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Heart and soul story

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Samantha Heron

Local office = Maroubra beach, Sydney Australia

(+61 ) 0421056730

Samanthaheron@heartandsoulstory.com

https://au.linkedin.com/in/samanthaheron

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There’s the crazy guy I know who, at 12pm TODAY starts his Superhero Walk at Heffron Park. He’s walking for 24 hours dressed as 24 superhero’s to raise $24,000 to build a new playground for @maroubrabay He’s raised $16,533 and I wanted to share this with you because I thought you might like to know about it and support him. Visit @superherowalk or www.superherowalk.com.au for all the details on how to support him. Bring your kids along. @maroubracommunity awesome local event to let people know about And a little reminder on the fact @superherowalk calls himself crazy .... “Here's to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The troublemakers. The round pegs in the square holes. The ones who see things differently. They're not fond of rules. And they have no respect for the status quo. You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them. About the only thing you can't do is ignore them. Because they change things. They push the human race forward. And while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius. Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do” Rob Siltanen Tas. You will never walk alone ! Get down there to support him ! Tomorrow live cross to Today Show at 8.20 #superherowalk #maroubracommunity
“ I believe the children are our future. Teach them them well and let them lead the way”. Could not have been truer words today. Part of an almost 80,000 strong crowd in Sydney supporting our children fighting ( and dancing 👉) for their rights to a healthy 🌍 “When your house is on fire, somebody needs to sound the alarm. Young people in our cities, displaying incredible maturity and dignity are doing just that. School children are taking to the streets, drawing attention to the terrifying threat that climate breakdown poses to their future. Young people recognise just how unfair climate change is. Those who have generated the least greenhouse gas emissions, including the poorest, most disadvantaged and youngest in society, will suffer the worst effects of a rapidly changing global climate. They are right to sound the alarm, and they are right to demand action that tackles climate change and inequality simultaneously” (part of a strongly worded joint statement released overnight by mayors of Paris, New York City, Los Angeles and Copenhagen) #makethefuturecool #onekidcandosomuch #kidpowerforourplanetsfuture #climatestrike #climate #schoolsstrikeforclimate #thereisnoplanetb #notbusinessasusual #bringingcommunitybacktogether #bthechange #soundthealarm #lovemotherearth
It’s not business as usual today. It’s time to take to the streets to support our children in their pleas to be heard around the 🌎. It is time. My daughter Indie is 8 years old and decided to prepare her public speaking speech a few weeks ago on climate change. So did the 3 other students she was up against in the school final. Coincidence ? No. A topic they are passionate about and wanting to do their bit to change? yes. I read Paul Gilding’s The Great Disruption around 8 years ago. I felt his despair. I worried for my children’s future...how do I explain that as a civilisation we are choosing extinction as a future .... in Paul’s words “ What we now know, is that we are facing a time sensitive, existential risk. Failing to respond adequately, could commit humanity to widespread misery for hundreds and possibly thousands of years. It could literally change the course of evolution and human history.... What we have to do now is simple. We have to decide – do we choose extinction? Or do we choose to fight it? To rebel against it. To stand in its way. To do all we can possibly do, to get humanity on a different path. That is our choice. And each and every one of us now gets to decide. That’s why we’re in the streets. That’s why this matters…..like never before.” We don’t want to stay stuck in despair. So we are taking action together. We have been inspired by @2040film and all the solutions that are in place today that could change the course of our future if we choose to adopt them, such as educating girls and women across the 🌍 and choosing to share 🚗. It’s not business as usual. It’s sometimes a hard decision to take them time to stop, but the time has come. Let’s make the future cool. @gretathunberg 🙏 for showing us all that one kid can do so much ! Picture repost @barackobama #makethefuturecool #onekidcandosomuch #kidpowerforourplanetsfuture #climatestrike #climate #schoolsstrikeforclimate #thereisnoplanetb #notbusinessasusual #bringingcommunitybacktogether #bthechange
