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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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“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do, so throw off the bowlines, sail away from safe harbor, catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore, dream, discover. “ Mark Twain Wishing you all a year of dreaming, exploring and discovering. May we all find the strength, hope, empathy and love that will be needed to revive and sustain our communities and flora and fauna for our future generations. Happy New Year from my happy place. Thanks to all who have supported the @heartandsoulstory_sam journey in 2019. We look forward to sharing news of upcoming programs and plans for more intergenerational connection in 2020 with you soon. 📸 @lozzapix 🙏
The biggest supporters of Heart and Soul Story - couldn’t do what I do without their love. 🙏 Team Heron. Stay safe to anyone travelling over the festive season. Enjoy the time to connect, reflect and recharge. ❤️ #family #support #seniorsandteensempathyprogram #intergenerational #community #bekind #kindnessrocks #bringingcommunitybacktogether #sharingstories #startaconversation #volunteering #servicelearning #bethechange #agedcareaustralia #seniorcare #commonhumanity #mentalhealth #healtheworldtogether #loveoneanother #love #life #socialenterprise #socialenterpriseaustralia
WRONG WAY. GO BACK “I used to think the top environmental problems were Biodiversity loss, ecosystem collapse and climate change. I thought that with 30 years of good science we could address those problems. But I was wrong. The top environmental problems are selfishness, greed and apathy...And to deal with these we need a spiritual and cultural transformation. And we scientists don’t know how to do that.” Gus Speth Last Thursday I drove from Sydney to Gundagai for to celebrate the life of the mum of one of my dearest friends. The layer of thick smoke that hung in the air for the majority of the 5 hour drive down and back early Saturday morning, and to see how desperately parched our land is, was completely sobering. This image captures what it was like as I travelled along the Hume Highway ... ironical that the words on the sign “wrong way, go back” feel like a simple warning of what as a society we do need to do, GO BACK ....back to learn from a time when fruit and vegetables didn’t come wrapped in plastic, back to a time when children grew up with their Elders around them helping nurture their development, back to a time when we cycle and walk, rather than drive everywhere in a rush, back to a time when we sit together as a community sharing stories, rather than stream movies to different rooms in the house. The spiritual and cultural transformation we need is, in theory, actually quite simple, as it involves not much more than empathy, compassion, collective consciousness .what is hard is whether as so many individuals making up the whole, we are able to sacrifice the constant egocentric temptations of a consumer driven society to take action and truely put the needs of those who need it more before our own. We don’t need to go back completely though as Damon Gamau’s @2040film awesome Regeneration Rhyme yesterday provides hope that in a time of bleak environmental headlines, there has been wonderful steps forward happening around the 🌍 taking us in the right direction. Keep asking yourself, your family, your school, your community - what more can I do and we do together? 📸 Tom O’Dea #empathy #climatechange
I cannot keep these words from Nathan Scolero @dumbofeather out of my mind right now as the temperature once again creeps toward its predicted 40 degrees and smoke is so thick it shrouds a city usually known for shimmering. The constant news of ‘worst ever’ ‘unprecedented’ and ‘new norm’ conditions that are facing our incredible and exhausted firefighters, not just today, but for who knows how long, until Mother Nature decides to send down the flooding rains needed to disarm the mega fire that our exhausted firefighters are in in disbelief of. This does indeed feel like our Evolutionary Moment. This is, indeed, a time, more than ever, we need to be walking together, working together, problem solving together, and praying together ( however that is, or whatever that means to you) ... and resourcing from wholeness and love. 🙏 to those putting their lives on the line to protect what we have taken for granted for far too long. #nswbushfires #climatechange #walktogether #together #bringingcommunitybacktogether #ourevolutionarymoment #dumbodeather
