By Alex Bruce/Special to The News
Today’s column is inspired by a post on the Maple Ridge & Pitt Meadows News Facebook page from Karen Gilchrist.
Karen shared: “I love how Adrian Dix mentions a 5,000,000 person ‘team’ in B.C. That’s awesome! We’re all a team against this crisis!!”
Thank you to Karen for posting that optimism-filled message, and thank you to Adrian Dix, and to all of our government officials, for providing us with lifesaving support and direction.
Any type of celebration is an opportunity to come together in joy and hope, which provides tremendous mental, emotional, and physical health benefits to everyone involved.
Let’s celebrate “team humanity” as the world continues to come together as never before.
Thanks to a small group in Kelowna with a big idea, we are seeing drive-by birthday parties on the news instead of drive-by shootings.
RELATED: Pitt Meadows girl surprised by birthday parade
In fact, we just had a drive by birthday party complete with balloons, music, and honking in our neighborhood not even an hour ago – as I write this.
READ MORE: Maple Ridge man’s family makes his 85th birthday special
People are sending in pictures of handmade signs that have been posted on Jackson Street with messages like, “Just be happy!” and, “You do not find the happy life. YOU MAKE IT!” because with lower traffic, they have replaced signs of, “Did you witness a hit and run accident?”
Instead of people remarking about graffiti in public, they are rejoicing at decorated rocks with encouragement and words such as “Love” placed outside for the public to see. Social media continues to be infused with more and more stories about what’s right in this world right now. And if we look for it, it’s a lot.
SEE: Chalk it up to positivity
In no way am I meaning to downplay the tragic reality of this pandemic. We are all acutely aware of how real this is. What I am suggesting is that when and where we can, we celebrate “team humanity.”
Everyday more and more people are creating, seeing, and sharing stories of remarkable resiliency.
The 7 p.m. celebrations and encouragement for frontline workers continues to grow to epically heartwarming proportions.
WATCH: VIDEO – RCMP bring 7 p.m. parade to front doors of Ridge Meadows Hospital
We continue to see the creativity of organizations and individuals as we reach out to help one another in small and gigantic ways; both of which are heroic.
HOW ABOUT THIS: Donations pour in to ensure Maple Ridge hospital staff are fed
We are all unsettled and afraid, that’s a part of being on this team.
We are also united, courageous and unstoppable.
“Team humanity” will undoubtedly win this competition.
Let’s do everything we can to support one another and to contribute in any and every way that we can.
Study after study has proven that when we focus on the well-being of others, it promotes our own physical, mental, and emotional wellness too.
What can you do to make your home, your neighbourhood, your community, your world, a better place?
How can you share, promote, and communicate what others are doing to make this world a better place?
No act of love, faith, or positivity is too small.
Every single thing we do to cure this world, helps to cure this world.
“Team humanity is honestly that simple.
Let’s celebrate the biggest and best community that we have ever been a part of, “team humanity.”
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*Join us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/MapleRidgeNews/ and post your pictures depicting yourself or others Practicing Feeling Good. Share your creativity during these times and be sure to include names, ages, and details for an opportunity to be highlighted in a future article.
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FIRST COLUMN: Maple Ridge woman offers series of wellness tips amid COVID crisis
SECOND COLUMN: We mammals are in this together and will thrive together
THIRD COLUMN: Trying something new can help
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– Alex Bruce is a health and wellness author and accredited meditation and mindfulness instructor
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• Stay tuned tomorrow for the next COVID-19: In It Together column
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• If there is more to this column, please let us know about it. Email us at editor@mapleridgenews.com. We look forward to hearing from you. In the meantime, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.