You Matter!

November 5th, 2023

For many years now, Paths of Heart has participated in the You Matter Marathon – a global initiative that creates positive connections within and between individuals and communities. The vision of this organization is beautiful: envisioning (creating!) a world where individuals naturally and regularly affirm the significance and value of one another. Believing that the world would be a more peaceful and joyful place if every person knew they mattered, we share small cards with the words YOU MATTER on them during the month of November, as we are moved to do so within our communities. It’s a simple yet powerful way to spread kindness, compassion, and gratitude with others. For us, this simple gesture has extended throughout the year – I carry the cards with me always! We’ll be on ZOOM this week (click on link below), and will talk about this, and other ways to share “random acts of kindness” that uplift others and make the world a kinder, gentler place. Please note, Daylight Saving Time ends this Sunday, so remember to set your clocks BACK one hour! 🙂
You matter! Colleen and Mark

Topic: Paths of Heart ZOOM Gathering
Time: Nov 5, 2023 10:30 AM Mountain Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83784037627?pwd=SnMyeU1JcVVvUDhWOXFxM2lJMFZtZz09

Meeting ID: 837 8403 7627
Passcode: 833582

Quotes to ponder

“Ours is not the task of fixing the entire world all at once, but of stretching out to mend the part of the world that is within our reach.”
~ Clarissa Pinkola Estes

“Sharing You Matter cards reinforces how important it is to feel seen, to feel cared for, and to know that we belong.”
~ Bradley (participant)

“To kindness and love, the things we need most!”
~ The Grinch

“Carry out a random act of kindness, with no expectation of reward, safe in the knowledge that one day someone might do the same for you.”
~ Princess Diana.

“Remember, there’s no such thing as a small act of kindness. Every act creates a ripple with no logical end.”
~ Scott Adams

“That is what compassion does. It challenges our assumptions, our sense of self-limitation, worthlessness, of not having a place in the world, our feelings of loneliness and estrangement. These are narrow, constrictive states of mind. As we develop compassion, our hearts open.”
~ Sharon Salzberg

Looking Ahead/Notes of Interest

***Dates subject to change! Please always refer to latest newsletters for latest information and updates***

November 1st – 30th – YOU MATTER Marathon. More info at https://youmattermarathon.org/

Sunday, November 5th – ZOOM POH Gathering, 10:30 a.m. Remember to set your clocks BACK one hour for the end of Daylight Saving Time

Sunday, November 12th, 10:30 a.m. – In person POH Gathering, 10:30 a.m.

Sunday, November 19th – NO Paths of Heart Gathering

Sunday, November 26th – In person POH Gathering, 10:30 a.m.

Sunday, December 3rd – NO Paths of Heart Gathering, 10:30 a.m.

Sunday, December 10th – ZOOM POH Gathering, 10:30 a.m.

Sunday, December 17th – In person POH Gathering, 10:30 a.m.

Sunday, December 24th – no morning gathering, but we WILL be celebrating the Season of Light and Peace at our Christmas Eve concert! More information to come!

Sunday, December 31st – NO Paths of Heart. Happy New Year!!

Please mark your calendars for the above scheduled dates!

Guest Presenters and Musicians Wanted!  Now that we’re meeting on a more regular basis we’d love to get back to having other folks present a topic on some Sundays and having other musicians sit in as well. Please get in touch if you’re interested! A small honorarium is available.

We’ve restarted our Paths of Heart Song Circles, usually the third or last Tuesday of every month, 7- 8:30 pm. Come join us for group singing in an informal and safe space. You are welcome to bring an instrument and song suggestions of love, life, and peace especially! $5.00-10.00 suggested donation. We will provide a variety of teas to drink. You are welcome to bring other beverages of choice. Please RSVP at least a day or two in advance! Since attendance has been rather inconsistent of late, we’d like the opportunity to make alternate plans if sign-up is light.

The following dates are on the calendar:
November 21st
(singing songs of Gratitude!)
December 19th (Songs of the Season)

Giving Opportunities
Paths of Heart continues to welcome and appreciate your generous donations as we work to bolster our finances and return to regular Sunday gatherings. During the pandemic, online donations became increasingly important to our organization, and are always gratefully accepted on our website, https://www.pathsofheart.org/donate/. There is an option for recurring monthly donations, if you so choose. We have also added Venmo as an easy way to donate to Paths of Heart! Just type in @PathsofHeart to find us in the Venmo app. Thanks so much for supporting the continuation of Paths of Heart.  Remember, we are a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, so your donations are tax deductible!

Another easy way to further support Paths of Heart is through the King Soopers Community Rewards Program – If you shop at KS and have a rewards card, you can “link” it to Paths of Heart and King Soopers will donate a portion of your dollars spent (around 5%) to our non-profit. Go to https://www.kingsoopers.com/i/community/community-rewards to sign up and link your card. Our organization name is Paths of Heart and organization number is RG782. Let us know if you want help signing up! This one small gesture (by just 25 or so families at this point) helps to generate over $1,000 a year for Paths of Heart, so we appreciate your consideration in participating in this valuable program!!

“Paths of Heart” Labyrinth and Zen Meditation Garden
This was intentioned to be a community space, so know that you are always welcome to drop by and walk or sit – you do not need to let us know in advance. Do note that we have experienced the outer “halo” of glass blocks in the labyrinth to be slippery when wet, so it’s best to walk it on a dry day.

Gratitudes

We are grateful to steep ourselves in gratitude this month of November, which we fondly call Gratitude month! Even in the midst of a number of challenges in our lives personally, there is SO MUCH to be grateful for! We also want to thank Judi and Rudy Lucero and their daughter-in-law Elizabeth for making the trip to join us for our Dia de los Muertos Celebration last Sunday! What a joyful time of music and memories!!

What are you grateful for today?

I don’t have to chase extraordinary moments to find happiness – it’s right in front of me if I’m paying attention and practicing gratitude.
~ Brene Brown

What I’ve learned is there’s a scientifically proven phenomenon that’s attached to gratitude, and that if you consciously take note of what is good in your life, quantifiable benefits happen.
~ Deborah Norville

“If the only prayer you said was thank you, that would be enough.”
~ Meister Eckhart

“Cultivate the habit of being grateful for every good thing that comes to you, and to give thanks continuously. And because all things have contributed to your advancement, you should include all things in your gratitude.”
~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

“Just an observation: it is impossible to be both grateful and depressed. Those with a grateful mindset tend to see the message in the mess. And even though life may knock them down, the grateful find reasons, if even small ones, to get up.”
~ Steve Maraboli

About Paths of Heart…

Paths of Heart is a high spirited, heart-centered community where we gather together (in new and creative ways!) for music, poetry, commentary, and dialogue to create and nurture joy, compassion, gratitude, and love – in our own lives and throughout the world.  Paths of Heart is a 501(c)(3) Human Services/Educational non-profit organization that uses the arts, especially, to encourage and propel seekers of a better, more peaceful world to find ways to serve, while becoming more kind and compassionate human beings.

We welcome you as we collectively and individually explore the sweet mysteries of life – this is an invitation into co-creation! 

Visit us on the web at https://www.pathsofheart.org
We hope our physical paths may cross soon!

“Pull up a chair. Take a taste. Come join us. Life is so endlessly delicious.” ~ Ruth Reichl