Zero Hunger Challenge

 Will you take up the challenge, I have.

Hunger can be eliminated in our lifetimes

This requires comprehensive efforts to ensure that every man, woman and child enjoy their Right to Adequate Food; women are empowered; priority is given to family farming; and food systems everywhere are sustainable and resilient.
The challenge of Zero Hunger means:

1. 100% access to adequate food all year round
2. Zero stunted children less than 2 years
3. All food systems are sustainable
4. 100% increase in smallholder productivity and income
5. Zero loss or waste of food

Zero Hunger Challenge

39 Ways to Live, and Not Merely Exist, by Leo Babauta

 Read this and enjoy. I especially like: "Slow down. Life moves along at such a rapid pace these days. It's not healthy, and it's not conducive to living. Practice doing everything slowly -- everything, from eating to walking to driving to working to reading. Enjoy what you do. Learn to move at a snail's pace."

39 Ways to Live, and Not Merely Exist, by Leo Babauta

Fellowship, stories and self

Net_efekt

Rotary International District 7810 came together last weekend in Saint John NB. Fellowship, stories and self; these were just some of the many aspects of Rotary's conference.

Discussing the future you want for yourself, your loved ones and the world created an environment charged with hope, action and planning. As I watched and listened it became evident that the group was moving in one direction but in diverse ways. Every group is unique, every projects reflects commitment, involvement and a sense of responsibility from everyone of us.

Around our table were people from many walks of life. As a librarian I appreciated the way in which those gathered made room for the new comers. Some of those honored at this event have given a great deal of their time, energy and inner strength. One recipient stated she did it for herself, since those who benefited were her family, her community and her club.

Stories were the rallying cry. We heard from those who have served in many communities in many countries in Africa. Members told us how they started in Rotary and when they discovered they were Rotarians. Avalanche moments for me. A recognition of the power we have when we stand together.

Reading the website I was moved by the fact that Rotary contributed in part to the Charter of the United Nations. "In 1945, 49 Rotary club members served in 29 delegations to the UN Charter Conference. Rotary still actively participates in UN conferences by sending observers to major meetings and covering the United Nations in its publications."

Service above self is Rotary's moto and encapsulates the vital need for development. And most important that each of us can make a difference.

Be the teller,

Yesterday's titles are today's treasures

"It's spring sir" said Klinger to Colonel Blake. Not a reference most born after 1960 would have heard in the original but thanks to reruns many of us may be familiar with MASH.
So what does this have to do with our topic, much.

Cleaning out the basement we found books and other resources that have been collecting dust for many years. To us these titles have served us well. We either read them once, used them in our research or just scanned them for their content. Either way they are no longer required. What to do? We turned to community.

Look around, check out your local version of Friends of the Library, orsee if the local second hand book store can add these to their inventory. In this way the books gain value, create a resource as well as revenue for the local economy. Used Books Etc in Campbellton offers just this service. Everyone wins. The Public Library adds titles to its booksale, and the local usedbooks store make available titles all year round.

Think globally act locally,

Be the teller,

Everything old is new again!

I just returned from attending the Atlantic Provinces Libraries Association's conference in Saint John and I did feel like I was visiting home. Having been in this historical city only 11 months a few years back it seeped into my skin, into my very consciousness.

It could be said to be the moisture, the rain, the dampness but the place became one with me. Could it be the way people hold the doors in public places for each other, or maybe the way folks smile and say hello to total strangers. Not sure of the origin of this common behavior, but I am certain of the food.

The Saint John Market helps walk into the past feeling decades of stress, tension, feelings of isolation leave you as you go from kiosk to kiosk. Whether you are looking for fruit, nuts, meats or cheese this wonderfully well stocked venue provides the purchaser will find a fine variety and great quality.

People given the opportunity will share stories about their activities, their hopes, their dreams and plans on how to achieve their goals. Listen and you may be enlightened, entertained and overwhelmed at the diversity that is storytelling.

Photos by Bob Ewing.

Be the teller,

Stories, Sharing and Storing

Stories, sharing and storing. Life is just that. Moments where we are larger than ourselves. It might be time to bring to the table the expertise that you have accumulated over a lifetime. Your experiences have value, they hold a wealth of knowledge. You have been storing these over a lifetime. That could be 20, 40, 65 years or more but you are the holder of the knowledge.


Sharing ones understanding of a particular subject enriches you, your community and moves the bar in the field in which your topics lives.



Bring it to the table, write a paper, an article, do a presentation, get the information out there. It will help.

Be the teller,

The best is yet to come!

Thirty years, and who knew you could share a life with someone and not notice that three scores have marked the passage. We feel the same, we share the same way but lately it has been different. Something has changed.

Anniversaries have been a marginalized event with us. It happened every year so we did not put much stock into it. But here we are today and we are asking where the time has gone.

Whether we feel deeper about things or maybe its just the fact that we cannot be impressed by the comings and goings of fads.

News events pull together the backdrop of our lives. Good, bad or indifferent what impacts on the environment impacts on us. We listen, we watch, we contribute and we keep informed.

What do we say about a life, the best is yet to come!

Be the teller,