Tag Archives: compassion

Nov23

welcome.

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Last night I had the honor of sharing a meal with neighbors in my community. Some were volunteers, some came just to be friendly, and others were refugees from all over the world, now part of our community. The annual Thanksgiving Potluck get together was organized by Washtenaw Refugee Welcome, (whose mission is to identify and mobilize resources to support refugees and resettlement agencies in Washtenaw County), and EVERYONE in the community was  invited.

 Having gratitude for our neighbors was a great reason to come together and a shared meal was a natural way to get to know each other. Many of our refugee families brought food from their cultures and some local residents brought traditional North American foods to share. There was music, and art and things to play with, and toys for the children to take home.

The refugee crisis is a humanitarian issue that continues to touch every corner of our globe. Today, there are millions of refugees worldwide, each with their own unique story of resilience, hope, and survival against overwhelming odds.

They have been forced to flee their homes due to war, persecution or natural disasters, often embarking on dangerous journeys in search of safety and a better life. They represent some of the most vulnerable populations in the world, yet their courage and strength in the face of adversity are remarkable.

Over dinner, they shared their experience, their hardships, resilience, and hope for a safer future. Their words were a reminder of our shared responsibility to protect and support refugees and the importance of compassion, empathy, and understanding in addressing the refugee crisis. There is a shared humanity that connects us all.

“refugees are mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, children,

with the same hopes and ambitions as us-

 except that a twist of fate has bound their lives

to a global refugee crisis on an unprecedented scale.”

-khaled hosseini

Nov15

man sitting by the stove.

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“i will always be on the side of those who have nothing

and who are not even allowed to enjoy the nothing they have in peace.”

-federico garcía lorca

—

“Man Sitting by the Stove The Pauper” by Vincent van Gogh, created in 1882 in The Hague, Netherlands.  Chalk and pencil on paper. Currently held in a private collection.

Jul9

fresh for everyone.

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Pete the Cat is in his bag and he feels safe in there.

—

this post is  dedicated to all of the farm workers out there

may they and their families be safe from harm

during this very challenging time

we see you and appreciate you 

 thank you for the hard work you do every day to bring food to all of us.

—

‘the people who give you their food give you their heart.’

-cesar chavez

*Cesario Estrada Chavez 1927-1993) was an American labor leader and civil rights activist. Along with Dolores Huerta and Gilbert Padilla, he co-founded the National Farm Workers Association (NFWA), which later merged with the Agricultural Workers Organizing Committee  (AWOC) to become the  United Farm Workers (UFW) labor union.

Apr7

message.

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this shirt, worn by a man in front of me in our recent march,

had a very simple message that really moved me

—

‘to become a deeper man is the privilege of those who have suffered.’

-oscar wilde

Sep13

never be afraid.

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‘never be afraid to raise your voice for honesty and truth and compassion

against injustice and lying and greed.

if people all over the world…would do this, it would change the earth.’

-william faulkner

 

 

 

 

 

 

image credits: parents magazine, youtube

 

 

Aug3

(Luck I.)

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this very moving page popped up on my screen recently

proof once again

that one person’s simple act

can have a huge impact on another

often without  them ever knowing.

profound and quiet kindness

yes.

 

—

source credit: Luck (I), by Joy Sullivan

Joy lives in Portland, Oregon and is a poet and educator. She has a masters degree in poetry and served as the poet-in-residence for the Wexner Center for the Arts. She also leads live transformative writing workshops for individuals who have experienced trauma and has guest-lectured in classrooms from Stanford to Florida State University.

Joy’s work is a part of The San Marcos Writing Project and is one of over 200 writing project sites in the country devoted to developing teacher leaders that improve the writing and learning of all students.

csusm.edu/education/outreach/smwp.html

Jun20

unimaginable.

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above created by a 7 year old boy, met by doctors without borders 

– on world refugee day

“Humanitarianism is about more than medical efficiency or technical competence. In our choice to be with those who suffer, compassion leads not simply to pity but to solidarity. Solidarity implies to demand a minimum respect for human life and to recognize the dignity and autonomy of others, and asserting the right of others to make choices about their own destiny. Humanitarianism is about the struggle to create the space to be fully human.”

