Awesome Stories 314

/ April 8, 2017

This week Awesome Stories brings you purposeful music, natural beauty, good neighbors, and the Dinosaur Princess.

Music for a Cause

This is a fun and inspiring story about a young man who found his calling by following his passions. Luc’s passions were unleashed at age six when he had a taste for big dreams, collaboration, and community building with a school art project. Later, he found a passion for theater and film-making. When Hurricane Katrina hit Louisiana, he felt he had to do something and took a leave of absence to volunteer. Once there, he realized that music was missing, so he started playing music at the shelters. This led to Luc creating a band called Luc and the Lovingtons to combine music and service. They are currently working on their third album and a world tour, promoting peace, joy, and love with music to awaken hearts.

The Dinosaur PrincessAaliya Sultana Babi, Awesome Stories

Aaliya Sultana Babi is called the “Dinosaur Princess” by the locals of Balasinor, India. She grew up as a real life princess in her family’s palace. In her teens, Aaliya was fascinated by the dinosaur eggs and fossils discovered at a local site. Over time, the site became Balasinor Fossil Park, one of the largest and most important dinosaur sites in India, largely due to the passion and preservation efforts of Aaliya and her family. Currently, she alternates her time between touring and protecting the park and running the family’s Heritage Hotel for visitors to the park.

Natural BeautyDink tribe, Awesome Stories

Photographers Carol Beckwith and Angela Fisher have spent 30 years studying, photographing, and preserving the ancient cultures and tribes of Africa. This Bored Panda article, highlights the beauty and grace of the Dinka tribe in Sudan. The Dinka tribe are nomads who live simply on the savannahs of Africa, tending ox and grains depending on the season. The National Geographic video below highlights the history and beauty of body painting in Africa; considered one of the oldest art forms in Africa. What fascinates me are the variation of colors, designs, and reasons (usually a celebration of life) for painting their bodies.

Love Rocks

I love this story about neighborly love. Pastor Steve Stone faced his fear of the unknown Muslim community moving across the street from his church. Pastor Steve and Heartsong Church opened their hearts and church to their new Muslim neighbors. Gradually, the two communities grew in their capacity to love and practice compassion as they’ve shared meals, blood drives, and many community events. In their words, their world got bigger and we became better people. Kudos. This is what being a good neighbor looks like to me!

May your week be full of compassion, hidden jewels, and joyful music. blessings, Brad

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36 thoughts on “Awesome Stories 314”

  2. Brad yet another wonderful post of awesomeness.. 🙂
    Loved Luc and his music.. and those Dinosaur eggs.. 🙂 wonderful… I will be back to read the other two links Brad… Closing down for the evening now.. As I relax with Hubby..
    Have a lovely rest of your weekend.. 🙂

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  6. I love this – on so many levels. My after school program is at a church site. It’s a methodist church who put out signs in English, Spanish, and Arabic saying that all – and they mean ALL – are welcome. It’s pretty cool. So seeing the third item above just warms my heart. Of course, the other two are awesome, too. These stories remind me that there is still a lot of good in the world and good things happening. 🙂

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  9. Wow… I came back Brad first thing to catch more of this post.. And your last video about Heartsong Church had me in tears..
    Especially when that gentleman said he realised he was the problem, and broke into tears.. So many of us do not realise its our preconceived ideas, through ignorance and division that have created these situations we now divide us even further apart through fear of not understanding.
    So to see this community embrace their fellow Muslims and work together, sharing their centre until theirs were built.. Shows me that what is now happening in the world is indeed reaching out to others.. Showing a way forward..
    That it is WE, not politicians who have to pave the way of Unity and Trust… When we reach out with our hearts and LOVE.. We then bring peace and unity to the world..
    A wonderful find Brad..

    Thank you.. i had a lovely day too yesterday filled with Peace.. ❤

    Love and Blessings.. As I wish you a wonderful week ahead
    Sue 😉 ❤

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  12. “Welcome to my house” by Luc and the Lovingtons made me smile. I worked at a Mission/shelter before and music would have made a wonderful addition. I hadn’t heard of Aaliya Sultana Babi before — I think its really cool how dinosaur egg palentology found her, and her passion was born. The images of the Dinka tribe are gorgeous, having completed one of my undergraduate degrees in Anthropology exposed me to a lot of cultural, linguistic, and physical anthropological ideas and peoples. I had not heard of the Dinka, specifically. Seeing these pictures brought back memories. As for the video at the end. It was said, “it is a difficult time for Muslims in America.” I reflect on conversations I had recently with a Muslim friend of mine a couple of weeks ago, in person. May we find safety, understanding, and compassion in one another. Thank you for sharing these awesome stories about community, preservation, and sharing house and reverence through music while overcoming our misperceptions being one in community. Aloha, Ka

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