It was a week filled with encounters with people of the hero kind. People doing their ordinary tasks in extraordinary ways.

And it was a week where a great man died. Former Premier of Alberta, Peter Lougheed, passed away on Thursday, September 13. He was 84. Mr. Lougheed was responsible for my once being a card carrying conservation, working to support a Progressive Conservative in his bid to win a seat a seat in the provincial legislature. He was responsible for my pride in this province. My belief in the power of each of us to have a voice. He was a statesman. A man of integrity. A man of vision. And he is gone. His heart quit beating its fierce tattoo, but his legacy continues.

Peter Lougheed was a hero and his light shines on.

Yesterday, I sat on a United Way panel to talk about Youth and the work the United Way of Calgary and Area does to support the agencies working with youth and the work they are doing to ensure youth have the opportunity to grow up to be all they can be.  From Heather Innes, the UW moderator and Kiran Kadavil, the UW team member responsible for Community investment work with youth and Andrew Tse of the Calgary Boys  & Grils Club, I was in brilliant company.

Heather Innes, Kiran Kadavil, Andrew Tse and people who put into action UW campaigns with such enthusiasm and commitment — you are all heroes.

Running a campaign is no small task. Organizing speakers is one part of the undertaking that can be daunting. Adyam Sendek is charged with just such a task, and she is undertaking it with grace, learning the ropes as she goes and shining a light on the chaos that happens every fall when the UW campaign kicks-off.

Adyam Sendek is a hero.

I love music and, when I get to be in the presence of performers who shimmer in the brilliance of their musical expression, I bask in the reflection of their light and know it is true. We are all connected. Last night at their concert in the Jack Singer Hall, Deva Premal/Miten connected us all through their music and song. They connected us through their warm, engaging smiles, their encouragement to sing out loud, to stand up and be one. And, they connected us through the mantras they sang with such grace and ease I floated into bliss without ever leaving my seat.

Deva Premal/Miten and their flutist, Manose are heroes.

And… to give you a taste of the brilliance of their performance…