“Your hearts know in silence the secrets of the days and the nights. But your ears thirst for the sound of your heart’s knowledge. You would know in words that which you have always known in thought. You would touch with your fingers the naked body of your dreams.

And the treasure of your infinite depths would be revealed to your eyes. But let there be no scales to weigh your unknown treasure; And seek not the depths of your knowledge with staff or sounding line. For self is a sea boundless and measureless.” (Kahlil Gibran’s, On knowing yourself)

Still my favourite brunch place in Montreal: Café Névé

Friends… they cherish one another’s hopes. They are kind to one another’s dreams. (Henry David Thoreau)

Two years ago I took the same picture of the same alley in Montreal in the summer. This city is such a glorious, wonderful place in the summer, but can be treacherously cold, icy, and uncomfortable in the winter. Last summer I only caught a few days of Montreal summer in between travels for work and research, but they were amazing days. Walking through Square St. Louis in all its summer beauty with my friend Erin, I asked her, “Why can’t it be like this all year around?” Erin replied, “Cause then nobody would get anything done here!” We concluded that if Montreal was perfectly warm, beautiful, and comfortable all year around, it would be overcrowded, over-polluted, unaffordable, and lose all its uncharted charms.”

Just as for magnets, you need both positive and negative charges to attract or create contact. When we encounter negative patches or feelings in our daily lives, we are programmed to think that we made a mistake, that we did something wrong, and we usually beat ourselves up in the process of trying to pull ourselves out of the “hole.” We are not really equipped to approach negativity with a healthy and productive attitude, patience, mindfulness, and curiosity to learn. We dismiss it our failure, misfortune, or someone else’s fault.

But there are people who remind us to look for the positive in the negative. To search for the value of the negative. Because it is our most influential teacher. My yoga instructor this afternoon reminded me of that. Thank you!

The life and love we create is the life and love we live. (Leo Buscaglia)

L’Affichiste

“Your friend is your needs answered.

He is your field which you sow with love and reap with thanksgiving.

And he is your board and your fireside.

For you come to him with your hunger, and you seek him for peace. [...]

For without words, in friendship, all thoughts, all desires, all expectations are born and shared, and joy that is unacclaimed.

When you part form you friend, you grieve not;

for that which you love most in him may be clearer in his absence…”

(Kahlil Gibran, On Friendship)

“Sigh no more, no more. Live unbruised, we are friends.” (Mumford and Sons)

Nina came into my life at a time when I lost a dear friend, and she took my hand and offered kindness and understanding and support, and has not let go ever since. She gave me strength by constantly reminding me of my own strength, and inspiring me with hers. She saw the person in me I have yet to prove that I am, and she believed in me when I was crumbling under doubts and disappointments.

She carries all the world’s wisdom and experience on her shoulders, and she does it with such grace, beauty, and good humour.

She is a comforting presence, a kind and generous heart, and she proved to me, irrefutably, that love is possible.

Last night my roommate Kam came home raving about a female singer who performed “Somebody I used to know” by Gotye at open mic at Ye Olde Orchard. I knew friends of mine were playing open mic, but they usually play at the Arts Café, so I didn’t think much of it. This morning I checked up on Liz and how her open mic experience went, and she told me that it was in fact her singing at the Orchard. I would have liked so much to see and hear Liz sing last night, especially that song, the multiple ironies of which are just too much. Keep singing dear Liz, your voice carries far and beyond all barriers!

They say patience is a virtue. What do they really mean by that? I looked it up:

“Patience is being calm and tolerant when difficult things happen. It means showing acceptance when you or others make mistakes. Patience is doing something now so that later it will bear fruit, like planting a seed and waiting for it to grow. Patience is a commitment to the future. Without patience people want everything NOW. They complain when unpleasant things cannot be helped. They act mad when things don’t go their way. When people practice patience, they can wait without complaining. They forgive others and themselves for mistakes. They make the world a kinder, gentler place. Practicing patience is accepting things you cannot control. Patience is waiting without complaining.” (Linda Kavelin Popov, The Virtues Project)

“We tend to think that in order to be happy, we need certain outside conditions; we must have this or that before happiness can arrive. But happiness comes from our way of looking at things. We’re not happy, but other people under the same conditions are happy. Our happiness depends on our insight.” (Thich Nhat Hanh)

Our first soccer game tonight had a great turn-out – 16 people came to play – guys and girls – and we had a great time!

We’re playing every Saturday for the next 10 weeks. If you’re in Montreal, come play with us!