Holiday Giving

Someone very close to me was homeless for 3 years, the latter part of his experience as a homeless person being on the streets of L.A. These days, I look at homeless people in a different way, acutely aware of the fact that each one of them has a story. I love stories - I love hearing them, reading them and thinking about them. Over the years, I've gotten over the need to share and re-share my own victim stories from the past, though I have a nice collection of stories that relate to challenge, creation and growth and new stories unfold in my life every single day. I believe there is lots of power and potential to heal through our stories and what we can learn from them. A story is really only a victim story if we do not find the capacity to learn and grow from that story.

As it relates to homeless people, I've just been perusing the Mustard Seed website and there's a section on "stories", which I, of course, find very fascinating. As I perceive the homeless of Edmonton, I consider that maybe one guy started out as a wealthy business owner and lost everything to an addiction, winding up on the streets. Or maybe that woman, having come from a warm and loving family, got caught in a cycle of abuse that landed her homeless, unable to see her children. Or perhaps another guy on the street tried for years to enter a monastic order in California to no avail, so decided to take a prolonged walking pilgrimage between California and Mexico, only to end up on the streets of L.A., still unable to be accepted by the monastery. All of these stories inspire and amaze me and I only wish I could collect every one.

Regardless of what each homeless person's story is, the fact is, they've given up belongings, lodging and comfort - whether consciously or unconsciously - to pursue a much more simple and challenging life where making it day by day is the name of the game. A luxury for a homeless person is somewhere semi comfortable and warm to sleep or some warm, running water or a hot meal - all things most of us surely experience every day and likely take for granted.

I still really love the idea of re-gifting at Christmastime, as I blogged about last year. I feel that re-gifting is giving back to our precious earth, not to mention propagating a spirit of reduction as opposed to consumerism. This year, I maintain my love of re-gifting, while I have other things on the brain as well. Why not consider giving back to those who are without a home this holiday season by donating items, money or time to the Mustard Seed here in Edmonton? I am struck by compassion as I consider being without home and family at Christmastime - a time that is punctuated by a warm hearth and warm hearts that are made warm by joviality amongst family and friends.

Please check out The Mustard Seed to find out ways you can help during this holiday season. Personally, I'd like to get some Winter Backpacks (see very bottom of page) together. Please contact me at roberta.a.shepherd@gmail.com if you have any of the listed items for winter backpacks that you'd like to donate.

Happy holidays everyone! I would love to hear YOUR stories through the holiday season and/or in the new year. Flower Essences is a perfect way to share your story with a great listener (me!) and embark on a healing journey through the use of these ingestibles. Please call me at Prana Holistic (780.454.5299) if you'd like to learn more about flower essences - my absolute favorite thing to facilitate as a practitioner!

Roberta Shepherd for Prana Ho-Ho-Holistic