There are heroes in our lives. People, and organizations, who make a difference everyday. This past week, I was immersed in heroes. People telling their stories. People sharing their ‘strength, courage and experience’ as they say at Al-Anon. People making a difference through simple acts that create connection.

The committed and talented ’20 -40 something generationals’ who are members of The Urban Exposure Project — part of the United Way of Calgary’s BeCause Initiative: Uniting the next generation – are heroes. They are opening hearts and minds and making a difference with their photo-journalism work on the meaning of ‘family’.  (and yes, I know I wrote about them Thursday — but they deserve being part of Heroes In Our Midst!)  And if you’re in Calgary — check out their exhibition on July 4  (details will be posted on their website soon!)

The team at Urban Exposure Project are heroes.

 Horizon Housing Society (HH) ensures people with mental health illnesses and physical disabilities and those living on the margins have a place to come home to.  HH provides the physical space (they buy and build apartments and manage them) and then, working and collaborating with other agencies, ensures each individual or family has the support they need to successfully sustain themselves in community. In all the interviews I’ve conducted in the past two weeks, one thing came out loud and clear — The work they do is vital to creating caring and compassionate communities. Horizon Housing rocks!

Everyone at Horizon Housing Society is a hero.

Sometimes you meet someone who oozes inspiration from the very core of their being. While I have met with Kerry Parsons several times in the past, last weekend I had lunch with Kerry and in our conversation about the co-creative power of making a difference in the world, I felt connected on a deep, vibrant level. In the glow of her light, I felt my inherent, birthright of  ‘greatness’ reflected in the beauty of her spirit. Kerry is the visionary behind Summer of Peace Calgary 2012. Kerry’s generosity of spirit and her gentle, respectful way of moving through the world never cease to amaze and inspire me.  In Kerry’s willingness to give back to community and individuals, I am inspired to keep giving, keep doing, keep being who I am in a world of difference, making each moment, each act, each word resonate in the light of peace, love and joy.

Kerry Parsons and the circle of committed Peace Builders working on Summer of Peace Calgary 2012 are heroes.

Two weeks ago I interviewed a woman who found affordable and accessible housing (she is in a wheelchair) because of a newspaper article about a man who, having lost a leg due to a transit train accident, was clean and sober and living in community. The article by Calgary Herald reporter, Sean Meyers, mentioned the agency that helped that man find housing, Accessible Housing Society. When I interviewed her, she proudly showed me the article and the phone number she’d written down that day, almost a year ago, when she awoke in Detox and decided to turn her life around.

There are a lot of heroes in this story — from Sean Meyers (it was Sean Meyers Calgary Herald article about Terry Pettigrew that connected two brothers and gave hearts ease  during Terry’s final days) to, Horizon Housing and Accessible Housing Society and everyone there. There are the case managers, the HomeCare workers and the social workers committed to helping people like this woman thrive in community.  You are all heroes. 

We need heroes to remind us, to inspire us, to ignite our own heroic natures. Thank you heroes for all you do to make a world of difference.