays from Grade 8 students from <a href="http://www.broadviewps.ocdsb.ca/index.php?id=15" target="_blank"><span style="color: #d52a33;">Broadview Public School</span></a> here in Ottawa. I had the pleasure of meeting with Ms. Viner and Ms. Krochmalnek's classes just before our Canadian Thanksgiving, to talk to them about *<em>the gratitude project: dare to be grateful</em>*. (<a href="http://daretobegrateful.blogspot.ca/2013/10/the-gratitude-project-goes-to-school.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: #d52a33;">Read more about that here</span></a>.) Students were then given an assignment to interview a friend or family member about what they were grateful for, and to submit a short essay based on that interview. I will be publishing a selection of these essays here on the blog over the next couple of weeks. You will want to read these. Seriously. These kids rock.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">(Read </span><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">Julia's essay</span><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"> <a href="http://daretobegrateful.blogspot.ca/2013/11/the-gratitude-project-assignment-julia.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: #d52a33;">here</span></a>, Minseong and Judy's essays <a href="http://daretobegrateful.blogspot.ca/2013/11/the-gratitude-project-assignment.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: #d52a33;">here</span></a>, O'Dane and Evan's essays <a href="http://daretobegrateful.blogspot.ca/2013/11/the-gratitude-project-assignment-odane.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: #d52a33;">here</span></a> and Dylan's essay <a href="http://daretobegrateful.blogspot.ca/2013/12/the-gratitude-project-assignment-dylan.html" target="_blank">here</a>.)</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New;">Allow me to now introduce this inspiring essay from Selina!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New;"></span><br />
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<u><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Name:</span></u><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> Jake M.</span></div>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTRaNXCT_ECEgP-J5Tu_a17FkemR3IZsm8XkN4FnTAzcZpRR9NLvD1vVSFgtA4p1nqs_HBujKnGvqij6eTDhc8osdeAVsSI5DMZ7O9ZQ3beXVJ01isWRm4Z9qwU0tSlaUAtMWEDDcZCZwh/s1600/Selina-1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTRaNXCT_ECEgP-J5Tu_a17FkemR3IZsm8XkN4FnTAzcZpRR9NLvD1vVSFgtA4p1nqs_HBujKnGvqij6eTDhc8osdeAVsSI5DMZ7O9ZQ3beXVJ01isWRm4Z9qwU0tSlaUAtMWEDDcZCZwh/s200/Selina-1.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div align="right">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><em>photo provided by Selina</em></span></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]-->
<!--[endif]--></span><u><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Biography:</span></u><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> I have known Jake for
about 4 years now, and he is one of the kindest person I know. He is very
inspiring and I look up to him as a role model. I met Jake through dance and
that's how I continue to see him everyday. I chose to interview him because he
is never negative about anything and always appreciative of everyone and
everything. Since he has a very positive attitude towards life, I thought he
was the perfect person to interview. Some fun facts about Jake is that he can
do a headstand for more than 3 minutes, he has red hair, and he is a male
dancer.</span><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<u><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Question: </span></u><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">What life experience are
you most grateful for?</span><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
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<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">
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<!--[endif]--></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The first experience he was grateful for was a national
competition in Hollywood, Florida 2012. This inspiring experience made him
truly realize he wanted to be a dancer. During the competition he realized that
when you love what you do, you can, and will do anything to achieve what you
want to achieve. He thought that maybe if he were devote everything he had into
one thing, and maybe if he were to be as dedicated as all the amazing dancers
he had seen, that possibly something amazing would come out of it. And thats
exactly what happened.</span><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]-->
<!--[endif]--></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Another experience Jake was grateful for was winning the title of
Hamilton’s 2013 teen male dancer of the year. He had his mind set of doing the
best that he could, not thinking about winning, but thinking of the experience
he was going to have. All Jake wanted was to have the best run of his solo and
make his teachers, family, and friends proud. When they called his name saying
that he won, the emotion and shock he felt was so special no words could
describe it. It showed him that all the hard work he had been doing had payed
off and proved to everyone that anything is possible if you set your mind to it.</span><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The last experience is he is very grateful for, is my favourite.
He figured out that if he wanted to take dance seriously, being 185 pounds
wasn’t going to get him anywhere. Jake used to not think before he ate which
caused him the problem. He first started with an intense dieting of absolutely
no exceptions of unhealthy junk. Then made up a routine where he would do 300
crunches, 40 push ups, and run 2k every day. Within only 2 months, he lost an
astonishing total of 40 pounds, and eventually gained 5 pounds of muscle. Jake
is especially grateful for this experience because it has made him truly
appreciate the taste of fruits and vegetables and what they are doing for your
body. Now he can live a healthy lifestyle of 150 pounds for a 15 year old boy.
: )</span><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]-->
<!--[endif]--></span><u><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Conclusion:</span></u><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> Upon reflection I think
that Jake is someone who many people are grateful for and who has an very
inspiring aspect on life. He has been able to choose dance over football
already knowing how tough it is to be a male dancer with all the bullying and
has been the one that wins in the end. He is very grateful and appreciative for
what he has and I hope you can see that too. ; )</span><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1589014316315756051.post-66878488791004999162013-12-08T14:53:00.002-05:002013-12-08T14:58:24.653-05:00celebrating lives greatly full :: shulamit day berlevtov<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiro0yBN6YcFXsSipLZAoA_hOmWxmSkQ8ulBHV0WqHTBFWFr4qrji9e9kF_D4R2FghS28RXYjSdpMSF-CWT__7292sVYaWXJ17owc4dGMo-uUPmmwyTzLJQuaM-l8DYSrhhHvp0OQgD_xjx/s1600/Shulamit-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiro0yBN6YcFXsSipLZAoA_hOmWxmSkQ8ulBHV0WqHTBFWFr4qrji9e9kF_D4R2FghS28RXYjSdpMSF-CWT__7292sVYaWXJ17owc4dGMo-uUPmmwyTzLJQuaM-l8DYSrhhHvp0OQgD_xjx/s200/Shulamit-2.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">I first met <a href="http://shula.ca/about/" target="_blank">Shulamit Berlevtov</a> several years ago through mutual friends. From the beginning, I knew she was a seeker and a healer - someone who wasn't afraid to do the work set before her on her spiritual path, and willing to share her experience with others. She continues to carve her place in this world through her counseling services. She works as a psychotherapist in <a href="http://www.shula.ca/" target="_blank">private practice</a> who offers classes and one-to-one sessions in person in the Kemptville and Smiths Falls area. Interestingly, she’ll be facilitating <em><a href="http://shula.ca/events-2/" target="_blank">Explorations in Gratitude</a></em> starting January 2014. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">Although we do not see each other often, we keep abreast of each other's lives through the magic of social media. I am so pleased she agreed to share her most recent intentional practice: gratitude. I am grateful for YOU Shula! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What am I grateful for?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
I am grateful for formal gratitude practice.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I post a statement about what I am grateful for to my
Facebook status every night before bed. I remember the times when I had tried
gratitude in the past. When I was feeling low, I’d make a list of “good” things
in my life, things for which I should be grateful, and then I’d tell myself,
“Look, you should be grateful!” and then berate myself for not feeling any
better. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyaVYAhjA7m7YZAM088CpiEb_IEljt9aK5aYksAXdF1SrEkyCfl3PG-E6W7ZThq2zzs5cd695agQQgVop5QbYa7PjnscQr7YV8zYm4GsMMLqqW5FSnrHLWEeUd-8OV9lqFhg-zRC_B4O52/s1600/shulamit-3.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyaVYAhjA7m7YZAM088CpiEb_IEljt9aK5aYksAXdF1SrEkyCfl3PG-E6W7ZThq2zzs5cd695agQQgVop5QbYa7PjnscQr7YV8zYm4GsMMLqqW5FSnrHLWEeUd-8OV9lqFhg-zRC_B4O52/s320/shulamit-3.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div align="right">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="http://goldeneaglescoaching.com/life/benefits-gratitude-infographic/">http://goldeneaglescoaching.com/life/benefits-gratitude-infographic/</a></span></span></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My current approach started when I was having trouble
