Dove & Self-Esteem

i got hugged

I was walking down Commercial Ave. the other day and I came across this young man who was holding a sign that said "Free Hugs". I couldn't help laughing and smiling at him. He offered a hug and I gladly accepted - totally brightened my gloomy winter afternoon!

Today I stumbled across the origin of this "movement" (who knew?!) and the story behind it brought me to tears. (It's also fun to watch the video).















What did I take away from this? Maybe we should all be a little kinder to each other.

"And it is still true, no matter how old you are, when you go out in the world, it is best to hold hands and stick together." -Robert Fulghum in All I Really Needed to Know I Learned in Kindergarten

healing rwanda

this documentary will be available until the latest National is loaded Wednesday, September 20th at 11:30pm ET. Click "Watch the National Online" and skip forward to 28:26.

What of the survivors of the 1994 genocide of Rwandan Tutsis?














Nicole Pageau moved to Kimironko, Rwanda to help the women and children left behind: "The Tutsis are proud people. Those women are proud women. But their pride was...all gone because of what they had suffered. And I wanted them to be proud again. To be again, what they are."

Known as "Maman Nicole" by the widows of the village, Pageau and Ubuntu Edmonton have established a food bank, a sewing/knitting/embroidery cooperative, a community centre, and more, for the community of women and children. Pageau has "sparked faith and opened hearts once closed by fear and pain."

I am inspired by the work of this selfless and compassionate woman.