Wrecked him? Damn near killed him.

As 2009 comes to an end, I find myself reflecting upon the year that has just passed. I accomplished many of the goals I had set for myself while unforeseen circumstances conspired to keep other goals out of reach. What I will take onward from 2009 is the evolution of my process.

Small daily accomplishments add up to major progress over the long haul. I have learned to stay mindful and aware of the daily opportunities that are presented and exploit them to the best of my ability. Despite significant physical challenges, I have not only found ways to stay engaged in my training, but also have progressed along avenues I hadn’t expected. The concept of the journey being more important than the destination has been reinforced over and over again this past year.

For me UBBT6 is not ending but rather continuing on into the Live Like a Champion Project. I am still a work in progress and the journey continues to excite and inspire me.

“When we are motivated by goals that have deep meaning, by dreams that need completion, by pure love that needs expressing, then we truly live life.” - Greg Anderson (b. 1964)

Simplicity

The Copenhagen Conference has ended without any major progress toward addressing the global climate crisis beyond an agreement to keep working on a solution. Keep working, haven’t we been doing that for decades? Why are we even surprised when you consider there was the Kyoto Accord that was never adhered to. The time for working on a solution is long past, it is time to instigate action.

Whether or not you believe global warming is a man-induced phenomena, it is impossible to ignore the fact that the earth’s resources are depleting at an alarming rate. Sure technological strategies like carbon capture may reduce our greenhouse gas emissions (let’s not even talk about the possible catastrophic ecological ramifications of pumping that stuff underground) but this approach does not address our depleting resources. We are consuming our resources at an unsustainable rate. What I find obscene about the whole debate is that while the developed countries continue to try to protect their precious standard of living, people are starving needlessly.

Why can’t we live simply, consume less, and become aware of the things that really make us happy before it is too late?

Richard Colvin - Living Hero #8

I have always believed the parliamentary system to be the most democratic system of government available. Unfortunately the way the system is exploited by politicians to serve their own personal needs as opposed to the will the people, it can border on a totalitarian dictatorship. Canadians tend to reinforce the self serving agendas of our politicians by accepting their behavior without demanding representation or accountability.

Richard Colvin is a Canadian diplomat who has sacrificed his future career in the foreign service by testifying before the Special Committee on the Canadian Mission in Afghanistan that detainees turned over to local authorities by Canadian soldiers were subsequently tortured. While being attacked personally and threatened by his own government, Colvin has not wavered in his commitment to doing the right thing by bringing the truth to the Canadian people and taking a stand for Canada.

The Conservative government denies they were ever aware of the issue and have since implemented illegal and dirty tactics to suppress evidence to the contrary. Despite great personal sacrifice and hardship, Richard Colvin remains committed to his belief that the war in Afghanistan has gone badly wrong because of poor political leadership, which has endangered Canadian and Afghan lives. He also feels the same view is widely shared among his colleagues who have been silenced by their superiors.

I can only wonder what changes would be possible if everyone was willing to take a stand like Richard Colvin has. I would think that at a minimum we would have a system where our representatives in the House of Commons actually cast their votes for the will of their constituents as opposed to the whim of their party leader.

“Counter-insurgency is an argument to win the support of the locals. Every action, reaction or failure to act become part of the debate. In Kandahar, Canada needs to convince local people that we are better than the Taliban, that our values were superior, that we would look after their interests and protect them. In my judgment, some of our actions in Kandahar, including complicity in torture, turned local people against us. Instead of winning hearts and minds, we caused Kandaharis to fear the foreigners. Canada’s detainee practices alienated us from the population and strengthened the insurgency.” - Richard Colvin (b. 1969)

Romeo Dallaire - Living Hero #7

It is impossible to forget the images of the Rwandan genocide I saw on the news in April 1994. Man’s inhumanity to man front and centre. This situation was so inconceivable it was impossible to make sense of such atrocity. How could the world stand by and let such a thing happen?

Romeo Dallaire was the Force Commander of UNAMIR, the United Nations Assistance Mission for Rwanda when the genocide took place. While battling international bureaucracy, Dallaire is credited with saving over 32,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus from death despite being undermanned, under equipped, and under empowered.

Since retiring from the Canadian military, Romeo Dallaire has become known for his humanitarian work and as an activist for human rights. Romeo Dallaire currently sits as a Senator in the the Canadian government and his lectures and writings continue to shake many out of their lethargic daze and inspire people all over the world to speak out and take action.

“The genocide was brutal, criminal, and disgusting and continued for 100 days under the eyes of the international community.” - Romeo Dallaire (b. 1946)