For the holidays, I offer you Awesome Stories filled with singing, dancing, celebration, eco heroes and loving service.

Celebrating Christmas

Secret passion alert: I enjoy singing and occasionally sing with small groups for fun. I especially love Christmas songs, both traditional and contemporary. Some of my favorite holiday memories have come from singing Christmas carols. This soulful rendition of Little Drummer Boy gave me chills. How about you?

Awakening Awe

This video explores the idea that awe may be a biological advantage, allowing us to reflect and appreciate the grandeur of our lives and the cosmos. And in turn be more driven to survive and protect our precious world. I remember the feeling of awe as I looked across the seemingly endless horizon after reaching the top of my first Rocky Mountain peak. Or when I first gazed up into the night sky in Colorado with billions of twinkling stars dancing across the darkness. I felt both wonder and awe, almost overwhelmed by the beauty and vastness. What awakens your awe?

Ontario Ditches Coal

The Canadian province of Ontario has banned the use of coal. This is the strongest action taken by any North American country, state or province. Ontario is closing coal plants, prohibiting new ones being built, and rapidly transitioning to cleaner renewable energy sources. Way to go Ontario!

“Mother” Christie

Katrell Christie of Atlanta has ‘adopted’ numerous young women in India. It started with a trip where she met three young orphan girls who told her they would be kicked out of the orphanage soon, since they only support them until age 16. She was touched and made hasty promises, not knowing how she would help these girls. Now, her shop, Dr. Bombay’s Underwater Tea Party, sells Learning Teas to fund her mission for educating young orphan women.

Sea Change at Statoil

Norweigan oil company, Statoil, is changing it’s ways. They just received the go ahead to build five deep sea platforms for Europe’s largest offshore wind farm along the coast of Scotland. They are utilizing techniques that allow wind harvesting in deeper water using floating platforms and cables.  This project helps keep costs down and increase renewables while keeping fossil fuels in the ground. Maybe we can turn the CO2 emission levels around yet.

Inocente

Wow! Watch this touching video trailer about a young woman finding her way as an artistic, daughter and homeless person. You can learn more about Inocente’s story and what you can do. I can’t wait to see the full documentary. We have more empty homes in the US than homeless people. Many have proposed turning the empty homes into shelters for the homeless, but it’s complicated. Homelessness is a growing problem that needs addressing.

Celebrating Life!

These folks know how to celebrate a wedding. The groom and family surprised the bride with this rousing rendition of “To Life”. What a joyful way to start their married life! Wouldn’t it be great to celebrate life this joyfully as part of our daily lives?

Go With the Flow

Here is a great process for transforming your life offered by Thich Nhat Hanh. He describes 7 simple steps for making peace with our emotional and mental challenges. I”ve been experiementing with loving self talk while looking at myself in the mirror. It’s pretty powerful. The key is acceptance and loving self talk. Learn more in this post by elephant journal.

Sending you wishes for a holiday season filled with peace, celebration and awe!