I dropped into Opal Annandale on Friday to visit the residents who had taken part in STEP and let them know we were underway in our planning for next year’s program visits, to find that the newly appointed Aged Care Commissioner former Federal Court of Australia judge Hon Gaetano (Tony) Pagone, had just been in for a visit to further his understanding of Aged Care in situ. I was delighted to see in the entrance, the story of the heartwarming connections of the Seniors and Teens Empathy Program (STEP) there to greet him. “As a nation, Australia has drifted into an ageist mindset that undervalues older people and limits their possibilities. Sadly, this failure to properly value and engage with older people as equal partners in our future has extended to our apparent indifference towards aged care services. Left out of sight and out of mind, these important services are floundering. They are fragmented, unsupported and underfunded. With some admirable exceptions, they are poorly managed. All too often, they are unsafe and seemingly uncaring. This must change. Australia prides itself on being a clever, innovative and caring country. Why, then, has the Royal Commission found these qualities so signally lacking in our aged care system? We have uncovered an aged care system that is characterised by an absence of innovation and by rigid conformity.” (Excerpt from Royal Commission into Aged Care Health and Safety Interim Report) It is heartening to know that Tony Pagone, with so many years of experience and such a strong interest in social justice, was wanting to see for himself what things are like on the ground in Aged Care. And it was equally heartening to know, that amongst needing to hear the heartbreaking cases of abuse and neglect during the Aged Commission hearings, he could also get to see that there there are also many dedicated people working in Aged Care and in our community full of compassion, care and conviction for the best possible life for the Elders of our society. #seniorsandteensempathyprogram #intergenerational #intergenerationalconnection #community #bringingcommunitybacktogether #opalagedcare
The @bep Black Eyed Peas soundtrack “where is the 💓?” echoed through the corridors of @bupaaustralia Maroubra this week as we played a slideshow of photos of the years visits from the Bowen College. End of year cheer was obvious as students brightened the day of the residents they have been visiting since February. Residents faces lit up with gifts of paintings, coloured fans and cards with Christmas messages. All received a little 🎁 reminder from HSS to not take life too seriously, with a brightly wrapped @whogivesacraptp with message “When life has you down and feeling a bit crap,take a deep breath, smile and think how can I give back!” When one of the residents with dementia not usually part of the program joined and was SO excited she jumped up, arms flailing and ran over to give one of the students a huge hug, the Black Eyed Peas question was answered .. here is the love 💓!” STEP will resume for a new class of students with residents of Bupa Maroubra in February 2020. A huge thanks to Chris,Doris, Margaret,Mia and the team at Bupa and Mel, Tom, Tim, Yasmin and the staff at The Bowen College for all your support with this year’s program. #bringingcommunitybacktogeth seniorsandteensempathyprogram #intergenerational #community#sharingstories #startaconversation #youthoffthestreets #volunteering #servicelearning #bethechange #agedcareaustralia #seniorcare #bupaagedcare #commonhumanity #mentalhealth #healtheworldtogether #friends #life #socialenterprise #socialenterpriseaustralia
Happiness is .... a Chupa Chup, some chums and good old fashioned chat & chortle 💓✨ Conversation time for The Bowen College and Bupa Maroubra residents this Wednesday. #seniorsandteensempathyprogram #intergenerational #community #conversation #chupachups #kindnessrocks #bringingcommunitybacktogether #sharingstories #startaconversation #youthoffthestreets #volunteering #servicelearning #bethechange #agedcareaustralia #seniorcare #bupaagedcare #commonhumanity #mentalhealth #healtheworldtogether #loveoneanother #love #photooftheday #friends #life #socialenterprise #socialenterpriseaustralia
“Now, more than ever, we need to be walking together, imagining new possibilities with each other,resourcing from wholeness and love.” The incredible mag @dumbofeather doesn’t just tell stories, but brings out their heart and soul. Beautifully relayed stories of incredible people on its pages have been nurturing my soul for over 15 years, helping me keep hope in a world that sometimes feels so chaotic and on a path of destruction (👉to see original Founder Kate Bezar’s note in issue 3 on how people love passing on their copies, and I have Loved sharing it with friends over the years, delighted when I can introduce such a 💓 in my life to others). Current editor Nathan Scolero’s ( a true gem in this world) intro to the latest issue is as poignant as ever ... “There’s too much at stake to ignore or make small of what researchers and wisdom keepers are telling us. What became apparent as we were working through the content is that we can be, and need to be, part of a restorative narrative in this moment.... Rather than tuning out of conversations about our changing planet, I’m thinking about what I might have to offer at this time, how I can deepen my connections with those around me and give back to the 🌍. Now, more than ever, we need to be walking together, imagining new possibilities with each other,resourcing from wholeness and love.” This wkd, grab yourself a copy of DF, read it, savour it, discuss it, pass it on ... do it for our world and our future generations. 