“He said it was the highlight of his week coming here. “We knew it would be a really great program but we’re just really quite touched and amazed at what everyone got out of it and being here today and seeing the connection that they have, it’s quite emotional. I was delighted to meet the residents who have made my child feel valuable”. A really important part of STEP is to have the students families meet the residents they have been buddied up with. It’s often a really special time for all, as evidenced by these photos. To read the wonderful article by IGS about the final session of STEP for this term please click the link in the bio #seniorsandteensempathyprogram #intergenerational #intergenerationalprogram #community #bringingcommunitybacktogether #heartandsoulstory #sharingstories #startaconversation #empathy #stories4connection #igssyd #volunteering #servicelearning #bethechange #agedcareaustralia #seniorcare #eldercare #opalagedcare #commonhumanity #mentalhealth #healtheworldtogether #loveoneanother #love #photooftheday #friends #life #socialenterprise #socialenterpriseaustralia
Conversations can change lives. Sometimes you may not want to ask if someone is ok for fear you may say the wrong thing. The most important thing to do according to the professionals is follow 4 steps. Ask - r u ok ? Listen - don’t try to solve Encourage action - suggest where someone may be able to go for help Check in - follow up with the person 4 simple steps that could make the world of difference in someone’s life at a time they need it. To learn more read through some of the amazing resources at ruok.org.au I’m ok today. Definitely not other days and I’ve found the more open I am at being able to say I’m not ok, the more support I get and the faster I get back to being ok. Thank you @katieandgang for checking in 🤗 #ruok #ruokday #bettermentalhealth #bethere #listen #stories4connection #bringingcommunitybacktogether #seniorsandteensempathyprogram #heartandsoulstory
Yesterday was time for the students from The Bowen College to visit during school time for the last time for this term. They delighted the Bupa residents by creating delicately constructed paper flowers to add some colour to their day under the guidance of amazing local artist Rosemary Strachan. The classic line of the day was when resident Jean, with a twinkle in her eye, asked “ Was there any swearing while making them?” to which some students replied “definitely!” with wide grins. The pride was evident, though, for those who had found the task a challenge, but stuck with it. Especially when they saw the delight in their Elder buddies faces when receiving them. The portable turntable was playing Elvis as questions from School of Life were swapped. Memories were shared by residents on where they were when they heard of the twin towers falling 18 years earlier. Jean recalled her daughter boarding a flight to the US that day and her trepidation about that. Reminiscing together about that horrific incident,and the sudden loss for so many families, gave all a moment to reflect on how lucky we are for where we are at in our own lives. “Compassion lowers anxiety by releasing us from the trap of self-absorption. It encourages our tolerance of difference and generates a disposition to be kind and non-judgemental.” Hugh Mackay #seniorsandteensempathyprogram #intergenerational #community #bringingcommunitybacktogether #heartandsoulstory #sharingstories #empathy #bekind #startaconversation #stories4connection #youthoffthestreets #volunteering #servicelearning #bethechange #agedcareaustralia #eldercare #seniorcare #bupaagedcare #commonhumanity #mentalhealth #ruok #artclasseswithrose
Yesterday was time for the students from The Bowen College to visit during school time for the last time for this term. They delighted the Bupa residents by creating delicately constructed paper flowers to add some colour to their day under the guidance of amazing local artist Rosemary Strachan. The classic line of the day was when resident Jean, with a twinkle in her eye, asked “ Was there any swearing while making them?” to which some students replied “definitely!” with wide grins. The pride was evident, though, for those who had found the task a challenge, but stuck with it. Especially when they saw the delight in their Elder buddies faces when receiving them. The portable turntable was playing Elvis as questions from School of Life were swapped. Memories were shared by residents on where they were when they heard of the twin towers falling 18 years earlier. Jean recalled her