-doctors without borders

—

“in a way, the same is true of the immigrants.

they have contributed in their way to the flowering of the community,

and their individual striving and suffering have remained unknown.

unemployment is not decreased by restricting immigration.

for unemployment depends on faulty distribution of work among those capable of work. 

immigration increases consumption as much as it does demand on labor.

immigration strengthens not only the internal economy of a sparsely populated country,

but also its defensive power.”

-albert einstein, in a speech at the World’s Fair, New York, USA 1939

 

Jun2

babies holding babies.

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quotthe kinder hold the baby chicks with gentle hands

—

‘teach children

by word, and by example,

to be kind to animals

not just for the animals sake,

but for the sake of all who are weaker than they are.’

-adapted by val silver

 

Mar28

mistaken.

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A worried animal lover was left red-faced when the baby hedgehog she carefully nursed overnight and rushed to an animal hospital turned out to be a fluffy HAT BOBBLE.
The pom-pom next to its bowl of food 

A wildlife hospital just solved a hilarious case of mistaken identity.

On Thursday, a woman brought in a baby hedgehog to the Lower Moss Nature Reserve and Wildlife Hospital in Cheshire, England — only to be told it wasn’t an animal in need,  but a beanie hat pop-pom.

The caring woman had picked up the ‘hedgehog’ from the side of the road after she noticed it “hadn’t moved or pooped all night,” reported U.K. newspaper The Independent.

“From a distance, you take it at face value. She didn’t handle it at all — she scooped it in a box with some cat food and left it alone in a warm, dark place,” veterinarian Janet Kotze, told the paper.

“She did everything so well. She barely peeked at it because she didn’t want to stress it out.”

Kotze described the woman who made the rescue as having “well-meaning” intentions. She said she knew immediately when presented with the box containing the ‘hedgehog’ what it actually was.

“It was pretty obvious to us but I can also see how she was mistaken,” she recalled. “She said, ‘You’re joking! Oh my goodness, how did I do that?’ ”

“She was so concentrated on doing the right thing. She was concerned it hadn’t moved or even pooed — that would be spooky if it had,” Kotze added.

Hedgehog
A real-life hedgehog

The wildlife hospital wrote of the rescue attempt on  Facebook, “Our hearts melted as a kind soul thought she was rescuing a baby hedgehog,” as they jokingly nicknamed the pop-pom ‘hoglet.’

Despite the mistake, the reserve shared that the “adorable” new visitor “still got all the love, complete with some cozy TLC.”

“Remember, kindness knows no bounds, even when it’s to a faux furry friend! 🐾,” the wildlife hospital added while highlighting the importance of rescuing hedgehogs in vulnerable situations.

“Please remember, if you spot a hedgehog out during the day, it’s a sign something’s not right. Pop them in a box with a warm source and seek help from your local vets. Let’s keep our prickly friends safe!”

—

“he was so benevolent, so merciful a man that, in his mistaken passion, he

would have held an umbrella over a duck in a shower of rain.”

-douglas william jerrold

—

p.s. confession:  this could have easily been me. especially if i didn’t have my glasses on. 

—
source credits: escher walcott, people, the independent, kennedy news media photo,
brandi ettis, getty images, lower moss nature reserve
Mar1

kids watching kids.

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where are those kids going and what are they up to?

—

today we went back to the farm

to see how it has changed since our fall visit

there were no leaves

there were no pumpkins

there were lots of new babies

there was not a lot of green

but the animals were as sweet as ever

and that never changes.

—

‘to teach children that animals have certain rights

creates in their minds a respect and regard for life.’

*-caroline earle white

*Caroline Earle White founded the first animal shelter in the United States in 1869. Born on September 28, 1833 in Philadelphia, Penn., White became an influential figure not only in animal welfare, but also fought for women’s suffrage and equality. White and a group of 30 women activists created the Women’s Pennsylvania Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (WPSPCA), America’s first official animal shelter. Later known as the Women’s Humane Society, the organization pioneered programs that helped save homeless animals and employed animal cruelty officers to prevent and punish animal abuse. The organization still operates today as the Women’s Animal Center.