sleeping. I'd seen this infographic and thought I’d experiment to see if
gratitude practice before bed would help my sleep. I started by finding one
thing each day that had made me smile. I’d recall what happened and smile. Then
I’d pay attention to the feel of the smile, and to what other body sensations
came along with smiling and the memory of the event. I’d sit with that for a
while, savouring the sensations and resting in the memory. Then I would convey
the experience by writing down a gratitude statement.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After some time practicing, as the hours move toward bedtime,
thoughts of gratitude have started coming on their own. Sometimes they show up
at random during the day. Feelings and sensations come with them that make the
experience more vivid. When something happens in the moment and I’m grateful
for it, the sense of it comes more fully.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
Now that I’m awake to all that, spontaneous expressions of
gratitude arise for me to share with people in the moment. The quality of my
days and of my experience of living have changed. More joy, pleasure, ease and
appreciation flow through me, even in the midst of difficult happenings. I feel
low less often, and when I do, I can pause, place a gentle hand on my heart,
and feel grateful for the ability to do just that. After all, that’s what I
need when I’m feeling low! (I have yet to see an effect on my sleep, but at
this point, who cares??!!)<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Expressing gratitude directly to someone about something
they have done is easy for me. I'm giving them feedback about how they have
contributed to making life more wonderful for me. The effect my gratitude <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">practice</i> has had on others surprised me.
I started doing it via social media because I wanted accountability. But what I
offered to myself has become a giving. I still feel shy about acknowledging
that. Accepting that this thing I do for myself is of benefit to others is the
next frontier of my practice. I’m sitting with the shyness, and grateful for
it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1589014316315756051.post-20322513498413921122013-12-02T07:00:00.000-05:002013-12-02T07:00:13.800-05:00the gratitude project assignment :: dylan...<br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">Our ongoing series of essays from Grade 8 students from <a href="http://www.broadviewps.ocdsb.ca/index.php?id=15" target="_blank"><span style="color: #d52a33;">Broadview Public School</span></a> here in Ottawa. I had the pleasure of meeting with Ms. Viner and Ms. Krochmalnek's classes just before our Canadian Thanksgiving, to talk to them about *<em>the gratitude project: dare to be grateful</em>*. (<a href="http://daretobegrateful.blogspot.ca/2013/10/the-gratitude-project-goes-to-school.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: #d52a33;">Read more about that here</span></a>.) Students were then given an assignment to interview a friend or family member about what they were grateful for, and to submit a short essay based on that interview. I will be publishing a selection of these essays here on the blog over the next couple of weeks. You will want to read these. Seriously. These kids rock.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">(Read </span><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">Julia's essay</span><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"> <a href="http://daretobegrateful.blogspot.ca/2013/11/the-gratitude-project-assignment-julia.html" target="_blank">here</a>, Minseong and Judy's essays <a href="http://daretobegrateful.blogspot.ca/2013/11/the-gratitude-project-assignment.html" target="_blank">here</a> and O'Dane and Evan's essays <a href="http://daretobegrateful.blogspot.ca/2013/11/the-gratitude-project-assignment-odane.html" target="_blank">here</a>.)</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New;">Now, let's see what Dylan learned on his assignment...</span><br />
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Interviewer:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Dylan<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
Interviewee: Steacy </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Brief Biography: </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My Mom is very close to me and we have
had lots of experiences together. From some of these experiences, I've noticed
that she has to make a lot of tough decisions like when she decided to go to
teachers college and become a teacher even though she would have to work much
more often. I thought about it and I knew that she had to have made some
decisions that she’s really grateful for. That is why I chose my Mom for this
project.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Question: </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What decision are you most grateful for?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
<o:p> </o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My Mom's
first decision that she is really grateful for is her decision to join the
purification challenge when she was young. This was a group of kids that had to
run a certain amount of distance every week. By doing this challenge, my Mom
figured out that she was a good runner and she joined cross country and had a
lot of fun. She stills enjoys running now and it is one of the reasons she can
stay fit. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Another
decision that my Mom is grateful for is her decision to work when she was in
university. She is grateful for this decision because this helped her pay for
school. She is also grateful for this because it helped her organize herself so
she wouldn't just party with her friends every night.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The last
decision that my Mom is really grateful for is her decision to go to Europe
with her sister for 2 weeks in 2010. My Mom is grateful for that decision
because even though she was away from her family for 2 weeks and it cost a lot
of money, she was really glad because it was very interesting seeing all the
foreign countries and exploring the world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She also had a lot of fun.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Conclusion:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Upon reflection, I think that my Mom was really thinking deeply about my questions and taking them seriously. My Mom wasn't very resistive of my questions and answered them without any pushing. I think that my Mom was running out of answers by the last example but I do think she was grateful for the decision.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">I can connect with her first decision, since my soccer team has to run 3 kilometres every practice for the past 2 years. This I am grateful for because now my dad, Mom and I go for after dinner runs sometimes for fun. If I hadn't been running, I wouldn't have learned to enjoy it and would be missing the great family talks we have on our runs.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1589014316315756051.post-11887407933038506092013-12-01T07:00:00.000-05:002013-12-01T07:00:11.403-05:00 a grateful anthem...<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This song <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">by Nimo Patel and Daniel Nahmod may very well</span> become my new anthem. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em>All that I am.</em></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em>All that I see.</em></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em>All that I've been,</em></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em>and all that I'll ever be,</em></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em>is a blessing.</em></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em>It's so amazing.</em></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em>And I'm grateful for it all.</em></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/sO2o98Zpzg8" width="560"></iframe><br /></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">gratefully yours,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">jag</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1589014316315756051.post-32776771390391550422013-11-29T07:00:00.000-05:002013-11-30T21:44:53.684-05:00the gratitude project assignment :: o'dane... evan...<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">Our ongoing series of essays from Grade 8 students from <a href="http://www.broadviewps.ocdsb.ca/index.php?id=15" target="_blank"><span style="color: #d52a33;">Broadview Public School</span></a> here in Ottawa. I had the pleasure of meeting with Ms. Viner and Ms. Krochmalnek's classes just before our Canadian Thanksgiving, to talk to them about *<em>the gratitude project: dare to be grateful</em>*. (<a href="http://daretobegrateful.blogspot.ca/2013/10/the-gratitude-project-goes-to-school.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: #d52a33;">Read more about that here</span></a>.) Students were then given an assignment to interview a friend or family member about what they were grateful for, and to submit a short essay based on that interview. I will be publishing a selection of these essays here on the blog over the next couple of weeks. You will want to read these. Seriously. These kids rock.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">(Read </span><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">Julia's essay</span><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"> <a href="http://daretobegrateful.blogspot.ca/2013/11/the-gratitude-project-assignment-julia.html" target="_blank">here</a> and Minseong and Judy's essays <a href="http://daretobegrateful.blogspot.ca/2013/11/the-gratitude-project-assignment.html" target="_blank">here</a>.)</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New;">Now, introducing O'Dane and Evan...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New;"></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Interviewer:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>O’Dane<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