daughter boarding a flight to the US that day and her trepidation about that. Reminiscing together about that horrific incident,and the sudden loss for so many families, gave all a moment to reflect on how lucky we are for where we are at in our own lives. “Compassion lowers anxiety by releasing us from the trap of self-absorption. It encourages our tolerance of difference and generates a disposition to be kind and non-judgemental.” Hugh Mackay #seniorsandteensempathyprogram #intergenerational #community #bringingcommunitybacktogether #heartandsoulstory #sharingstories #empathy #bekind #startaconversation #stories4connection #youthoffthestreets #volunteering #servicelearning #bethechange #agedcareaustralia #eldercare #seniorcare #bupaagedcare #commonhumanity #mentalhealth #ruok #artclasseswithrose
“Chess is not always about winning. Sometimes it’s simply about learning. So is life.” Chess ♟ monopoly and conversation .... It’s busy times for Bupa Maroubra wth a new lift upgrade underway, leaving the downstairs area we usually meet in eerily quiet ….however, no lift outage will stop these residents and students getting together! Jean, Dimitrios, John, Peter, Connie and Mary all joined the students for ocean views in the small north end sitting area of Level 2…. Residents Jean and student Angus had a special request for Monopoly last week, and were straight into it with Thiery, joining in …. All the others followed suit, with resident Peter showing his fierce mind for chess against Alex … and student Johnnie showing that he had a few good moves up his sleeves also. We had a new take on Uno, converting it to Rummy with student Carla and resident Dimitrios winning one game each…. Residents Connie and Mary kept Adele engaged with stories of their lives in the Philippines/ Sumatra and here and Adele told them a few things about what she likes ( and doesn’t) about school)… The final Spring session of STEP for Bupa Maroubra and The Bowen College will run on Wednesday before the students go off on camp. #seniorsandteensempathyprogram #intergenerational #community #gamesday #bringingcommunitybacktogether #heartandsoulstory #sharingstories #startaconversation #stories4connection #youthoffthestreets #volunteering #servicelearning #bethechange #agedcareaustralia #eldercare #seniorcare #bupaagedcare #commonhumanity #mentalhealth #healtheworldtogether #loveoneanother #love #photooftheday #friends #socialenterprise #socialenterpriseaustralia
Once we allow for people to really see and know each other we enter the realm of common humanity and then the magic of connection can happen. Sharing some of the 💕💕💕from yesterday’s Recogntion Gathering - such a powerful session with all students having a parent there to witness the results of their time spent with Elders from Opal Annandale. I was blown away by the reciprocal words of gratitude and ❤️ the students and Elders have developed for each other since first meeting in June. I look forward to sharing some more of the powerful words of reflection that were spoken.. but for now, these pictures tell a thousand words ... “A modern day rite of passage is achieved when parents and the community create and participate in experiences which are perceived to be transformative by youth and, in fact, offer them increased status within the community and facilitate their healthy transition through adolescence. Of importance is the public event that celebrates the ‘transition’ participants have been through “. #seniorsandteensempathyprogram #intergenerational #intergenerationalprogram #community #ritesofpassage #bringingcommunitybacktogether #heartandsoulstory #sharingstories #startaconversation #empathy #stories4connection #igssyd #volunteering #servicelearning #bethechange #agedcareaustralia #seniorcare #eldercare #opalagedcare #commonhumanity #mentalhealth #healtheworldtogether #loveoneanother #love #photooftheday #friends #life #socialenterprise #socialenterpriseaustralia
“When does someone become ‘grown-up’? Thursday 29th August we welcomed back residents Betty, Garry, Louise, Kevin and Robbie to talk with Rory ,Tasch, Jed and Annie about some of the more interesting questions in life such as “how strict will you be / were you as a parent?” and “what do people younger than you not understand?” We were fortunate to have documentary director @harry_sanna sit in to observe the group interaction to assess whether they would like to film a documentary about the need for community connection… according to Harry & Mandy from Buddy Films “In the headlong pursuit of ‘better' lives, many Australians have forgotten the value of our elders as banks of wisdom while simultaneously shrugging off the seemingly mystifying needs of this generation