The members of Prairie Voices were heartbroken when they had to cancel their concert so they decided to channel their heartbreak with creativity into this soulful video. They perform Ilus Ta Ei Ole (Pärt Uusberg), a song that reflects the unfolding discovery of beauty in the coming together of the mundane.

This seems just right as right now, like you, I am missing so many precious things that used to be the norm, like going to a coffee shop or meeting with friends. At the same time, I am treasuring every bit of the ordinary that is still on offer, like an egg for breakfast or sitting down to do my work.

There is beauty in every day. May we find it all around us.

Thank you to Sabina for sharing this treasure in her smart, savvy and insightful newsletter, The Generalist.

On the New Moon, I began a new blog series: 40 Days of Beauty, Goodness & Love, little moments of light to get us through a difficult time. If you get solace, peace and inspiration from this, please share with others who need the same. 

In the midst of the heightened intensity and information overload of the COVID-19 pandemic, how are we all doing?

That’s the question that inspired by dear friend Kim LeClair to start the How Are You Doing podcast, where she talks to ordinary people about their daily lives in this extraordinary time.

I was honoured to be one of her first guests and in our episode, we chatted about everything from the behind the scenes reality of the studio right now to what I hope will change when we come out the other side.

Listen in on our conversation here.

I am episode 3, the March 26 episode.

On the New Moon, I began a new blog series: 40 Days of Beauty, Goodness & Love, little moments of light to get us through a difficult time. If you get solace, peace and inspiration from this, please share with others who need the same. 

Please Note: The original event has passed and is no longer available online.  I’ve put up a similar event. It is a fundraiser but gives you a sense of what a sing-a-long would be like. As of the time of this writing, Choir! Choir! Choir! is still holding regular online events.

Yesterday in this series, I encouraged you to dance.* Today, I’m going to invite you to sing.

I’ve been attending Choir! Choir! Choir! events in Toronto for years now. Each week they host a gathering (or two) at a bar in Toronto where whoever shows up learns an always stellar arrangement of a chosen song. By the end of the night, the ragtag group of people that walked in the door are singing in harmony and having a memorable night.

Right now, as we isolate ourselves for the health of everyone, events like this are put on hold but with the creativity of Daveed and Nobu, who run C!C!C!, we can still sing together! They have been hosting live streamed Social Distan-Sing Alongs. What a joy to be belting out a tune at home knowing people around the world are doing the same.

I shared a recent recording at the top of this post and there’s another event this coming Sunday, March 29th at 3:00 pm EST. The theme is “springtime”

Join in and sing these songs on Sunday:

1. Here Comes The Sun
2. Walkin’ On Sunshine
3. I Can See Clearly Now
4. Steal My Sunshine
5. Tomorrow (from Annie)
6. Summer Breeze
7. Lovely Day
8. Easy (Like Sunday Morning)
9. 59th St Bridge Song (Feelin’ Groovy)

To join the live stream, “Like” Choir! Choir! Choir!’s Facebook page and at 3:00 PM EST you’ll get a notification about the live feed. Alternatively, you can go here on YouTube and singalong there! (I have been going to both and when I see which one is running more stably, I choose it). Choir provides a link to the lyrics on their Facebook page.

I hope you’ll come out. I’d love to know that we’re singing together on Sunday!

*BTW, I went to yesterday’s live stream dance event with The Get Down and it was brilliant! It was 2 hours of good energy, being connected to our bodies and in community. I recommend it!

On the New Moon, I began a new blog series: 40 Days of Beauty, Goodness & Love, little moments of light to get us through a difficult time. If you get solace, peace and inspiration from this, please share with others who need the same. (And if you’re gathering goodness too, please share resources in the comments!)

“It is now time for us to be as big as we are.”

In these times of purposeful social isolation, it moves me deeply to recognize that we humans love to gather. It is a part of nature, as is our desire to dance.  From the time we are little, we wiggle and stomp and bounce. Then somewhere along the line, sooner or later, most of us forget. We forget the joy our bodies feel when we move to music. We forget that dance sets us free. Instead, we get caught up in the idea that dance is a performance and we cast ourselves in the role of ‘audience’. We start to believe that dance is for the trained, for the young, for the lithe and the limber. This is not true.

Dance is for everyone. Including you.

We may not be able to gather on the dance floor together right now but still, we can dance.  Put on your favourite song and remember what it’s like to move.  It’s that simple!

Plus, right now amazing resources are popping up all over the internet. DJ D-Nice has been playing live sets on Instagram that will get you grooving. And today The Get Down from NYC is hosting a live dance party. There’s a sliding scale fee with a minimum. I signed up both to dance and to support their effort to bring dance, light and love to the world. I have never attended one of their events but they have values I can get behind: “We create dance floors that liberate, heal and unite through the power of music and community.” And hey, it’s been a while since I hit the club scene but now I can do it from home.

Here’s one of their playlists, including the way they set the tone and begin. Let’s dance together now!

And though we certainly can’t follow some of the prescriptions in this video, it’s still an inspirational reminder that We Came to Dance.

On the New Moon, I began a new blog series: 40 Days of Beauty, Goodness & Love, little moments of light to get us through a difficult time. If you get solace, peace and inspiration from this, please share with others who need the same. (And if you’re gathering goodness too, please share resources in the comments!)

Connecting to nature, whether it’s going for a walk while keeping safe distance or watching from our windows is one of the ways so many of us are keeping ourselves nourished.

Here in Toronto the trees are still bare and I have been watching young squirrels traverse them with enthusiasm and ease. I’ve also been popping out into the backyard daily to see if anything is coming to life. So far the tips of tulips and narcissus are showing themselves. I am thrilled that they have made it through to spring, especially with the abundance of the aforementioned squirrels! (I have shooed more than one of them away from the tender bulbs!)

Today let’s go for a walk together through this beautiful Jardin en Cévennes, presented in this spectacular series of Great Gardens by Nowness. I often say, “Gardens are a gift to everyone” and now I am coming to see that so are the philosophies of gardeners. There is a certain way of thinking in the garden, like we can have a vision, make a start, give life to possibility and then we sit back and watch and see the way the garden itself wants to unfold.

On the New Moon, I began a new blog series: 40 Days of Beauty, Goodness & Love, little moments of light to get us through a difficult time. If you get solace, peace and inspiration from this, please share with others who need the same. (And if you’re gathering goodness too, please share resources in the comments!)