A Season of Light and Hope

Photo by Sweta Meininger

Over the holidays, I've had my head buried in Rutger Bregman's Humankind. The book shines a light on the indispensable role of trust and cooperation in making up the social glue that allows us to flourish together. The more we come to know our friends and family and the more we allow ourselves to be known, the deeper our connection to one another and to our selves.

Resilience in Community

With community as one of Thrive's 5 core values, it's driven every decision made about the studio experience curated for our families. Thrive's focus on collaborative learning is founded on the understanding that we are more resilient when we trust that we are part of a community that supports us. Throughout our 2.5 years of being online, it was this community that made me determined to shepherd Thrive through season after season of uncertainty.

Beyond Music

I believe that leadership is about helping others to see their own ability to make a positive difference in the world. It's been wonderfully gratifying to see friendships forming and deepening at Thrive. Week by week, I've witnessed how this has led to a greater willingness to take on bigger challenges because every Luminary and their LUMINA Coach knows that they're part of a learning community that has their back.

My Favourite Things

Since relaunching in-person programming in September, the abundance of hugs has been right at the top of my list of favourite things. It's also been a joy to see faces flush with excitement now that we're finally hearing the joyous results of making music together. A roomful of pianists accompanying enthusiastic, heartfelt singalongs has been another highlight.

Also safely stored away in my treasure chest of forever memories is witnessing the generosity of spirit exhibited by Luminaries and LUMINA Coaches cheering one another on and even helping out at our Winter Kaleidoscope (our first in-person concert in 3 years!).

Our first-ever Thrive Drive collected donations for the Markham Food Bank, sparking thoughtful conversations amongst our studio community. To see the generosity with which so many families embraced this initiative was a deeply moving and uplifting experiencing.

A Gift For You

To share some of this season's special joy with you, check out this video I created. It captures some of my most cherished moments from this past Fall... and you may even recognise a few familiar faces. I've watched this video countless times and my eyes still get a little watery with each viewing. If you'd like to spread the joy, feel free to share it with friends and family.

The Year Ahead

Here's to a year of looking for the best in one another. Now that I'm fast approaching my mid-century mark, I've come to realise that when we believe the best in others, it allows them to live up to their potential. If you've ever experienced the sense of pride that swells up in you when someone you respect places their trust in you, imagine what it's like when your child sees that you have faith in them. This begins with us learning to be more accepting and trusting of ourselves.

My Wish For You

On this first day of 2023, my wish for you and your family is a season of light and hope. May the new year bring you and your loved ones the gifts that come with a more trusting heart and faith in the goodness of others.

If you'd like to see what is happening at Thrive this season, click here.