Interviewee:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My
dad<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span>
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I chose to interview my dad because he’s been in my life
since i was born, i chose to do my dad because he has an interesting background
that I’ve never heard before. An interesting fact about my dad is that he was a
deep sea fisherman before he migrated to Canada.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Courier New;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Question: </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Courier New;">
</span><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What person are you most grateful for?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Courier New;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My dad chose his grandmother because when he was born, he
was born in her hands, in her house.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Another reason he chose his grandmother that he is most
grateful for is because she raised him from just a baby to an adult. <o:p></o:p></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The last reason why he chose his grandmother is that she
is very loving and kind, she was always be loving and kind to everyone she knew
in every way possible.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I can relate to this because both my parents have done
the same with me except the adult part yet. Both my parents are loving and
caring and want to help in any way possible and have raised me till now.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br clear="all" style="mso-special-character: line-break; page-break-before: always;" /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
--------------------------------------------------------------------</span><o:p><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></o:p></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Interviewer:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Evan
B.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
Interviewee: David B.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I’ve known this person since I was born because he is my
dad.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
I thought it was a good idea to interview my dad because
I wanted to know what he is most grateful for. </span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
My dad has been collecting bikes since the early 80’s and
has a large collection of current and vintage bicycles.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Question:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">W</span>hat
life experience are you most grateful for?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<o:p><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Answer:</span></o:p><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My dad is most grateful to have discovered cycling at a
young age. Cycling has been the mechanism that has enabled many different positive
aspects of his life.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">He always enjoyed riding bikes when he was young and this
led him to try racing and that in turn taught him about training, nutrition and
how to be a bicycle mechanic.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">My </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">dad has travelled to many places all over the world
because of different races he has travelled to. He has met many people from
different countries because of cycling.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Conclusion:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
Personally I’ve always liked riding my bike and it’s a
great form of transportation cause you get a great workout from it and you can
ride with your friends, also when you start riding it introduces you to a great
community.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1589014316315756051.post-31339113762870980952013-11-26T07:00:00.000-05:002013-11-26T07:00:02.562-05:00the gratitude project assignment :: minseong... judy...<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">Our ongoing series of essays from Grade 8 students from <a href="http://www.broadviewps.ocdsb.ca/index.php?id=15" target="_blank"><span style="color: #d52a33;">Broadview Public School</span></a> here in Ottawa. I had the pleasure of meeting with Ms. Viner and Ms. Krochmalnek's classes just before our Canadian Thanksgiving, to talk to them about *<em>the gratitude project: dare to be grateful</em>*. (<a href="http://daretobegrateful.blogspot.ca/2013/10/the-gratitude-project-goes-to-school.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: #d52a33;">Read more about that here</span></a>.) Students were then given an assignment to interview a friend or family member about what they were grateful for, and to submit a short essay based on that interview. I will be publishing a selection of these essays here on the blog over the next couple of weeks. You will want to read these. Seriously. These kids rock.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">(Read </span><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">Julia's essay</span><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"> <a href="http://daretobegrateful.blogspot.ca/2013/11/the-gratitude-project-assignment-julia.html" target="_blank">here</a>.)</span><br />
<br /><span style="font-family: Courier New;">Now, introducing Minseong and Judy...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Interviewer:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Minseong K.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
Interviewee: Tarik<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Brief biography:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He
is my French teacher.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I have known him for a 2 month now.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
I choose him because he is a good guy talk to.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Question: <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>What
life experience are you most grateful for?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Answer:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>Learning
how to cook<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Reasons for his answer:<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
1. he got to learn about various cultures and discovered
their food<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
2. he got a lot more creative then before<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
3. he thinks it is a great opportunity<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>to be a chef<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
4. HE LOVES COOKING!!!!<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Conclusion:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
Up on the responses, I think he loves cooking and I like
cooking myself so I think he is cool with me and he is also a good cook because
I have tasted his food before and I know that he works hard to be better and
better so I think that is something that you can be grateful for...</span><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; text-align: center;">
<o:p><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> ---------------------------------------------------------------------------</span></o:p></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Interviewer:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Judy
S.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
Interviewee: Ghada </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This person is my mother; I have known her my entire
life.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
I chose her because she is my inspiration and idol.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
An interesting fact about her is that she has a strong
personality and determination. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Question: </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What decision are
you most grateful for?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
Answer:</span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The decision I am most grateful for is leaving Lebanon to
