This week Awesome Stories brings you forgiveness, art, simplicity, freedom and dancing!
Powerful Forgiveness
This project of reconciliation in Rwanda is amazing. The story and pictures brought tears to my eyes. I’m delighted to know that these people who have suffered so much are being helped to reconcile their pain and past through this wonderful project. A non-profit called AMI is part of a larger project exploring forgiveness for the people of Rwanda. Read more about Portraits of Reconciliation. Prepare to have your mind and heart opened!
Image source: Pieter Hugo, NY Times
Inspiring Dancing
This woman reminds me that following your passions can happen at any age. Watch her stun the judges on Britain’s Got Talent. Great back story in the video of how she gave up her dancing to raise her family and then picked in back up very late in life.
Seawater Sewer!
This is a very cool idea to build a hydroelectric sewer that floats the ocean, cleaning up plastic waste while generating electricity. South Korean designer Sung Jin Cho submitted the Seawer Skyscraper in a recent skyscraper contest. I love how it powers itself with wind, sun and seawater, all while cleaning up the immense collections of plastic debris accumulating in the ocean. I hope this gets built soon!
The Gift of Art
I love how Pamela has turned her art and life into an outlet for service. Since leaving her corporate job to follow her heart, she has developed a passion for not only painting, but using art as a way to help people transform with “The Beautiful Project”. They bring both beauty and bread to people and causes that touch her heart. I love how she uses art to help people freely express and remind us that we are all artists, however that may look in our lives. I took a painting class once with a teacher who had the same gift for helping us express ourselves, free of judgement, simply providing a nurturing atmosphere for us to allow expression. Thank you Dvora and Pamela.
Conscious Simplicity
I believe that we must consciously choose simplicity and different ways of living in order to help balance the natural ecosystem and her natural capacity to regenerate. Most experts believe we are consuming resources and polluting beyond the earth’s ability to regenerate. This is part of the climate change phenomena, and probably the most important crisis/ opportunity of our lives. Will we consciously choose to live as a part of the larger ecosystem called earth or continue to treat the planet as a giant buffet to buy, gorge and exploit? I watched a series of TED talks that was depressing in the extent of the damage to the environment and dramatic changes needed. This is why choose to live simply with less consumption and materialism. What do you think? Can we shift in time to restore the earth’s ecosystems?
Beautiful Music
Some music touches my soul. I also enjoy singing and hearing great voices. Listen to this wonderful acapella rendition of “The Prayer” by Peter and Evynne Hollens.
Blindsight
I love how Sabriye Tenberken and Paul Kronenberg are helping re-frame people’s perception of being blind. They have led hiking expeditions for the blind, created a documentary called Blindsight and now schools for the blind. Part of the mission of their school, Braille Without Borders, is to help people consider blindness in a new way, as simply a difference, but not a limit or handicap. Their current project called Kanthari International, trains disadvantaged children to become social entrepreneurs. They look for kids who have a strong inner drive, the courage to challenge the status quo, and creativity to innovate. Here’s a nice article and video about them if you want to learn more.
writing to freedom 
Portraits of Reconciliation moved me to tears.
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Me too and I’m delighted given their country’s deep wounds.
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I just listened to The Prayer by the Hollens and I loved it.
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I sing a little, but their voices are amazing. 🙂
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Hi Brad,
Thanks for this week’s awesome story of forgiveness…it impels me to rethink, to be more large hearted…at the same time leaves a feeling of revulsion as all the survivors mentioned in these stories are women.
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You’re welcome Balroop. The stories often move me to live, love and be more. This one rocked me. An amazing project and I understand your feelings. Many men & boys were killed too as in the first story. I’m awed at the compassion and healing on all sides. Thanks for caring.
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RE your question: What do you think? Can we shift in time to restore the earth’s ecosystems? Sometimes the answer is not as hard as we think… This video, “How Wolves Change Rivers” about the reintroduction of the Gray wolf back into Yellowstone park gives me hope that it is not too late…
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Thanks Carol, I love that video, protecting habitat and re-introducing species like wolves. Overall, we may have too many people using too many resources to go back to wild like in a National Park. But no doubt we need to do better at living with nature in sustainable ways, and we may need technology, and certainly need more renewable energy with less or no fossil fuel use. A huge challenge and opportunity. Time will tell. Did we live up to our potential as conscious co-creators with life and planet or did we pollute ourselves off the planet? 🙂
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The Portraits of Reconciliation was indeed amazing, Brad. It is amazing that in some cases two foes, people involved in such violent incidents, have found they can depend upon one another when in need. I was reminded as I read these stories of the notion written in A Course in Miracles that there is truly no order of difficulty in miracles. People have held life long grudges for FAR, FAR “less” than what is described here.
It also strikes me that in every picture the perpetrator was a man, the victim a woman. Did I get that right? It is an interesting commentary. I think somehow women carry that intuitive knowledge of the value of peace, of burying the hatchet. Still, to have lost families, and to be able to offer forgiveness, is incredible.
Thanks for this…
Michael
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You’re welcome Michael and thanks for reflecting. This whole story is a great miracle, especially after the millions who were killed and huge wounding. Most of the stories were men having harmed the woman’s family, except the first one. My understanding is millions of men, women and children were killed.
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Hi Brad! This project of reconciliation in Rwanda touched me so much as well. Those photos and stories are amazing, deep examples of forgiveness. Thank you for sharing it.
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My pleasure Iana, Thanks for caring. It’s a great story and reminder of the power of forgiveness to heal. 🙂
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Hi Brad,
The piece on reconciliation was incredibly moving.
And the BGT dancing grandma is a force to be reckoned! Woo Hoo!!!
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Thanks Denise, I’m glad you enjoyed grandma. She has spunk! Yes, the depth of forgiveness of those individuals is amazing and heartfelt. Thanks for caring, 🙂
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