of adolescents. At a time where generational divide seems at its most pronounced, it would be extremely powerful for our community to be able to witness this ravine be bridged through an insight into a series of authentic and heartwarming interactions and conversations” The final Recognition Gathering for the current program with families and Opal staff invited this coming Thursday. No doubt as always, it will be a time of emotional reflection, laughter and importantly, gratitude for time spent together over the past months. #seniorsandteensempathyprogram #intergenerational #intergenerationalprogram #community #bringingcommunitybacktogether #heartandsoulstory #sharingstories #startaconversation #empathy #stories4connection #igssyd #volunteering #servicelearning #bethechange #agedcareaustralia #seniorcare #eldercare #opalagedcare #commonhumanity #mentalhealth #healtheworldtogether #loveoneanother #love #photooftheday #friends #life #socialenterprise #socialenterpriseaustralia
Beliefs. Values. Identity. Deep Speak helps build rich conversations about some of life’s big questions… and some of the little quirky ones as well! An engaging thought provoking ( and laughter provoking ) resource that these friends had a lot of fun with last week. Covering questions from “How do you relax?” to “what qualities are important in a partner” and “Have your ever had a spiritual experience ?” It was a wonderful experience to sit back and observe this group, who have now become so comfortable with each other, to ponder some of the bigger questions in life together. #seniorsandteensempathyprogram #intergenerational #intergenerationalprogram #community #bringingcommunitybacktogether #heartandsoulstory #sharingstories #startaconversation #empathy #stories4connection #igssyd #volunteering #servicelearning #bethechange #agedcareaustralia #seniorcare #eldercare #opalagedcare #commonhumanity #mentalhealth #healtheworldtogether #love #photooftheday #friends #life #socialenterprise #socialenterpriseaustralia
“We need to listen. Listen to those stories. Listen to Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander People and what are they actually asking for right now.” Adam Goodes “For far too long there has been the expectation for aboriginal people to succeed they need to be grateful, thankful and humble and silent. I’m tired of us being described as humble. We are proud, we are defiant and we succeed because we work hard” Stan Grant What an amazing night at the @ausdreamfilm premiere @ritzrandwick Not much more I can say than see this filmand encourage others to and if you haven’t already, read the #ulurustatementfromtheheart Voice. Treaty. Truth @markrogers_photo for the wonderful pic of Adam and Stan Grant last night. Pic of Adam and my sons Hugo and then baby Mika 5 years ago during the filming of Racism: It Stops with me ad. #australiandream #walktogether #heartandsoulstory #bringingcommunitybacktogether #commonhumanity #stories4connection
“We need to listen. Listen to those stories. Listen to Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander People and what are they actually asking for right now.” Adam Goodes “For far too long there has been the expectation for aboriginal people to succeed they need to be grateful, thankful and humble and silent. I’m tired of us being described as humble. We are proud, we are defiant and we succeed because we work hard” Stan Grant What an amazing night at the @ausdreamfilm premiere @ritzrandwick Not much more I can say than, please see this film and encourage others to and if you haven’t already, read the #ulurustatementfromtheheart Voice. Treaty. Truth @markrogers_photo for the wonderful pic of Adam and Stan Grant last night. #australiandream #walktogether #heartandsoulstory #bringingcommunitybacktogether
Kevin and Annie most definitely lived up to the saying “winners are grinners” as the students from IGS and their buddies from Opal teamed up for today’s Proverb Challenge. Some particular favourites of students included “life is a rollercoaster” “there is always light at the end of the tunnel” “knowledge is power” “ one man’s trash is another mans treasure” & “ don’t put all your eggs in one basket” ... for their Elder buddies faves included “ you can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink” “you can’t judge a book by its cover” “absence makes the heart grow fonder” and “Don’t put off until tomorrow what you can do today “ Proverbs can be little gems of wisdom 💎. Their meaning often has a universality everyone can relate to in some way. #seniorsandteensempathyprogram #intergenerational #intergenerationalprogram #community #empathy #bringingcommunitybacktogether #heartandsoulstory #sharingstories #startaconversation #empathy #proverbs #stories4connection #igssyd #volunteering #servicelearning #bethechange #agedcareaustralia #seniorcare #eldercare #opalagedcare #commonhumanity #mentalhealth #healtheworldtogether #loveoneanother #photooftheday #friends #life #socialenterprise #socialenterpriseaustralia
