From the ground up

Building a home from the ground up was enlightening. You could never understand the joy that comes with creating something so profoundly palpable, until you do it with your own hands. When you rise up with the morning sun, put on your soggy work gloves, and hop onto the open back truck, and drive to the work site. The sense of pride you have, despite your aching back. Because with every shovel full of gravel and concrete that you extract from earth, you are painfully aware of how you are breaking ground both literally and figuratively. It’s a good ache. When you see the smiles and hope illuminating the community, you will understand the real joys of life. You will feel yourself overwhelmed by waves of tears as you hand over the keys to a pristine new home. The world really is a beautiful place.

So now I am back at home, in Hamilton, Ontario. I am realizing that I have to find a way to resume things from where I left off before the build. I am forcing myself to go through the dull motions of everyday life. I am sitting in a classroom watching the clock, waiting to go home and check my Facebook or whatever. But now I realize that it doesn’t have to be that way.

Everyday life at home does not have to be this dull and lonely existence. I can LiveDifferent. I have the option to consciously live meaningfully and deliberately. To love selflessly and openly.  I can learn from my experiences on the build. I can make the most of the privileges that I have here in Canada. I can be a global citizen. I can be a strong woman.

And yeah, maybe I can’t just physically pick up a shovel and start building a home from the ground up myself on my street. But what I can do is just try to build myself and the people around me a strong and hopeful community to exist in. Pick up the proverbial shovel, and illuminate the world and everything I am presented with, with nothing but a bold smile- and an open heart.

Because at the end of the day there are two ways of spreading light — to be the candle or the mirror that reflects it. And I think I’m about ready to start spreading some light. 

– Jessie, LiveDifferent Volunteer

The journey that awakened my soul

“Change yourself, and the world changes”-Big Brother Ray

LiveDifferent and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada got together to deliver the gift of a new life, a gift of positive change, the gift of hope, the gift of laughter and love. We got to build a new home and a boys and girls club in the Dominican. What I experienced on this journey is unforgettable, pure enlightenment, life changing. I experienced the sense of belonging; the community we spend our time in welcomed us so freely and gave us their unconditional love. I was able to deeply appreciate how to live life simply and happy. After being on this trip, after being able to communicate with a new culture and see how other souls live their lives, I realized how ignorant I really was to poverty, and to global injustice. I realized how truly blessed I am for all that I have, especially as a women from Canada having a sense of safety, of privacy, and of freedom-I will never take it for granted.

I realized that the eyes are useless if the mind is blind. We must continue to come together and make change happen. We all have a heartbeat, we all deserve basic human needs. We must all know we are one. One love. We are love.

As the days went on, our bodies became more sore, our clothes more dirty, our minds more open, and our hearts filled with more love and compassion.

I am still having trouble putting my feelings and thoughts into words, I don’t know if they are describable.  the PEOPLE i was privileged enough to meet  have forever made an impact on my life, on my heart.

This was a journey that awakened my soul. 

I am so thankful for this opportunity.

With love and gratitude,

Big Sister Ali

Share about a time in your life you will always remember.

If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be and why?

Tell a story about a time you felt like you were home.

Share a story of a time when you felt that your family or friends didn’t understand you.

Share about a time when your life felt amazing.

What do you want to contribute to the world and why?

What is your family’s story?

What are you most grateful for and why?