come to Canada.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
I feel like my kids are safer.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
Better education.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
Cosmopolitan atmosphere. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><o:p> </o:p></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
Reflection:<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
I can’t agree more with my mother. Bringing us here to
Canada was a great decision. I’m so grateful for her decision. The political
situation in the Middle East is so bad. A war might erupt any time, which means
we could have been in great danger and lack of education.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1589014316315756051.post-87625069336698218882013-11-24T13:06:00.001-05:002013-11-24T13:18:21.813-05:00the gratitude project assignment :: julia...<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">Today, I am thrilled to present the first of several essays from Grade 8 students from <a href="http://www.broadviewps.ocdsb.ca/index.php?id=15" target="_blank">Broadview Public School</a> here in Ottawa. I had the pleasure of meeting with Ms. Viner and Ms. Krochmalnek's classes just before our Canadian Thanksgiving, to talk to them about *<em>the gratitude project: dare to be grateful</em>*. (<a href="http://daretobegrateful.blogspot.ca/2013/10/the-gratitude-project-goes-to-school.html" target="_blank">Read more about that here</a>.) Students were then given an assignment to interview a friend or family member about what they were grateful for, and to submit a short essay based on that interview. I will be publishing a selection of these essays here on the blog over the next couple of weeks. You will want to read these. Seriously. These kids rock.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New;">Let's begin with Julia...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Interviewer:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Julia
L.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Interviewee: My mother <span style="mso-tab-count: 5;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
<o:p> </o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
Bio: My mom Mariam, born here in Canada with a French and
Lebanese background, is a 43 year old single mother and she is the single most
spectacular person I have ever met. She is brave, caring, strong, loving and
even though she has been through so much, she always manages to have a smile on
her face. I think she is a very interesting person and has lots of great
experiences and memories. I love her with all my heart.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Question: What life experience are you most grateful for?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Answer:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Example 1)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“Being a mother to my spectacular, bright, beautiful
children.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrfR7pLafv0hTuoMu0R0N9LKjFIi2E6kGyj1YGs3nvMkj-yffyHOIFaDJk05l-Q4hc_5PN-ZIDOSivJ6oJRmZ9uOBKlQLU_njIympLQUaLHqbS5NxQWDgQgZJGmj22z-ngO8mdFUHVFfPy/s1600/Julia's+Mom.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrfR7pLafv0hTuoMu0R0N9LKjFIi2E6kGyj1YGs3nvMkj-yffyHOIFaDJk05l-Q4hc_5PN-ZIDOSivJ6oJRmZ9uOBKlQLU_njIympLQUaLHqbS5NxQWDgQgZJGmj22z-ngO8mdFUHVFfPy/s200/Julia's+Mom.jpeg" width="150" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I am grateful to have all of them in my life: <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Adam - My brilliant, health, strong son. Who loves
electronics and designing machines. He is very athletic and loves a good joke.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Julia - My determined, strong and ambitious eldest
daughter. She loves animals, especially farm animals and is very busy with sports
and music. I love the way she cares so much about others.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Rebecca - My artistic and imaginative youngest child. She
loves nature and has a very special connection to the natural world. She is
very beautiful and can paint like Vincent van Gogh.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Example 2+3) <o:p></o:p></span><br />
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</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“My travels in Europe and my everlasting friendship:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I went to Belgium for 3 months, spent the winter in
Northern Ireland, then went on to Scotland, England and France. I travelled
with my best friend Janice from high school. I love history so I went to lots
of old war rubble and castles and ancient houses. I met many interesting people
just like me, traveling within a budget trying to make some memories. Me and my
friend Janice were friends all through high school and after we got back from
Europe I moved out to Alberta and we lost touch for 20 years. Now that I'm back
here in Ottawa we are just as close as we were before. This just shows we were
meant to be friends forever. :)”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Conclusion:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">To be honest I thought all my mom’s examples would be cool
stories from her travels in Europe, but to get that story out of her took a
great deal of work. All she wanted her answer to be was motherhood, and her
three kids. I chose her because she is a very interesting person so I thought
she would give an interesting answer but she was stuck on the one example. She said
“I could win all the money in the world, visit the coolest, most beautiful
place on earth but nothing could make that first example change.” <span style="font-size: large;">The life
experience she is most grateful for is and will always be, being a mother.</span> Out
of every memory, every laugh and every moment she is most grateful for us. Me,
my brother and my sister. I was a bit surprised when she told me that
considering how stubborn, mischievous and expensive we are ;)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>Her second/third example took a lot of work
to get out of her. I thought the fact that she worked all through high school
to go on this trip and she actually did it all on her own was very cool. The
fact that she went to all these countries so young with just a friend shows her
independence and she made lots of good memories while doing it. My favorite
part of her response is how she managed to stay friends with Janice for this
long. After 18 years of separation they became friends just like that when we
moved to Ottawa really shows me how people really can be “Best Friends
Forever”. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I connect to this because my biggest fear of high school isn’t the
homework, the mean teachers, or the bullies. I’m scared of me and my friends
not being friends anymore and I know <span style="font-size: large;">new is good but sometimes you just want
old because sometimes old is better</span>. I don't want to lose my friends and this
story </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">of my own mom and her best friend shows me how it is possible to keep
your friends, and who knows maybe me and my current best friend will still be
friends in 20 years. </span></div>
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<o:p><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></o:p> </div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-size: large;">Who knows?</span></span></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1589014316315756051.post-64686038262556241842013-11-10T07:00:00.000-05:002013-11-10T07:00:00.393-05:00celebrating lives greatly full :: sasja nieukerk<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvyzLCS8TvibbEWEPdVN0hOEigHUR7-0vdu8azjw1eLV3b8liNcGROFAFSWFnBVAgRe9Njj0oJoO_4Du7gBja-TlpXX02vWs-r0rYLOrbeLrPfLsZB3wUeFFUJbqik_JtNaTcn2dHozIQV/s1600/Sasja-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvyzLCS8TvibbEWEPdVN0hOEigHUR7-0vdu8azjw1eLV3b8liNcGROFAFSWFnBVAgRe9Njj0oJoO_4Du7gBja-TlpXX02vWs-r0rYLOrbeLrPfLsZB3wUeFFUJbqik_JtNaTcn2dHozIQV/s200/Sasja-1.jpg" width="193" /></a><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">Sasja Nieukerk is one of those women you meet... and you just know you'll never be quite the same. I first met her through work and was struck by her humour, her enthusiasm and her appetite for life. Oh, and her smile. Seriously one of the best ones out there! We have not worked together for many years now, and she lives on the other side of the country, yet we have managed to forge a friendship that is fed by the quality of the time we spend together if not the quantity.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New;">Sasja has gone on to do great things <a href="http://www.newquestcc.com/index.php/biography-sasja-nieukerk" target="_blank">professionally</a>. And in her personal life, she remains active and engaged. In more ways than one. :-) She has always been supportive of me and I am thrilled she accepted my invitation to participate in *the gratitude project: dare to be grateful*. Thanks Saga - you rock!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New;"></span><br />
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">What
am I grateful for?</span></i><span lang="EN-US"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Spontaneous learning.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I love learning – can’t get enough of it.