In our reflection and planning session with residents at Bupa it was wonderful to hear the positive feedback of the Elders. The awkwardness and shyness of initial meetings is not only prevalent for the students, but also for their Elders. Very special to hear Jean reflect on overcoming her initial shyness to find her partner so easy to talk to and share many laughs together. Jean looks forward to more time with Angus and other students from The Bowen College over the next month. Swipe 👉 for the memory of some of their time together .. Captured here is a treasured moment of stepping back in time together, poring over pictures of the Coogee,Maroubra and east of days gone by. It was hard to get these two to get their heads out of this fascinating book when it was time to bring the group back together. Lost together the world of yesteryear. #seniorsandteensempathyprogram #intergenerational #community #bringingcommunitybacktogether #heartandsoulstory #empathy #sharingstories #startaconversation #historytogether #youthoffthestreets #volunteering #servicelearning #bethechange #agedcareaustralia #seniorcare #eldercare #bupaagedcare #commonhumanity #mentalhealth #healtheworldtogether #loveoneanother #friends #life #socialenterprise #socialenterpriseaustralia
In Buddhism, the energy that helps us to touch life deeply is called smrti, the energy of mindfulness. Everyone possesses a seed ( bija)of this energy. If we practice mindful breathing, we can generate this energy. The words of Thich Nhat Hanh, (True Love, A practice for Awakening the Heart) helps ground me when my energetic mind whirls like a spinning top and needs the discipline of calm. Breathe in. Breathe out. Stay in the now. #breathe #smrti #mindfulness #selfcompassion #heartandsoulstory #bringingcommunitybacktogether #stories4connection
‪“I arise in the morning torn between a desire to improve the world and a desire to enjoy the world ... this makes it difficult to plan the day E.B.WHITE‬ This quote formed part of the most impassioned speech by Berry Lieberman of ‪ @smallgiants ‬and @dumbofeather at this year’s Social Good Summit yesterday @nidacommunity. Her words and the urgency with which she brought forth her plea for each of us to take action resonated so deeply I left feeling a combination of exhilaration and exhaustion. The wicked, seemingly entrenched problems we face are not ones that are negotiable, they are,as @tomdawkins reminded us, ones we MUST work to solve... and it is that MUST that propels so many of us forward. From the outset @catiadavim charged us with the unwavering enthusiasm for Social Good that has seen her and her team of volunteers work tirelessly to pull a day like this together 🙏 ‪“.. What type of world do you want to live in, and what type of world do you want to leave behind. The world needs your energy and your passion! It always seems impossible until it is done.”‬ Followed by speaker after amazing speaker, who opened their hearts to share their stories, to reach out, touch and connect. A room full of people with a common belief that ordinary people can do extraordinary things to create the tomorrow all hope to see for our world. 👉💫🌏 🙏🙏🙏 @ozharvest @ronni.kahn @seabin_project @vickitreadell @nipthehip @solar_buddy @wordswithheart @socialsuite @socialgoodau @andrewkleinspeakertrainer @communiteerdotorg @bambuddha_group @huskeecup #2030nowau #socialgood #socialgoodsummit #unsustainabledevelopmentgoals #socialgoodsummit2019 #empathy #actnow #thereisnoplanetb #bringingcommunitybacktogether #stories4connection
Today is International Day of Indigenous People, a day that recognises the stories, cultures and unique identities of indigenous people around the world, as expressed in these wonderful photos. Thank you @meaningfulageing_au for your reminder that one of the things we love about the indigenous culture is the respect and reverence they have for Elders. Shout out the wonderful @sjmoore1970 and @firsthandsolutions for the incredible way you shine the light and continue to deeply and soulfully support our own indigenous culture. 🙏 Photos repost @garma_festival_official 🙏Jeanie Govin & Melanie Faith Dover & @hubersocial #worldindigenousday #garma #seniorsandteensempathyprogram #intergenerational #intergenerationalprogram #community #bringingcommunitybacktogether #heartandsoulstory #sharingstories #respectyourelders
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