35 people. A winter’s evening. A pub. A Guinness. Sharing. All that was missing for me was a real fire in a real fireplace.
But there was a deep fire in the heart.
Last Wednesday evening (Jan 27th) we gathered at the Fat Duck pub to share a conversation that mattered. Mike Nagy, passionate environmentalist was looking for “hope when the heat is on”. He shared a very personal journey of sacrifice and loss in the cause of healing creation and of healing community. Of sadness and frustration that we in Canada really haven’t yet begun to embrace even the most basic changes — of mind, heart, lifestyle, economy – that will be necessary to love the earth and save the environment.
He spoke of hope. Hope was a word that did not sit well with Mike unless it was linked with action or transformation. Hope that was just wishful thinking without doing anything was no hope at all.
What lifted hope in me as he spoke was when he showed some beautiful pictures of the land and places he loved. He spoke of his love and the gift of these places. And the pictures and how he spoke of the gift stirred my heart to the beauty and bounty and blessing of creation.
And that stirred love in me. And the real hope and determination in me to love the earth.
Mike also spoke of people and community. Acts of kindness, listening, encouragement and goodness. That too stirred hope and determination in me. To be a friend. To build community. To join with others in the work of healing creation. And that I’m not alone in my loves and my fears and my work.
Hope was rekindled and I went out into the cold and dark of a January night with an inner warmth.
(Just a reminder . . . if you wish to come along and join in a conversation that matters with Jim Profit of the Ignatius Jesuit Center here in Guelph, on Wed. February 10th at 7:30pm at the Fat Duck, you would be most welcome. Please see the previous post for more details.)
Risingspirit's Blog 