Closure for the Abundant Heart
Following the conclusion of the Winter 2023 Gratitude Trifecta series, community members met for a March Morning Mixer at Cascade Ponds. We gathered around a campfire on a wintry morning and spoken word artist Shawayne Dunstan shared a poem, reflecting on his recent experience. Four months later, July 30, 2023 – I interviewed Shawayne and asked him to tell me in his own words, what he would like the Grassroots Gratitude Community to know about his experiences and about the poem.
LWC: What are some important footnotes for us to understand, Shawayne?
SD: A few pieces of context I could give to that… Practice. Practice. Practice. Practicing gratitude. Practicing leadership. Practicing love to one another. We are all on this planet. We are all trying to get by. We all see the atrocities. We all just want to have the abundance and that abundance I hope is love, passion and a kind of gratitude. What I want the audience to know about myself is that I have been on this writing journey, this gratitude journey for a while now — and it was because of role models, my teachers and peers who really set me up for success by giving an ear to lean on; by giving me a journal that I would eventually write my first couple of poems in. By giving me words of advice when I didn’t know what my future would bring. And by standing by my side when I just felt like I wanted to fall. You see – this is all a piece of work in motion. I am a piece of art in motion. And I hope that no matter how hard it gets, no matter the methods of coping, that people find hope and peace in my words spoken and read.”
In the interview, Shawayne adds that the world pushes us down and we may get pushed to the edge sometimes, “But we have to lean into the beauty, lean on Nature, on each other… and that will set us free.”
LWC: Thanks for sharing what lies deep in the soil of your soul and for heart and the passion and the love that you bring to your everyday leadership…” To hear the poem and to listen to the rest of this interview, visit: Grassroots Gratitude YouTube Channel
Closure for the Abundant Heart
I look around and still find reasons for gratitude
Assurance without sound, there is power within you
All you’ve been through, whether light or dark
No need to be miserable, this is closure for the abundant heart
Fire of my eyes on spring mornings
Art of getting by despite chaos and storming
Breathe ever so long and deep
There is so much potential in we
Thankful for how far we’ve come today
Thankful for the group, guests and Lorraine
No matter the struggle, we must find a way
Remember those who love you
With that knowledge you’ll be okay
Tender words I stretch out to you
If I am the tree, you’re all the seed that grew
Take time to appreciate this beautiful life
Easy for hurdles to seem like life is just passing by
Wave to your neighbour, share a smile
If you’re willing to do a favour, pick up the phone and dial
You hold the power to bring about change
May the abundance spill over as you seek to understand
The world’s pain