💓✨ Re 📸 @dumbofeather #dumbofeather #ourevolutionarymoment #climate #climatechange #community #stories4connection #bringingcommunitybacktogether #heartandsoulstory #healtheworld #youcanmakeadifference
Flashback Friday to this special moment at the Recognition Gathering of STEP, where Jed reads out the heartfelt card written to him by his Elder buddy Louise. She was touched by so many moments of kindness on Jed’s part throughout the time they spent together including his thoughtful gift of a Ride like a Girl poster and her fave footy team Roosters flag that she now proudly shows everyone who walks in her room. I was beyond delighted this week when I spoke with @opalagedcare Annandale’s Lifestyle Coordinator, that Jed and his family had come to visit Louise over the weekend, which had her buzzing with excitement. One of the aims and hopes from the Seniors and Teens Empathy Program, is that, where and when possible, teens will continue to visit the buddies that have made during their time on the program. We follow up a month or so after the initial program has finished ( and before we aim to start with a new cohort of students) with a session with teens that reflects on any challenges, the benefits they have felt from participating, and also talks about the ongoing benefits to self and others of continuing to volunteer in different ways in their community. “The positive impact volunteering has on personal domains such as life satisfaction, social development and self-esteem may also prove beneficial to educational outcomes in those who volunteer” (Bundick, 2011; Cemalcilar, 2009). And in the simple words of a student ...”It just feels really good” #seniorsandteensempathyprogram #bekind #intergenerational #intergenerationalconnection #intergenerationalprogram #community #bringingcommunitybacktogether #heartandsoulstory #sharingstories #startaconversation #empathy #stories4connection #igssyd #volunteering #servicelearning #bethechange #agedcareaustralia #seniorcare #eldercare #opalagedcare #commonhumanity #mentalhealth #healtheworldtogether #loveoneanother #love #friends #life #socialenterprise #socialenterpriseaustralia
Dr Sarah Jane Moore, recipient of the Anat On Country Residency, is currently oyster artist in Residence at UNSW Sydney where she is collaborating with Indigenous Scientist Laura Parker and exploring creative research dialogues that focus on the Baludarri or the Sydney Rock Oyster. Her exhibition ‘ I know where oysters lie” explores the importance of the Baludarri, the Sydney Rock Oyster shell as a remnant story; a story of resilience and heritage, of the importance of the humble oyster as a filter, a restorer of river systems and oceans too. @sjmoore1970 Sarah Jane is an independent creative artist, performer ( swipe 👉 to see her rockstar performance of her song about the Oysters) , researcher, lecturer, incredible mother, wise and spiritual storyteller. A friend who came into my life after a trip to Tassie a few years ago, a friend I can’t ever now imagine not being in our life. If you have the chance I highly encourage you to see her art and listen to her share her story this week Wed to Thursday at the Accelerator Gallery, 6-8 Scott Street Piermont from 11 til 3. Everyone and everything has a story. We need powerful storytellers like Sarah Jane to help the future of our planet. Come and hear the tale of the Baludarri told by one of the most passionate and talented storytellers I know. #baludarri #storytelling #unswscience #oysters #sydneyrockoysters #artmeetscience #powerofstory #creativityforchange
As the sun rises today across our incredible country our thoughts and love go to those affected by the bushfires. In particular we send love to our incredible emergency services and Rural Fire Services teams and volunteers who are stretched beyond capacity and face imminent and grave danger to protect us. It is times like these we need most to come together as a community, as one.. in particular we need crave that from our leadership. And in the wise words of the amazing @catiadavim today “ stay safe and when the threat is over let’s sit and rethink everything. This is not normal. “ Repost @joelabell #environment #climatechange #climatechangeaffectsusall #bringingcommunitybacktogether #staysafe #thisisnotnormal