There’s lots of learning that I’ve planned and expected over the years, but
somehow it’s the spontaneous learning that really takes hold - the learning I
didn’t plan on, the discoveries I could not have predicted.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Late in 2012, I was surprised to discover
that I was pregnant – this was not something Neil, my fiancé and I had planned,
in fact far from it. But well, those drugstore tests don’t lie! Our days and
weeks cycled through shock, anger, crying (well ok, it was just me doing the
crying), and then finally acceptance. Then lo and behold, even a little bit of
excitement started to creep in. All our talk of “this isn’t the right time, we’re
not ready for this yet, etc.” started to fall to the wayside. I had not ever
really expected to want children – for 39 years I’ve been quite content without
any – and yet I now held this precious little life inside me, and suddenly
wanting it became supremely important. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So 2013 started with two big events: the
first was telling my family the news on New Year’s Eve. The second was New
Years Day, when I started bleeding profusely and ended up making the first of
several trips to the emergency room. A week later, I’d lost the baby. It took
months for my body to recover (my mother always said I had a habit of “go big
or go home”), and even longer for my heart to heal. I don’t think I have ever
been as depressed as I was through the early part of the year. Yet in the midst
of it all, one thing had become crystal clear: I want a child. I wanted to
share my life with Neil and create another life together. </span></span></div>
<span lang="EN-US"><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
I should say that I would have been ok figuring that out without all the drama involved, but then again, that's how the learning was presented to me, and I am so immensely and intensely grateful for it. About as grateful as I am for the gift I received on my 40th birthday this August - another positive pregnancy test. Now 4 months into my pregnancy, there is no end to the things I am and will be grateful for over the upcoming months and years ahead!</div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi25bxWyQNI7EA0FWg5B52q9FTaJt6L9F9s3KjCoipjoRLZtIZ64NLtCcsYN5CMMRngRb5rG_FitCHwJ9mIp1m5tFYOnbJ4okU0hRH-tYiqHgAVuL4lbXZb-L_cFGH9xLRCB7Ea5e3CiYla/s1600/Sasja-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi25bxWyQNI7EA0FWg5B52q9FTaJt6L9F9s3KjCoipjoRLZtIZ64NLtCcsYN5CMMRngRb5rG_FitCHwJ9mIp1m5tFYOnbJ4okU0hRH-tYiqHgAVuL4lbXZb-L_cFGH9xLRCB7Ea5e3CiYla/s200/Sasja-2.jpg" width="178" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div align="center">
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><em>Happy Halloween!</em></span></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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</div>
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1589014316315756051.post-74619875191180723102013-11-03T07:00:00.000-05:002013-11-03T10:09:11.991-05:00celebrating lives greatly full :: richard rohr<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfK5iw1rWJ-OZLxR2xmNctYm1p8XuQT-0un6N4ERtusULQda9kg5i9HFsxj53igOTm_KmCINoSILmlhepVOxXVzf7gn9g4mOe7p7jEID9ef1-uwpI_dXcnZnjRTCVK9ne2SOWCugJysLc3/s1600/RichardRohr-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfK5iw1rWJ-OZLxR2xmNctYm1p8XuQT-0un6N4ERtusULQda9kg5i9HFsxj53igOTm_KmCINoSILmlhepVOxXVzf7gn9g4mOe7p7jEID9ef1-uwpI_dXcnZnjRTCVK9ne2SOWCugJysLc3/s200/RichardRohr-1.jpg" width="160" /></a><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">If we are so blessed, once in a lifetime, a writer comes along that opens up a whole new world for us. Or maybe, as in my case, gives the world we knew a whole new meaning. We see it with new eyes. This is what spiritual teacher and Franciscan priest, <a href="https://cac.org/richard-rohr" target="_blank">Richard Rohr</a>, did for me.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New;">I first encountered Fr. Richard's teachings about 10 years ago, thanks to a <a href="http://store.cac.org/CDs_c_13.html" target="_blank">set of CDs</a> that were in the library at my silent retreat house. I listened to his words... and there was no going back. I knew instantly this was a voice that spoke to my heart. (Listen to this short talk on <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rahT4P8rIWc" target="_blank">Prayer as a state of communion</a> - you'll see what I mean.)</span><br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjzqn60_FaKzGkkOV_tbniAPwJ01P4Z6Sc9wOx5stbG0itn9qZXs47aFhdn03mZXlGO6tUUIPt4Wjd-dLV-KRHeL0bjPUSaxn4qtBkpiyNsF3s4nNF6UrZdInW5wIPoi5TBElSZ-QWCqzq/s1600/IMG_0071.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjzqn60_FaKzGkkOV_tbniAPwJ01P4Z6Sc9wOx5stbG0itn9qZXs47aFhdn03mZXlGO6tUUIPt4Wjd-dLV-KRHeL0bjPUSaxn4qtBkpiyNsF3s4nNF6UrZdInW5wIPoi5TBElSZ-QWCqzq/s200/IMG_0071.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div align="right">
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><em>R. Rohr, seated on the right</em></span></div>
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</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Courier New;">A few years ago, I had Hubby drive me to Boston so that I could attend a week-long series of evening classes with Fr. Richard at Boston College. A year later, I had the pleasure of attending a weekend workshop with him here in the Ottawa Valley. Then just last February, I attended a conference in Chicago where he spoke, along with Fr. Lawrence Freeman (World Community for Christian Meditation). His teachings remain relevant and challenging. Inspired and inspiring. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New;">You can imagine the joy and gratitude I felt when I received an email from Fr. Richard, accepting my invitation to share <em>his</em> gratitude on this blog! I am so honoured to share this post from my teacher and spiritual mentor. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<br />
<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My Long Gratitude<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Richard Rohr<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Of the many daily, totally gratuitous things I am grateful for, the things I too often take for granted, I think my long standing gratitude is for the gift of the Christian proclamation so early in life—<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">but precisely</i> <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">in a way that kept growing and unfolding throughout my life.</i></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yes, I was grateful as a little Catholic boy in Kansas to be a part of such a warm and even insular community, as it was in the 1940s and 50s.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It gave me ground, security, and a foundational happiness in being itself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then I was grateful to be exposed by the<br />Franciscans in Ohio and Michigan to a huge world of ideas, philosophy, art, poetry, culture, and theology that made me aware of how <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">catholic</i> Catholic should be, and this gave me a foundational happiness in my mind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Finally, I am grateful that my role allowed me to teach all over the world from my home here in New Mexico, to meet so many beautiful human beings, discover new depths of communion through many trials and stages, and this gave me a foundational happiness in my very heart and soul.</span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Now I am just grateful that being an ordinary man can be more than enough, and it allows me to name, enjoy, and tell others about what I have been given to see.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The message of Christ is not finally about him at all (which he seems to be quite happy about, since that is the whole poiint!), but a liberating message about us, the movement of history, and in fact everything.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now I have much and even everything to be grateful for, and even the inner and outer trials that got me here.</span></span></div>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1589014316315756051.post-38237279683682118702013-10-26T21:26:00.003-04:002013-10-26T21:26:49.566-04:00celebrating lives greatly full :: patience salgado<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT73eQEArZN513JI64EWN8SwPxzFb6htXL1riP4B0Lskqbyr8iB-ifn1bEWBLBuArI3TRpg0vTDQ7VUGKWg-xx_4MU352DefQQIO8002iWp0Wnttw5-Bkym-36aRqoHmtq9LomLnD_gCO-/s1600/patience-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT73eQEArZN513JI64EWN8SwPxzFb6htXL1riP4B0Lskqbyr8iB-ifn1bEWBLBuArI3TRpg0vTDQ7VUGKWg-xx_4MU352DefQQIO8002iWp0Wnttw5-Bkym-36aRqoHmtq9LomLnD_gCO-/s200/patience-1.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I've never met today's guest blogger in person. Not even close. Yet she has had a big influence on <em>*the gratitude project: dare to be grateful*</em> - and on me personally!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Patience Salgado, a.k.a. </span><a href="http://www.kindnessgirl.com/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">KindnessGirl</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">, believes kindness changes everything. As a kindness worker (among other wonderful vocations), she facilitates kindness movements in her hometown of Richmond, Virginia and - thanks to her blog - all over the world. On her</span><a href="http://kindnessgirl.com/about-me/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> About Me page</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">, she writes:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New;"></span><br />
