Kama Muta: Moved by Love in Thunder Bay
Tumultuous. This is the adjective I’ve been using to describe 2020. Yet in spite of all the loss, tragedy, reckoning and heartbreak, this year has proved to have been a true test of the resilience of the human spirit. If I’ve learned anything from 2020, it’s that even when it feels as though all hope is lost, a gesture of kindness can make all the difference. It’s about learning to find joy in the little things that evoke a warm and fuzzy feeling. In ancient Sanskrit there is a word for this emotion: kama muta. Kama Muta translates into “moved by love”, and when people are isolated and stressed this momentary emotion allows us to reconnect with each other. This year, as a community, now more than ever before, we’ve chosen to practice kama muta and lift each other up, while physically apart amidst a global pandemic. In the spirit of togetherness, I’d like to take this opportunity to share with you some of the amazing things that have happened this past month in Thunder Bay that have given me hope.
As many of you are surely aware, there have been a disproportionate number of COVID-19 outbreaks in long-term care facilities across the province. Unfortunately, our very own Roseview Manor has been struck with an outbreak. In light of this, the ICU staff at the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Center partnered with the Sweet North Bakery to show their support for the residents and staff of Roseview by donating baked goods. The Sweet North is always looking for ways on their own to give back to our community so they’re a great business to support in these difficult times. You can find them at their 10 Court St S.or 1000 Fort William Rd location and on social media @thesweetnorth. From all of us at the Argus, we’d like to take a moment to thank all of the front line workers and healthcare professionals. We are so grateful for each and everyone of you!
Bay Village Coffee held their 12 days of Christmas Giveaway throughout the month of December! Each day leading up to Christmas, Bay Village selected two people (one from Instagram and one from Facebook) who entered the contest by liking and sharing their post to win free baking! Not only is this a fitting way to give back to their patrons, the lovely humans behind this coffeeshop have also recently donated a couple dozen blueberry scones to Roseview to show their appreciation for their hard work during this outbreak! If you’re interested in supporting this business, be sure to check them out on social media @bayvillagecoffee or visit their store front for ‘car-hop’ service at 221 Bay St., Thunder Bay, ON.
Aya Wadi and her mother Duha Sharr opened Royal Aleppo this past year at 17 St. Paul St. and one of their dishes is featured in a cookbook that has been commissioned by the United Nations! The cookbook entitled Tastes from Home: Recipes from the Refugee Community was released on December 14th in honour of the UN’s 70th anniversary. Wadi’s dessert included in the cookbook is the ma’amoul that she used to make in Syria. Ma’amoul is a cookie filled with dates or pistachios and topped with icing sugar, and is available for purchase at Royal Aleppo. The cookbook is available as a free ebook and can be found on the UNHCR website. Each download supports refugees and their families, so be sure to check it out! Find them on social media @royalaleppofood and check out their advertisement which is currently available on our website!
Image sourced from cbc.ca. Left to right: Lubaba Shesho, Duha Sharr, and Aya Wadi
Many things have been cancelled this year due to COVID-19 and the Parade of Lights is no exception. However, the Waterfront BIA District teamed up with local businesses to bring it to downtown Port Arthur. Businesses were asked to decorate and create window displays and invite the public to safely enjoy the light installations and holiday scenes by car or on foot during the month of December. This initiative raises funds for the same charities as the Parade of Lights, which includes George Jeffrey Children’s Foundation, Thunder Bay Therapeutic Riding Association, Autism Ontario Thunder Bay and Special Olympics through online donations. I particularly enjoyed the display at the Loop on the corner of Court St and Red River Rd! It was an awesome 80’s Christmas display, complete with references to the classic film, Gremlins (1984).
Images taken of The Loop, by Beth DeProphetis
Now, when I think of 2020, I know my adjective to describe it has changed. The kind hearted business-owners of Thunder Bay have shown me that 2020, though it was filled with heartache and tumultuous events, was actually a year of compassion: a year where we worked hard as a community to make life a little bit better for those around us. Happy Holidays, Argus readers! I sincerely hope that you seek out opportunities to feel kama muta.
https://www.socialsciencespace.com/2020/01/that-warm-fuzzy-feeling-has-a-name-kama-muta/
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/thunder-bay/refugee-cookbook-aya-wadi-thunder-bay-1.5840537