Awesome Stories 335

/ September 2, 2017

This week Awesome Stories brings you forest regeneration, Medicine Baba, growing gratitude, and dancing.

Forest Regenerationforest regeneration, Awesome Stories

This story warms my heart and gives me hope for the future. Twenty years ago, a couple donated a forested piece of land in exchange for orange peels and pulp for some deforested land. It turned out to be one of the best things they’ve ever done and a huge boon for climate change. This simple solution might be a game changer for climate change. After the initial shock of how well the forest had regrown, studies showed that not only did the forest grow faster and healthier, but it absorbed CO2 11 times faster than old-growth forests. This simple change of redirecting food waste to deforested land could dramatically reduce both landfill waste and CO2 growth in one simple solution.

Medicine Baba

This is a great story of how one person can make a difference. Touched by a local tragedy in which the victims couldn’t pay for medicine,  Omkar Nath Sharma decided to start begging for medicine to give them. He has devoted himself to collecting unused medicine to give to the needy for 8 years and has been widely acknowledged for his efforts. This story highlights several issues to me. The tragedy of our systems where people can’t afford health care and medicine, the power of individuals who care, and the need for reform. And a weird irony that many stories like this circulating around the web are now sponsored by companies. Until we transform our economy to where the motivation, goals, and energy of corporations are incentivized to do good, we don’t have much chance of real transformation.

Growing Gratitude 

Many of us practice gratitude in our lives with the understanding that it helps us grow and be more open to the good in life. This Greater Good article offers research on how gratitude motivates us to be better people. We typically express gratitude through more connection, elation, humility, and sense of debt. The key takeaways from the research are that gratitude helps us become happier and motivates us to become better people, contributing more to society. Here are a couple of articles I wrote on gratitude: Gratitude and Acceptance, and Ode to Gratitude.

Dancing

The latest research shows that exercise is one of the best ways to slow down or even reverse aging. Dancing has the added benefit of improving balance, connection, emotional well-being. I also remember other Awesome Stories about a woman who took up pole dancing, passion, and music. Similarly, many Alzheimer’s patients react strongly to music. Dancing was my favorite activity for many years, yet I seem to have stopped feeding this passion. Maybe it’s time to revisit the dance floor with a little shuffle and glide. How about you? Are you dancing and playing with music?

May your week be full of health, happiness, and simple solutions. Peace and Love, Brad

Related posts

27 thoughts on “Awesome Stories 335”

  4. Such wonderful inspiration, and laid out so simply. Thank you.
    Your article inspired me to look into expanding my own fitness. So far, my search hasn’t turned up any pole dancing classes nearby that accept anyone over 50 that is male.
    Maybe I’ll need to start a new trend?
    Vincent

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  5. Great, inspiring stories as always. The one that really captured my interest was the first story with the orange peels. That’s INCREDIBLE! And it’s so interesting, too, because the applications of Vitamin C are just incredible! I know of people who worked in orange juice factories (don’t know what exactly, but they were around oranges and pulp all the time) and their skin looked decades younger than they were – all due to the orange peels. Good stuff! Thanks for sharing these. 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  6. Reblogged this on Anything is Possible! and commented:
    Mother Earth can heal, but we have to give her a chance with time, and medicine (as in compost), and we will dance with gratitude among the trees. Those are some clues about these awesome stories from Brad at “Writing to Freedom.”

    Like

    Reply

  8. It’s lovely to read your blog again….This post is filled with gratitude at many levels….stories that all point out that when we get involved, be thankful for what we have….and yes move our bodies with dance…I am all for that…..life gets better and hope is brought to our world. I have just returned from beautiful Wales…where I felt completely removed – wonderful. Hoping you are enjoying a lovely bank holiday weekend. Janet 🙂 x

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  9. So many awesome stories Brad.. Loved the one on the orange peels to compost for the forest.. Wow.. my own compost bin gets its fare share of orange peel.. So happy to know they do so much good.. 🙂
    And yes in this day and age it is so sad that people have to beg for others to have medicines.. it seems the world is still split in the have and have nots..
    Dance and exercise.. well I may not dance.. but does bending up and down gardening count?? lol..
    Hope you had a good weekend.. Sending thoughts your way my friend ❤
    Sue

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

Your turn!