Nobel Peace Prize

Here are some excerpts from a BBC article (with videos). Note especially the last paragraph of what I've quoted here. I think this is a great sign of hope that crosses any imagined divisions of age, gender, religion and race.

"Pakistani child education activist Malala Yousafzai and Kailash Satyarthi, an Indian child rights campaigner, have jointly won the Nobel Peace Prize.

At the age of just 17, Malala is the youngest ever recipient of the prize. The teenager was shot in the head by Taliban gunmen in October 2012 for campaigning for girls' education. She now lives in Birmingham in the UK.

Malala said she was "honoured" to receive the award, saying it made her feel "more powerful and courageous"

"I'm really happy to be sharing this award with a person from India," she said at a news conference, before joking that she couldn't pronounce Mr Satyarthi's surname.

The Nobel committee praised the pair's "struggle against the suppression of children and young people".

Mr Satyarthi has maintained the tradition of Mahatma Gandhi and headed various forms of peaceful protests, "focusing on the grave exploitation of children for financial gain," the committee said at the Nobel Institute in Oslo.

The 60-year-old founded Bachpan Bachao Andolan, or the Save the Childhood Movement, which campaigns for child rights and an end to human trafficking.

The committee said it was important that a Muslim and a Hindu, a Pakistani and an Indian, had joined in what it called a common struggle for education and against extremism."

Empty hands and Gratitude

I "happened upon" an article: Empty Hands, Full Heart, Music for the Soul. It is an inspiring story of one young man's life changing decision which has led to global responses of kindness, generosity and joy. This sent me to the website where you can explore the growing impact of Nimo's commitment.

As he says: 

"We arrive on this planet empty-handed. 

We will all soon leave empty handed. 

So then how do we want to live the time in between?" 

The video Grateful sums it up. If you don't have time to read the article or explore the website do watch  this song. (I've used the You Tube link because it has the lyrics subtitled.)

You can also download the whole album of ten songs free by going to the website.

Freecycle

Sorting and packing in readiness to move house reveals how much "stuff" is no longer needed! That's where Freecycle comes in! Thanks to my niece in Australia I heard about this some time ago but have only recently used it. It is a great way to pass on to others things you no longer need. You can also request things you do want and have someone pass them on to you! The aim of the on-line system is to keep things out of landfill. At the same time it generates many great connections between people.

We have given away:

• two very large pot plants 
• an old outdoor table 
• a worm farm 
• two heaters 
• a lemon tree in a pot 
• a filing cabinet 
• two chests of drawers
• a small table 
• … and probably more to come. 

In the process we have met some lovely people who are so grateful for what is on offer:

• a young couple from UK setting up a flat and starting out with nothing
• a grandmother wanting to teach her grandchildren about worm farms
• a solo mum needing a heater
• a couple whose baby is due any day
• a woman picking up the old outdoor table for her mother to use feeding doves

We've sold some things on Trade Me too but I have to say the experience with Freecycle has been a lot more straightforward and enjoyable. There are usually several people keen to collect each item and everyone has shown up promptly and with real appreciation. The website is well organized and easy to use. You can join a group in your own geographical area. Check it out - even if you aren't moving house!

Orewa here we come!

Here are a few pictures of our "new" house and the lake that is right beside it! The fourth photo shows the back of our house with the walkway up from the lake.
(We don't move till the end of October.)

 Walkway to lake begins on right hand side of house.

Our house on the right. 

Hope for the future

If you sometimes find it hard to be hopeful about what is happening to our planet and its people, take a few moments to scroll through these pictures of people all round the world united in a common commitment to the survival of our home planet.

Avaaz Executive Director Ricken Patel presenting the 2 million strong petition to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon at the People's Climate March, New York

And if you don't yet know about Avaaz (= a voice for the people) then please sign up for a chance to join in similar commitments to peace, justice, human rights and a green planet.

Climate change

In the midst of house selling and election aftermath it still felt important to join the Climate Change march in Auckland on Sunday. If generations to come are going to have a place to live and a country to govern something has to change - and soon.

This isn't a great photo but there were several hundred of us marching in weather that was sometimes driving rain and blustery wind. But as Jeanette Fitzsimons said in her speech in Aotea Square: "With what is happening to the climate we are going to have more extremes of weather - floods, droughts, storms and rising sea levels." There are many photos from around the world here if you are interested. One banner I thought summed up a lot was in Australia (so aimed at Tony Abbott) It said: "Tony what part of irreversible and disastrous do you not understand!"

What party would God vote for?

Since I'm writing on election day this will be too late to influence your vote! But I found it a fascinating article to feature in our biggest national newspaper The Herald. You'll find it here.

SOLD!

Smile, breathe and go slowly...

"Smile, breathe and go slowly…"

Thich Nhat Hanh

This is good advice for Anthea and me as we are in the final run-up to our house going to Auction on the 14th. We have worked hard at presenting our home beautifully for 8 Open Homes and various other people coming through as well. But the outcome is out of our control. I admire people who seem to manage calm serenity no matter what is happening. I'm not there yet! But this is a great chance to practice!

Two more quotes from Thich Nhat Hanh:

“Waking up this morning, I smile. Twenty-four brand new hours are before me. I vow to live fully in each moment and to look at all beings with eyes of compassion.”
 


“People usually consider walking on water or in thin air a miracle. But I think the real miracle is not to walk either on water or in thin air, but to walk on earth. Every day we are engaged in a miracle which we don't even recognize: a blue sky, white clouds, green leaves, the black, curious eyes of a child - our own two eyes. All is a miracle.”
 


What young people want for Auckland

The Auckland Council has run a competition for young people (under 25) to make a one minute video answering the question "What should Auckland spend money on to become the world's most livable city?" The five finalists are shown on YouTube here. Well worth watching!