Just watched MUDBOUND for the second (or third) time, and totally immersed in the tragic racial divide of the American deep south, the divide that has tentacles that reach the far corners of continent. I can’t imagine the gut wrenching racial and economic oppression that so many people in North America have lived with/through. This movie captures the pain of war, the brutality of racial divides, and the humanity, anguish, and dignity of living with impoverishment.
It makes me wonder what we could each be doing more to eliminate poverty and racial injustice, and move towards reconcilation.

“Every day is a new opportunity to begin again. Every day is your birthday” (from The Book of Joy by The Dalai Lama and Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Viking Press, 2016).
Both of these men lived through difficult times, and both are spiritual leaders with something to say about how to be happy in a changing and often difficult world. I sensed the love and compassion when I visited Tutu’s church in Cape Town, South Africa, and had the same feeling when I had the privilege of visiting the Dalai Lama’s home base in Dharamshala, India. I once stood in the cell that Nelson Mandela resided in for 27 years, at Robben Island Prison, South Africa- during Apartheid, and I visited Mahatma Gandhi’s home of many years in Mumbai, as well as the prison he was detained in for many years in South Africa- for his leadership in non-violent resistance that we’ve all learned so much from. Mandela and Gandhi remind us that principles are worth dying for, and they can guide us to rise above the challenges of everyday life.Continue Reading

What a pleasure to attend Devon and Pearlene’s second book launch today; the story of the little girl (Pearlene) from Osoyoos. Their message, “we’re all more alike than we are different” is so important for today’s youth, and everyone.

Hey, I just decided I’d like a higher wage for all the sacrifices I and all my brothers and sisters in arms have made for this community over the past 30 years of my service, perhaps starting with the benefits we gave up in the recent past, DURING COLLECTIVE BARGAINING, in exchange for a good pension that we knew we were working for. I know that is what I was thinking about, that my family would be taken care of, when I was wiping that blood off my face (that a suspect spit in my mouth and eyes), during those high-speed pursuits, going into those burning buildings to look for survivors, running towards men with guns, knives, bombs, hostages (you name it) when others were running away, being investigated by three different agencies for doing my job with the highest integrity, missing all kinds of family events and living in a surreal reality in which we lose track of what day of the week it is. If we no longer need to adhere to the agreements that were negotiated on our behalf, and the pension can be changed mid-stream, then I think I’d like better wages and benefits- retroactively. This recent theatre and lack of support does not reduce my community commitment one bit, and I know my brothers and sisters in blue are the same; it just makes me question some people’s definition of loyalty; I know where mine lies.

Global News

Winnipeg Free Press

CBC

Winnipeg Sun

City News

Great Tai Chi workshop in New Orleans this weekend; thank you Sifu Curtis Brough for teaching, and Sifu King Lam for coordinating it and for allowing us to use your Dojo. It deepened my practice immensely.

I think the most cherished memories I am most proud of are the privileged moments I’ve had to stand up for people who couldn’t stand up for themselves.