<em><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">"After years of doing small acts of kindness here and there, I finally documented my first guerrilla goodness mission in August of 2007, things just kind of blew the heck up from there. Thousands of folks have been part of spreading kindness all over the world with KindnessGirl over the years. (this still makes me shake my head in surprise, bliss and joy every time I think about it) …you can also find me blogging for</span></em><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/patience-salgado/" sl-processed="1"><em><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"> Huffington Post</span></em></a><em><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"> and writing for </span></em><a href="http://richmondgrid.com/" sl-processed="1"><em><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">GRID</span></em></a><em><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">, and previously at </span></em><a href="http://www.pbs.org/parents/supersisters/" sl-processed="1"><em><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">PBSParents.org</span></em></a><em><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"> and </span></em><a href="http://rvanews.com/author/patiencesalgado" sl-processed="1"><em><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">RVANews</span></em></a><em><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"> ."</span></em><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Patience's kindness projects are simple and profound. Things like:</span><br />
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/patience-salgado/garbage-collectors_b_1218016.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">the great day of garbage gratitude</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> (I mean, seriously, how easy is this?!)</span></li>
<li><a href="http://kindnessgirl.com/the-magic-wand-project/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">the magic wand project</span></a></li>
<li><a href="http://kindnessgirl.com/2010/02/10/guerrilla-goodness-11-you-are-loveable/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">guerilla goodness: you are loveable</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> (I actually did this a couple of years ago for Valentine's Day :-))</span></li>
</ul>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5wlVSaFpR_ArPVFkdxqd3uGxQCwW2YYjRXZyy6iCO1aZcJfrkCWRajbm_zEILzZWZfRb3KZ6h9ZmFg8MVCZq7K5Rf_TFduhxOujKn6bcwltgdZoHqVwnRvvrFrbzhv73ApOmTOBIcuAD-/s1600/patience-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5wlVSaFpR_ArPVFkdxqd3uGxQCwW2YYjRXZyy6iCO1aZcJfrkCWRajbm_zEILzZWZfRb3KZ6h9ZmFg8MVCZq7K5Rf_TFduhxOujKn6bcwltgdZoHqVwnRvvrFrbzhv73ApOmTOBIcuAD-/s200/patience-2.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">More recently, she engaged her city in an amazing interactive art initiative: </span><a href="http://thelightofhumankindness.com/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Light of Human Kindness</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">. 1000 lights. 1000 stories. 1000 acts of kindness.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I know. I'm gushing now. But you need to know that KindnessGirl was one of my key inspirations when I first toyed with the <em>idea</em> of starting a blog on Gratitude. She inspired me to step out of my comfort zone and to take the idea beyond words on a screen - from blog... to social engagement experiment. Without even knowing it, she helped me start <em>*the gratitude project: dare to be grateful*.</em></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So. Can you imagine how thrilled I was when she agreed to contribute to the blog?! I sent her a few questions to choose from, and she chose to respond to one of them in the audio file below. Not only her thoughts, but spoken in her beautiful voice. G.R.A.T.E.F.U.L. to the max!! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<a href="https://sites.google.com/site/mjagmediafiles/mp3/patience_salgado-audio.m4a?attredirects=0&d=1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">CLICK HERE to listen to what Patience has to say about gratitude and failure...</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">AND, a special shout-out to Hubby who helped me embed an audio file to this blog post. Couldn't have shared this without his help!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">gratefully yours,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">jag</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1589014316315756051.post-41070542827186056082013-10-25T12:44:00.000-04:002013-10-25T12:44:23.202-04:00the silences in between…
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I have had much to be grateful for recently.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I give you Exhibits A, B & C:<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjanCo9JBUkCSY2kophZ7FpmhebwfYvP5buIUvbmqWFlxOTjT0c5Y53usuSFAL4Uv79CfjkFoS9rJ28BcOHsnGZ2bCyovqXOwVUt7vAFQBryNFrRrdgAFfUE_x9ggs9INj06BaxJp5Rn1dg/s1600/jag+in+berlin.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjanCo9JBUkCSY2kophZ7FpmhebwfYvP5buIUvbmqWFlxOTjT0c5Y53usuSFAL4Uv79CfjkFoS9rJ28BcOHsnGZ2bCyovqXOwVUt7vAFQBryNFrRrdgAFfUE_x9ggs9INj06BaxJp5Rn1dg/s320/jag+in+berlin.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div align="right">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><em>Exhibit A: jag in berlin</em></span></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-yESiFRwihIdNvE4JiyxAGGfe0aw56MZKUCGcMpKuJBRYQW9LZAjLTRBiLItMjPVmBrX4IIvvEDE7Am3WcVshTiISC4yah14C0Ca7IsJhsKCUGlUYqOrqBhuEAbtx6yOMmO2vx5J9dDmm/s1600/jag+in+paris.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-yESiFRwihIdNvE4JiyxAGGfe0aw56MZKUCGcMpKuJBRYQW9LZAjLTRBiLItMjPVmBrX4IIvvEDE7Am3WcVshTiISC4yah14C0Ca7IsJhsKCUGlUYqOrqBhuEAbtx6yOMmO2vx5J9dDmm/s320/jag+in+paris.JPG" width="248" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div align="right">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><em>Exhibit B: jag in paris</em></span></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFUGDF6GgPzYNPaIGJEpDP-tIZuonbWifKf510M1tAPgzxc6Es4vvZ8eZeDWNFq0sJW4Df4Q-lmHyb29myMe-anhty_OtDaSzAd5qwp-3MS34eUi77G1uIAdsKOuJa8JViG7fz-fnopYfr/s1600/jag+in+london.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFUGDF6GgPzYNPaIGJEpDP-tIZuonbWifKf510M1tAPgzxc6Es4vvZ8eZeDWNFq0sJW4Df4Q-lmHyb29myMe-anhty_OtDaSzAd5qwp-3MS34eUi77G1uIAdsKOuJa8JViG7fz-fnopYfr/s320/jag+in+london.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div align="right">
<em><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">Exhibit C: jag in london</span></em></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I shared these, and many more images, on my personal Facebook
page while I was travelling last month.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Friends
and family ooh’d and aah’d at all the right times. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Their comments and “Likes” reminded me of how
fortunate I was to be doing this, and how much they enjoyed “tagging along”. I do not come from a family of travellers and I
don’t think I ever dreamed I would have these opportunities in my life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Clearly, I live a charmed and blessed
life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And my Facebook status updates
reflect that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;">Gratitude</span> abounds.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">But how many have noticed the silences in between…?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have been thinking about them a lot lately.