These words from Jean in her post Spring STEP reflection gave me mixed emotions... happy that she enjoyed her conversations and interaction so much with the teens, in particular becoming good buddies with Angus over the year. However, I also felt a twinge of sadness when she said it was “just not something I was expecting in a place like this”. With the Royal Commission interim report into Aged Care released last week, Minister for Aging Richard Colbeck was quoted saying “ It puts the government on notice, the industry on notice and it puts the community on notice, we need to change the approach of how we care for older Australians." I think as we as a community hear and reflect on the Royal Comission findings, it is important that we all look at what our role is, what we can do.. .that we don’t finger point at the government or industry, but that we acknowledge all of our roles to keep our Elders living with respect, dignity and connection to our community. “If we were to lose (our) sense of human connectedness, we would risk losing our sense of compassion. Then we would stop living as if we need each other, though we do. We would fail to recognise that our own mental health depends on the health of the communities we belong to, though it does” Hugh Mackay AO, Psychologist, Social Researcher and Author #seniorsandteensempathyprogram #intergenerational #community#agedcareroyalcommission #bringingcommunitybacktogether #sharingstories #startaconversation #youthoffthestreets #volunteering #servicelearning #bethechange #agedcareaustralia #seniorcare #eldercare #bupaagedcare #commonhumanity #mentalhealth #healtheworldtogether #loveoneanother #love #friends #life #socialenterprise #socialenterpriseaustralia
A reflective yet joy filled moment today. Quiet colouring whilst thinking of those who have died. Dia de los Muertos. Day of the dead. Paying respect and remembering those who have died as part of our 🎃 session at Bupa today. The annual Mexican celebration, Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead), is a time when families gather to honor and remember deceased loved ones. Since living in Mexico for a short time in 2009, we have celebrated this tradition annually as a family, each year adding new family or friends who have died to our altar of rememberance. Day of the dead is full of colour. A day not to mourn, but to honour the dead. The Aztec honored their dead with fiestas and rituals during the harvest season. They viewed death as the beginning of the cycle of seasons and life. Living with death in this way means that Mexicans learn to accept death as part of life. #diadelosmuertos #seniorsandteensempathyprogram #intergenerational #community#kindnessrocks #bringingcommunitybacktogether #sharingstories #startaconversation #youthoffthestreets #volunteering #servicelearning #bethechange #agedcareaustralia #seniorcare #bupaagedcare #commonhumanity #mentalhealth #healtheworldtogether #loveoneanother #love #friends #life #socialenterprise #socialenterpriseaustralia
Dia de los Muertos. Day of the dead. Paying respect and remembering those who have died as part of our 🎃 session at Bupa today. The annual Mexican celebration, Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead), is a time when families gather to honor and remember deceased loved ones. Since living in Mexico for a short time in 2009, we have celebrated this tradition annually as a family, each year adding new family or friends who have died to our altar of rememberance at home. Day of the dead is full of colour. A day not to mourn, but to honour the dead, to celebrate them and remember all the thugs that made them who they were. The Aztec honored their dead with fiestas and rituals during the harvest season. They viewed death as the beginning of the cycle of seasons and life. Living with death in this way means that Mexicans learn to accept death as part of life. #diadelosmuertos #seniorsandteensempathyprogram #intergenerational #community#kindnessrocks #bringingcommunitybacktogether #sharingstories #startaconversation #youthoffthestreets #volunteering #servicelearning #bethechange #agedcareaustralia #seniorcare #bupaagedcare #commonhumanity #mentalhealth #healtheworldtogether #loveoneanother #love #friends #life #socialenterprise #socialenterpriseaustralia
