Showers of Flowers. And Tears.

I just want to fill this blog with flowers. Canada has been under a veil of sadness all through June, still absorbing the shock, sorrow and anger of the discovery of 215 plus remains of indigenous children at one of Saskatchewan's residential schools. Plus the more recent news of over 700 unmarked graves of children and adults by another residential school. I like to think that we are listening and learning what we as a nation and individually can do to support our indigenious people, not just today but on a continued basis as we all face this truth together. CBC Radio has dedicated all of today to indigenous artists and activists and elders and speakers and suggests going here ​https://downiewenjack.ca/ to find out how we can constructively help. Gord Downie was the lead singer of the Canadian band The Tragically Hip and he brought huge awareness to the plight of children in residential schools through his music and work.  Chanie Wenjack was a young boy who ran away from a residential school with (I believe) 7 matches and the clothes on his back. In his effort to reach his home, he died. 
Tomorrow many people and organisations are not celebrating Canada Day in the realisation that the celebration is of colonisation and that Canada, to become a more unifed country, needs to do lots of healing. Effy Wild, for instance, is having two indigenous speakers at 1pm Eastern. The conversations will be hard but the idea is to move beyond the shame and sadness we feel to be called into action or some sort, even if that action is holding space and listening to our indigenous people. There will be a replay of this event too. 
​Time for a beautiful pause (hahaha. My mind typed flower--that is what I meant but my subconscious typed pause) so we can remember to breathe. 

This incredible peony was in Sandy's garden.
Yesterday a boy aged 16 was stabbed to death close to my home, about a 10  minute walk away, the way i always drive home from anywhere, the way i usually drive to anywhere. He died in hospital as a result of his injuries and his 17 year old friend is still in hospital seriously injured (as far as i know). The police arrested the 31 year old man responsible. The whole area was cordoned off yesterday and the city, and especially our neighbourhood grieved.
Personally I'm grappling with the feelings that a senseless murder so close to home shakes me up more than a senseless murder across town or in another province or in another country or 215 murders not so long ago. Perhaps we are truly enlightened when we are equally affected by all these instances. In my mind, I know them to be equal and my heart knows this on some level too. Perhaps i just feel more personally responsible for a murder that happens around the corner than one that happens around the world. But again, with true enlightenment, I suggest this isn't so. 'Ask not for whom the bell tolls', right?
Through all of this, I still write a haiku a day. It helps ground me and keeps me, a triple Pisces, from drowning in my feelings. Posting some haiku and leaving us with an embroidery I did as a teeenager or in my early 20s. 'Love knows no season.' 
And now, ironic as it is, I'm off to get my second vaccination. 
Take good care of yourself so you can take good care of your neighbour.