I’m feeling less inclined to post on
Facebook these days and I wonder if anyone even notices.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And does it matter if they do or not? Not really. But *I* am
taking note of the silences and I’m realizing that, for me, this is where the
messy stuff of my life lives.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you were
to think you knew me based on my Facebook page, you’d only know a small part of
me – the part of me that wants you to see that I’ve got it all together.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But the reality is that <span style="font-size: large;">the awkwardness and
discomfort of my life lies in the silences in between.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Should I be any less grateful…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">…for the days after my trip when it seemed I could never get
enough sleep?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">…for being surrounded by loving family at Thanksgiving and
wanting nothing more than to curl up in a quiet room somewhere, alone?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">…for the discomfort that comes with learning to become
fearless in relationships?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">…for the tension that comes with not feeling that I am doing
enough?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">…for the resistance to accepting life on life’s terms?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">…for the fear?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I don’t share these thoughts or experiences on
Facebook.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have no images to post… no
smiles to share.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All I have to offer is
silence.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I guess I just need to put it out there – that I *<b>am</b>*
grateful, even in the silence.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I *<b>am</b>* grateful for the awkwardness… and the
discomfort… and the messy-ness… for these are the things that bring me closer to my God of
Love.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> These are the times when I cultivate <span style="font-size: large;">trust</span>. And strengthen <span style="font-size: large;">connection</span>. And practice <span style="font-size: large;">presence</span> to the One who demands only presence.</span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Let it be known that <span style="font-size: large;">I am grateful</span> for the silences in
between.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">jag<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1589014316315756051.post-36108943129678835772013-10-20T07:00:00.000-04:002013-10-20T07:00:08.810-04:00celebrating lives greatly full :: ray zahab...<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtLF2nFpZqdKOfs4jG_C9cmrblQHD3RKpoMo8vnuZAySbNEYMp-yrswZTgX_TJD1zwp7K0BzBYDQtYeKhrVqSO7lFckG_kNYA_r7hipGKlq-hfzEVAzS_Gu8cTl1dVrIm726ZibCNoIxu8/s1600/zahab-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtLF2nFpZqdKOfs4jG_C9cmrblQHD3RKpoMo8vnuZAySbNEYMp-yrswZTgX_TJD1zwp7K0BzBYDQtYeKhrVqSO7lFckG_kNYA_r7hipGKlq-hfzEVAzS_Gu8cTl1dVrIm726ZibCNoIxu8/s200/zahab-1.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><a href="http://rayzahab.com/about" target="_blank">Ray Zahab</a> is one of these guys that you meet, and you hear his story and you think to yourself: <em>"But... he seems so ordinary, like me - and yet, what he is doing is extraordinary!"</em> And he gives you permission to believe that YOU TOO can do the extraordinary. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New;">Following his pivotal experience of running 7500km across the Sahara Desert in 2006 (an achievement featured in the documentary: <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0481222/" target="_blank">Running the Sahara</a>), Ray founded <a href="http://impossible2possible.com/about" target="_blank">impossible2Possible</a> (i2P)in order to Inspire, Educate and Empower youth to make positive change in the world.</span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span><br />
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<span style="color: black;"></span> </div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">I am thrilled that Ray took the time from his extremely busy schedule to respond to my invitation to participate in <em>*the gratitude project: dare to be grateful*</em>. (In fact, he sent his responses from Rome, Italy, where he was delivering yet another inspirational talk at a TED Conference.) Thanks so much Ray!</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"></span></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;"><strong>What PERSONAL QUALITY are you most grateful for, and why?</strong></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">I
am grateful for the willingness to continue learning - for the desire to learn
from others and their experiences!</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><strong>What FAILURE are you most grateful for, and why?</strong></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">I am
most grateful to have DNF'ed at a major ultramarathon many years ago. It taught
me not to underestimate a challenge - not to think for one minute that I have
everything figured out! </span></span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="color: black;"></span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><strong>What LIFE EXPERIENCE are you most
grateful for, and why?</strong></span></span></span><br />
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">I am most grateful for two things. 1. meeting my wife.
2. Running 7500km across the Sahara and learning that we totally underestimate
what we as humans are capable of. We all have the capacity to do amazing things
in our lives... and never stop learning in the process.</span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"></span><br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1589014316315756051.post-76433584474303813822013-10-13T07:00:00.000-04:002013-10-13T07:00:02.925-04:00celebrating lives greatly full :: anonymous...<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Today, in honour of our <span style="font-size: large;">Canadian Thanksgiving</span> celebrations, I share with you a selection of the expressions of gratitude I have been receiving by postcard!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfdj3G5l0YBQpUlH9-DCeqhJk7GrJoxw2-WidTHWFpcXhiuoQ_3_bc0DVoiGdgb_-5jziLplqtzp9kZ9Yrq5KV6tWx9dUsE-5_6rYvqgoEuqB9DvvHErJ29wfTtflQVFvyK34_1Oytsbdx/s1600/Postcard-5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfdj3G5l0YBQpUlH9-DCeqhJk7GrJoxw2-WidTHWFpcXhiuoQ_3_bc0DVoiGdgb_-5jziLplqtzp9kZ9Yrq5KV6tWx9dUsE-5_6rYvqgoEuqB9DvvHErJ29wfTtflQVFvyK34_1Oytsbdx/s320/Postcard-5.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div align="right">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em>from St. Louis, MO</em></span></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I started the postcard project in June, as I headed out on my West Coast Adventure. Since then, blank, stamped postcards have been dropped off in cities all across the country, here in my own city, as well as in cities visited by friends. They have been left for people to find from British Columbia to Newfoundland, in several states throughout the USA, in Ireland, Germany and England. This was truly an exercise in <span style="font-size: large;">letting go</span>, since there is no way of knowing what happens to the postcard after it is "dropped". Needless to say, whenever a card actually makes its way back to me, I am <em>thrilled</em>!!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So here, as we mark our blessings on a national scale, I am happy to celebrate the greatly full lives of the anonymous individuals who took the time to share.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Today, I dare to be grateful for...</span><br />
<ul>
<li><em>...my wonderful brother Brad, who is the best person I know - and today is his birthday!! I'm very grateful for the beautiful person he is and for all the joy he brings to the world! (Winnipeg, MB)</em></li>
<li><em>...my health, my wonderful husband & my family, especially that my father is still alive. Also, the 2 very close friends that I have. (Edmonton, AB)</em></li>
<li><em>...early retirement, friends I love & can visit, health, feeling better every day after the BC Bike race. (Vancouver, BC)</em></li>