This week I was 🙏 to have the opportunity for some creative time in Melbourne, starting with an authentic conversation with the gentle and wise editor of @dumbofeather Nathan Scolero. I was Injected with a true hit of a creative inspiration just being in the workspace of a magazine I’ve admired and savoured for more than 13 years. Dumbo Feather is all about conversations with extraordinary people ( if you’ve never read it I encourage you highly to buy a copy and pass it on). I mused with Nathan that the relationships I see blossom between teens and Elders during STEP will often lead to extraordinary conversations with ordinary people ( which leads me to think how extraordinary many of our so called ‘ordinary’ community members actually are). As I studied the incredible people on the wall of inspiration at Dumbo Feather 👉 & school of life aus HQ I pondered to myself whether these too were ordinary people who just showed consistent determination for their cause no matter the obstacles in their way. I later had the good fortune to attend a thought provoking panel discussion on the role of creativity in climate change hosted by the incredibly talented Karina Seljack from @seljakbrand We heard about innovative & creative community housing solutions from @nightingale.housing , a recently graduated uni student making beautifully designed played from pure lettuce 🥬waste produce and the bringing together of community in temporary tents by Sydney artist Keg DeSouza. Being in @cityofmelbourne , exposed to such creativity across such different disciplines, sparked a number of new 💡 for my intergenerational connection work. Einstein called this ‘Combinatory play’ - opening up one mental channel by dabbling in another. In other words, taking two unrelated things and putting them together to generate new ideas. Stepping away from your project, immersing yourself in combinatory play seems to be, according to Einstein 👉 “the essential feature in productive thought” Next time you feel you are stuck on a project and just need to double down to get it solved... take the time out to step away and dive into some combinatory play 💡🌈 💡
Gratitude is a feeling of happiness that come from appreciation. Shout out to my biggest supporter out there. My partner in life, child rearing, excel spreadsheet manoeuvring and social enterprise 🎢 crises mentoring, managing and massaging. My determination to successfully spread the benefits and impact of intergenerational connection as far and wide as I can is only slightly surpassed by my determination to become a better 🏄🏻‍♀️ to share not just the often tumultuous 🌊 of work and child rearing with him, but together, more of both the peace and thrill that the ocean brings us both. 💛 #heartandsoulstory #sharingstories #love #together #sunrisesurf #socialenterpriseaustralia
“Educating the mind without educating the heart is no education at all” Aristotle #seniorsandteensempathyprogram #kindnessrocks #intergenerational #intergenerationalconnection #intergenerationalprogram #community #bringingcommunitybacktogether #heartandsoulstory #sharingstories #startaconversation #empathy #stories4connection #igssyd #volunteering #servicelearning #bethechange #agedcareaustralia #seniorcare #eldercare #opalagedcare #commonhumanity #mentalhealth #healtheworldtogether #loveoneanother #love #friends #life #socialenterprise #socialenterpriseaustralia
A small act of kindness can be so simple to enact, but the effects of that action can be felt for far longer than the giver would ever realise. A case in point came from this magic moment captured perfectly by @opalagedcare photographer Mikalus, when the big-hearted Jed from @igssyd gifted his buddy Louise a poster of Michell Payne in @ridelikeagirlmovie , to her absolute delight. During STEP, there had been a wonderful connection between the students and Elders as we played the “what’s in common” game, over a common love for Michelle Payne, and in particular Louise's love of horses ( a close second to her love of cats). It always blows me away to see how mature, kind and thoughtful the students can be ( teens cop a lack of flack for their self centeredness, but giving them the opportunity to spend time with their Elders mostly reveals the exact opposite. Louise now proudly displays the poster on her wall for all to see. This thoughtful act of kindness from Jed was typical of his nature ( he’d surprised her the week earlier with a Roosters flag after learning that was her favourite footy team), but he likely had no real idea how his seemingly small actions could bring a world of happiness to her week. Happy 16th Birthday for this week Jed. 🙏 for your kind ❤️ #seniorsandteensempathyprogram #bekind #kindnessrocks #michellepayne #ridelikeagirlmovie #intergenerational #intergenerationalconnection #intergenerationalprogram #community #bringingcommunitybacktogether #heartandsoulstory #sharingstories #startaconversation #empathy #stories4connection #igssyd #volunteering #servicelearning #agedcareaustralia #seniorcare #eldercare #opalagedcare #commonhumanity #mentalhealth #healtheworldtogether #love #photooftheday #friends #socialenterpriseaustralia
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