How to Have Hope in Times of Turmoil

The past few weeks have been devastating, from the shooting in the Orlando club ‘Pulse‘ during pride week, to bombings in Istanbul and Baghdad, to the latest deaths of two African-American men in the US that sparked protests from the #BlackLivesMatter movement -and many other outraged and concerned citizens- all over the world.

With the UK breaking from the EU and so many issues on our soil, like our -in perspective small- fight to save Shawnigan Lake, life can often feel hopeless. Especially if you’re getting most of your news from Facebook (you see a lot of the same because of their algorithm).

When history seems to repeat itself, is there any hope?

Yes there is! It’s easy to feel hopeless when the news fill our feeds with incomprehensible heartache in a, seemingly, never-ending reel.

Unbearable sadness has filled our world lately, with hate crimes and hate speech and many times we don’t know what to do, or how to act in the face of such injustice. So, when all else fails, just remember to turn on the light:

“Happiness can be found in the darkest of times, if one  only remembers to turn on the light” – Albus Dumbledore, Harry Potter Series.

If not happiness, then hope. Hope in the people with good hearts like you and us, willing to do the right thing, over and over, no matter how small.

In times of tragedy it’s hard to see the good in humanity, but it’s there for all of us to see:

In the messages of solidarity and grief in the aftermath of the Pulse Shooting,

Our deepest condolences to the family and friends affected by this morning’s tragedy in Orlando. pic.twitter.com/BGnyscrzI6

— Orlando Magic (@OrlandoMagic) 12 de junio de 2016

In the random acts of kindness  of strangers after the bombings in Istanbul, and the prayers following the bombings in Baghdad:

 

In the support of thousands across the world for the Black Lives Matter Movement.

Love, actually, is all around us.

Kindness, support, awareness, thoughts and prayers, they may seem like a little but they amount to a lot. We believe big changes start small. So start small: share not just the news that you find outrageous, but the ones that are filled with kindness too. Pay it forward, listen, learn, give space, lend a hand.

Be the change you wish to see in the world. –Mahatma Gandhi

If your heart is heavy, use that as fuel to power your next charitable action: volunteer at a local shelter, help out with senior citizens, donate time and resources -if you have them- to a cause close to your heart. Do good and spread love.

We generally like to focus our efforts on our mission: to light the way for energy efficient homes and businesses that have a collective net positive impact on our environment and planet, and while we’re usually advising you to turn off the lights (to save power!) today we are here to remind you to turn on the light.

The light inside.

If you’re looking to contribute here are some options to consider:

• Find a charity worth your time with CanadaHelps.org
• Volunteer anywhere in the country with VolunteerCa
• Contribute to the Humane Society of Canada
• Learn about the the issues raised by the Black Lives Matter (Toronto chapter)
• Come up with your own! Find a way to motivate yourself and others to do good deeds!

“If there is meaning in life at all, then there is [also] meaning in suffering”. –Viktor Frankl

Keep hope in time of turmoil,

Stay Kind,