<li><em>...our health, our 39 years of marriage, the good team we are, the great kids we have, this fantastic travel we are able to make, God's wonderfull nature and all that is living in it. (from Holland - We found this card in Jasper outside at the info centre.)</em></li>
</ul>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3ECofe7w2hxp8P0ZChTQuh5OjdnYHPnDbIl_EdCKgXK2nktTt1SuQUP_WsECcPNGAZoEobT-73mu21MS7epGhWKg1UET6FE4dz1eEGABrIFBrxwtWaLDCLooq6y1mKoGkRWpc9rirpXj1/s1600/Postcard-1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3ECofe7w2hxp8P0ZChTQuh5OjdnYHPnDbIl_EdCKgXK2nktTt1SuQUP_WsECcPNGAZoEobT-73mu21MS7epGhWKg1UET6FE4dz1eEGABrIFBrxwtWaLDCLooq6y1mKoGkRWpc9rirpXj1/s400/Postcard-1.JPG" width="298" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div align="right">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em>from Vancouver, BC</em></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Today, I dare to be grateful for...</span><br />
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<li><em>...Last night, we had friends over for dinner and Conny asked me if I woke up each morning happy. When I said yes, she asked me why. I didn't know where to begin. So I started, "Because of life. Because of my husband. Because I'm here on Salt Spring..." and I let it trail off because I knew the list was endless and would consume the rest of the evening. I lead a very fortunate life and am grateful for everything in it. (Salt Spring Island, BC)</em></li>
<li><em>...having my 85 & 83 year old parents live with me. Such a blessing to have them in my life! (Winnipeg, MB)</em></li>
<li><em>...Life! I've been alive. I've been ill. I've been hurt. I've been dead. Many times over - I prefer Life! Joie de vivre! (Portland, OR)</em></li>
<li><em>...texts from my niece, the ability to buy a large cup of coffee before work, emails from friends, e-courses that are so lovely and affordable, a coolness in the morning air, Pandora and classical music, you and this project!! (Portland, OR)</em></li>
<li><em>...the wonderful gift of Gratitude! (Winnipeg, MB)</em></li>
<li><em>...a fiancé gracious enough to hold on to me after I postponed our wedding. He's been patient & understanding and willing to talk through issues and fears. I thank God for him every day. Philippians 1:3-4 NIV. You are my warrior, love. xox (Winnipeg, MB)</em></li>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS9K8yGThReqAC0EHgyAZ_tUfAXI6hIxef2JP0a_QJkp6251pG6pI7N_ovkCO4MZYjZUpYEMAyVVbPP3F9BjM1hVQwgDGbkgbp1-tbPYOdO_SRx-Rn0cm5mpMP-8sDlHfkyOgltLGnbnFE/s1600/Postcard-4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS9K8yGThReqAC0EHgyAZ_tUfAXI6hIxef2JP0a_QJkp6251pG6pI7N_ovkCO4MZYjZUpYEMAyVVbPP3F9BjM1hVQwgDGbkgbp1-tbPYOdO_SRx-Rn0cm5mpMP-8sDlHfkyOgltLGnbnFE/s400/Postcard-4.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
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<em>from Columbus, OH</em></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Today, I dare to be grateful for...</span><br />
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<li><em>...being healthy and able to take part of different challenges in life (Spartan races, Tough Mudder, Drop Zone challenge). </em></li>
<li><em>...another wonderful day in Vancouver before we have to finish our Canada trip and fly back to Germany... (from Germany)</em></li>
<li><em>...My friend Alli got her melanoma diagnosis 3 years ago today. Today, I am grateful she is healthy and happy, bravely keeping the black beast at bay. (Madison, WI)</em></li>
<li><em>...that you were so nice & left me a tip even though I was a moody <insert curse word>. I'm grateful for mates. (Dingle, Ireland)</em></li>
<li><em>...feeling cherished by my family and close friends. (Ireland)</em></li>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMV-ZEgNwcwx27_jMbGWC1uGuPj34T853bYsi7CZWmDyJZ9lc7Az9wESmGhYKxvQHpu2UflNc6ydwvsUzdCtSfnZ6C0N0T5T4svhr4-MI8hoghcQaIsvQVM-b4QLelFpHP9jOKuEkpjCDk/s1600/Postcard-2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMV-ZEgNwcwx27_jMbGWC1uGuPj34T853bYsi7CZWmDyJZ9lc7Az9wESmGhYKxvQHpu2UflNc6ydwvsUzdCtSfnZ6C0N0T5T4svhr4-MI8hoghcQaIsvQVM-b4QLelFpHP9jOKuEkpjCDk/s400/Postcard-2.JPG" width="298" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Today, I dare to be grateful for...</span><br />
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<li><em>...having three beautiful, healthy children and the sweetest little granddaughter ever. (Atlanta, GA)</em></li>
<li><em>...I am so grateful for God's unending Love for me. He's embraced me throughout my life and I feel his presence & protection surrounding me. Without Him, I would be nothing. Everyday is a learning lesson; I'm striving to be more like Him & less like me. Thank you for the opportunity! (USA)</em></li>
<li><em>...my life, dreams, healthy, family, friends, job, your tip, your love for someone else, god, my faith. Thank you! (Dublin, Ireland)</em></li>
<li>...my husband's company re-organized and we thought he would be out of a job - instead... he got a promotion!! (Madison, WI)<em></em></li>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTMYzQFYNUwIpTu-DsrQrIAKimdJCfyJjolAZk59BoNpbkuRqpBAd8fb6p3M3bPxDTZpaH2bBzHihZWY3r-WFB78FAgh7YySGV9RtNGbl2iTTebhp0MmPgxhL5yKgBQNkcd4r_9qIfkJlv/s1600/Postcard-3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTMYzQFYNUwIpTu-DsrQrIAKimdJCfyJjolAZk59BoNpbkuRqpBAd8fb6p3M3bPxDTZpaH2bBzHihZWY3r-WFB78FAgh7YySGV9RtNGbl2iTTebhp0MmPgxhL5yKgBQNkcd4r_9qIfkJlv/s400/Postcard-3.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
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<em>from Madison, WI</em></div>
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Keep 'em coming!!<br />
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gratefully yours,<br />
jag</span><br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1589014316315756051.post-75610468068812254522013-10-11T07:00:00.000-04:002013-10-11T07:00:00.208-04:00*the gratitude project* goes to school...<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVGoIu7amTxak-3XgXxuyKaBjqG4gdVE_nzGwjE6p__8vnT_8Ll9W0-kCIy7hkGlbLSH1tSB6dDgN2Y7htHwHYgjjqn6W8rIVd9TaTARxJHHcrSDqopdmCVjxPoLUjnVnq4F-I-3IoqrS1/s1600/Broadview+PS+-+3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVGoIu7amTxak-3XgXxuyKaBjqG4gdVE_nzGwjE6p__8vnT_8Ll9W0-kCIy7hkGlbLSH1tSB6dDgN2Y7htHwHYgjjqn6W8rIVd9TaTARxJHHcrSDqopdmCVjxPoLUjnVnq4F-I-3IoqrS1/s200/Broadview+PS+-+3.JPG" width="149" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A special shout-out to the Grade 8 kids at Broadview Public School here in Ottawa! I had the pleasure of spending some time with them on Thursday, talking about *the gratitude project: dare to be grateful*, answering questions and hearing about some of the things they are grateful for. Their teachers have incorporated a bit of *the gratitude project* into a special assignment for Thanksgiving (celebrated this weekend in Canada) and I can't wait to share some of the results with you here!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Students have been tasked with interviewing a friend or a family member over the weekend to find out what they are grateful for. They will then write short narratives about what they heard and I will be sharing a selection of them here over the next several weeks. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">It was very interesting being in a school after so many years! I can't remember the last time I was surrounded by the hustle and bustle of kids in school hallways. The energy - wow! I really enjoyed the questions the students asked... thoughtful and engaging. Many were about my own experience of blogging and storytelling, as well as plans for future projects.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">The students were also invited to help me in my postcard project. They were given blank, stamped postcards and were asked to leave them in public places for people to find OR to fill them out themselves and pop them in the mail. I have already received postcards from all over Canada, the USA and even Ireland! I will be sharing some of those here on the blog very shortly.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">And so, a HUGE thank you to Ms. Viner, Ms. Krochmalnek and all the students. You guys rock! (And don't forget - ANY ideas to help me get Jason Mraz to write on my blog... ANY?!! :-))</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em>Ms. Viner's Grade 8 Class Portrait - the hearts were their idea!</em></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">gratefully yours,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">jag</span><br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1