There are no answers to the book of life. Life is what we learn as we live it. And what we practice as we live it is what tests and shapes our responses… the souls within each of us.
What does that mean for us then, in times such as these? Just as we were celebrating some sense of relief we have now been required to be fully vaccinated in order to participate in group activity. This, for some, significantly limits involvement in community gatherings. Understanding that these mandates are serious, we need to try to accommodate everyone’s needs within the framework of total inclusivity and respect.
All of us look for fulfillment in our lives, and especially in times such as these, we sometimes become discouraged and lost. How you feel about your life, including your work and your play, affects not only you but those around you as well. Practising positive qualities that feed us helps us balance those negative feelings that come up unexpectedly. When there is opportunity to feel and share love, generosity, gratitude, compassion, and even playfulness, we may be able to overcome those troublesome feelings, such as sadness, jealousy, anger or simply being overwhelmed. Acknowledging our feelings, both positive and negative, is essential to our own authenticity and expression of our truths. Each of us seeks the answer from different practices. Sometimes going for a walk or quick run in the woods is fulfilling, or reading a great novel, or listening to music, or hanging out with friends in conversation, or sharing a meal with a relative, or swimming in the ocean. And yet, how many of us seek the source of our fulfillment from inside? We’ve been blessed in our humanness with our own expression of creativity. Music, painting, knitting and crocheting, cooking, healing work, writing, orating, praying, dancing – these are some examples of soulful expression of spirit within each of us.
May you always have enough happiness to keep you sweet,
Enough trials to keep you strong,
Enough success to keep you eager,
Enough faith to give you courage,
And enough determination to make each day a good day.
(Anonymous)
So how do YOU find that spirit within yourself? The GES has been around to help us in that pursuit. Typically, we discover and offer programmes to inspire that journey within each of us. We continue to do this even in times such as these. We might not be able to come together in person all of the time, and we still do try to connect in several other ways. We’re all doing the best we can.
Right now we are in the process of organizing and planning for our Giving Thanks Dinner on Monday October 18th (4:30 – 7:00 pm) at the Gabriola Golf Course. Restaurant restrictions apply so anyone with a vaccination passport is invited to attend. It’s a beautiful, soulful and nourishing way to come together in love, in spirit and community. Please visit gabriolaecumenicalsociety.com to register. Spaces are limited and you won’t want to miss this event, especially now!
Once on the website you will also see that we are creating a bi-monthly book club gathering. Our first event is on Monday November 22 at 4:00. The book will be The Wild In Us, One Woman’s Intuitive Journey of Healing Guided by the Horse by Thirza Voysey who resides on Soul Farm right here on Gabriola. Thirza will be attending our meeting. This too, is limited to 10 people so please register. The hybrid model of gathering will be applied. You can either join in person or tune in on Zoom. Register from the website.
There are many other ideas brewing, so check out website regularly. Our goal is to offer whatever avenues you need to find your inner spirit and help you grow.