Dreams come alive with community!

communities are support, companionship, human, felt.
when i meet people, to expand my community, i am excited to learn what makes them unique. van gogh style artist, hide tanner, one that speaks through quotes, amateur documentary makers, knitters.
The people of this month bring me new ideas, inspiration, a push to look inside and see what makes me unique. Then a push to bring the unique outside and let it be part of the community of inspiration!

and community need not be exclusive to people. inspiration is everywhere. A vine teaches many lessons- growing in it's own skin, rooted, reaching for the sun, light, truth, warmth, nutrients to make it grow.
it can't go up alone.
it can't complete it's journey on it's own.
it needs the support of it's community, a neighbor plant, a fence. Always remaining unique to itself, there is still recognition that it can't complete it's journey without the help of it's support system.

and at times when the journey seems tangled and impossible, when the warmth is out of sight,
it keeps trying, growing, searching, leaning, twisting, turning and

there,

back in the open, ready to push forward. to grow fruit. to produce a flower. to give back to the community after uniting all the elements within itself.

give and take.
healthy balance.

thoughts for this moment brought to you by the inspiration of my community :)

Well lived

Waterton Lakes National Park is nestled in the south west corner of Alberta. It's a stunning portion of land, where the prairies of Canada meet the Canadian Rockies. Driving along the open sky roads of the plains, suddenly a wall of the most fantastic peaks soars to the very sun that guided your path. i live and work here and feel endlessly privileged at my luck.

Today however, it's raining. So i'm not outside enjoying the views (though i do think it's lovely to get all suited up and head outside in 'bad' weather!) Instead I'm inside on this computer, looking at things that are happening around the world and feeling my inspiration bubble.

today i visited these 2 sites:
jamghatfamily.blogspotcom
http://reconsidercolumbusday.org/

and now feel the burn to get out of my little house and make something happen! Cuz there are so many folks pushing for justice that's needed. Social justice makes my heart pound harder. I don't feel involved in anything right now, but when I am involved in pushing for something i believe to be right, i feel my day is well lived.

Knitting, hiking in these beautiful mountains and laughing with friends also makes a day feel well lived :)

What do you do that makes your day feel well lived?

loves
Lauren

The Guest House

This is a current favorite by Rumi-

"This being human is a guest house.
Every moment a new arrival.
A joy, a depression, a meanness,
some momentary awareness comes
as an unexpected visitor.
Welcome and entertain them all!
Even if they're a crowd of sorrows
who violently sweep your house empty of its furniture.
Still, treat each guest honourably.
They may be clearing you out for some new delight.
The dark thought, the shame,
the malice...
meet them at the door laughing
and invite them in.
Be grateful for whoever comes
because each has been sent
as a guide from beyond."

Loving each heart,
Lauren

Water! Wowter!

Rolling with the river, around each stone and obstacle
The droplets gain momentum as more join in the journey
Through varied landscapes they pick up pieces
Of purity, pesticide, passion, and power
Moving through stories, carrying the past to the future
Feeding all the roots; growing evolution

A little poem I thought up with water on the brain :)
Flow On!

Clean Bin Project

I just watched a documentary made by a Vancouver based couple, called the Clean Bin Project. They challenged each other not to buy any stuff for one year and not to produce any waste for the year. They replaced their 1 garbage can with 15 recycling bins for different items, expanded their compost, grew a huge garden and had fun discovering new recipes for deodorant, toothpaste, shampoo, crackers, cleaning supplies and all kinds of things we normally 'just buy'.

Producing no garbage meant choosing food items that were not wrapped in garbage/ non-recyclables. It meant buying cheese from the deli, cut off the block and put in the container they brought to the store.
It meant not buying chips and it meant giving up a few items they liked.

BUT

it meant gaining a sense of responsibility and connection to the worth of the items that sustain our lives. It meant discovering news ways to exist and it meant honing new skills to subsist.

After 365 days she had about 4.15lbs of garbage and he had 3.8lbs. not bad.

I've challenged some co workers to the challenge, starting July 1st, Canada Day.

Living a life of over-consumption and garbage production is Outdated. It's time to evolve to the next way of living. Creatively and responsibly.

Have fun!