Glowing Heart Stories

“My heart glows when I think of when I used to drive to work in the morning and sometimes start to sing O Canada in my car. These days, as Canadians we mostly sing our national anthem at hockey games, but singing it alone in the peace of the morning really sets a wholesome tone for the day.

Driving to work each morning I would also think of my place in our vast country, just one person setting out each day to do my job, making a daily contribution, making customers happy, making my employers happy, making my coworkers happy, and hoping they were all doing the same.

That is when I realized what true patriot love really is—the daily sacrifice and giving of all Canadians who go out each day and provide goodness to the world. As I drove I would see thousands of other people, likely doing the same, and it made me appreciate just what it takes to run the world we live in and the amount of love and goodness that exists each day just as a result of that. From the construction workers to the teachers, cooks, servers, healthcare workers, salespeople and all the other great people making a contribution each day. It is a true blessing and I pray and thank God for that deeply, especially when I sing, asking Him to keep our land glorious and free.

When I sing “with glowing hearts” I sometimes remember when that phrase first sparked my imagination, some time just before 2016 at the Abbotsford Air Show when a plane was flying a routine to the music of O Canada playing in the background. It was such a peaceful scene, and in a moment of serenity that phrase stood out in my mind, and the idea for this movement was born. Now when I sing it, I think of what actually makes my heart glow and feel warm, and I feel compelled to tell others about those things.

Several years ago my life’s journey took a tragic turn as I was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma cancer. It was a shock to me and I was left unsure of many things, but here I am today thanks in great part to Canada’s healthcare system. The amazing part is that it hardly cost me anything, and I have no debts as a result of many chemotherapy sessions and a final stem cell transplant at Vancouver General Hospital. My heart glows for all the people involved who saved my life, and I hope this project will be able to give back and support some of the work they do.”

— Stuart H, Abbotsford, BC
Founder, Glowing Hearts Canada

"I remember this intense feeling as a child that has happened less and less as I got older. My memory is specifically in my kindergarten class with my teacher leaning down to me to talk with me while I was sitting in a chair. I had this really warm glowing sensation. It was like interconnectedness. I think it had to do with learning as well—being taught something patiently and honestly... genuine care.

It seems those experiences happened less and less as I got older, but actually it is glimmering once again—this time it is from the other side! When I have certain conversations with my little niece—she asked about the sun and the clouds—and I explained that the sun is really far away and the clouds in-between. She asked where the sun was and I started to try and tell her about space. She was really fascinated and kept asking great questions. I kept trying to use the best description to illuminate it for her. The next day when we were back in the car, my sister driving and me in the back seat again with her, she leaned over and said 'Uncle P can we talk about space again?' I almost cried, but I experienced that feeling once again."

— FlipWil, Toronto, ON

"When Canadians do normal, typical Canadian things internationally or at international events, and then they get praised in the media for it. Like when Keegan Messing held up the flag so his Japanese competitor could face it during his national anthem.

When Canadians travel internationally and are treated adequately until others realize they are Canadian, and then suddenly they’re treated so much better. I recall several instances where people assumed that I was American because of my accent and then found out I was Canadian, and apologized and started treating me better. The specific instances that stick out to me are from when I was still a kid, and I’m in my late 30s now so it’s not related to the current political situation.

One time when I lived in Florida, I bumped into a clothing rack while shopping and apologized. The lady standing behind me asked if I was Canadian. I told her that I was and asked why she asked. She replied, “Americans won’t even apologize when they do something wrong, and you just apologized to an inanimate object. I knew you were Canadian.”

When you realize how many Canadians in Hollywood are praised for being exceptionally wonderful people and most of the time, they’re just being Canadian. Examples include Keanu Reeves, Ryan Gosling, Brendan Fraser, Michael J. Fox, etc.

What makes my heart glow the most is that Canada is a cultural mosaic and not a melting pot. Well, we absolutely expect people to fit within the borders or boundaries of our country, but instead of celebrating assimilation, we celebrate how the diversity of our country enriches both the citizens and our country as a whole.

And last but certainly not least, learning Terry Fox is known outside of Canada and that there are Terry Fox runs outside of Canada."

— Anonymous, Dundas, ON

"I have suffered from depression for forty years. I work hard to keep it at bay. One of the ways I do that is to look for tiny bits of joy in the day. Some things that make me joyous are: watching big fluffy snowflakes fall especially at the beginning of winter, seeing shadows of trees on the walls in my home, feeling my dogs head on my lap, the memory of my son’s face lighting up when he caught sight of me unexpectedly in his school, the memory of my daughter saying, 'this is the bestest day ever,' for about twenty days in a row when she was four. As to Canada specific things, seeing Come From Away was very moving."

— Dog-boy, Ottawa, ON

I can’t help but feel somewhat awkward trying to explain my response to the question, “As a Canadian, what makes your heart glow?” referring of course to our national anthem. When I ran across this little query on Reddit, I thought about it for maybe three seconds, and responded with two words: Shania Twain. Now of course, it’s easy to dismiss this offhanded reply as just another guy responding only with his hormones, but please do hear me out. To understand my response, you need to understand where, and also when I am coming from. Specifically, the “where” is Toronto, and the “when” is the 1990s.

It’s almost midnight and I am out with friends after a tough shift at an Eaton Centre restaurant. I was, at the time, still trying to figure out my place in the world, and other than wanting to live in the Annex, I didn’t have much direction in life. I don’t recall the specific bar we were at; we tended to drift from pub-style venues and karaoke nights to the slightly more upscale yuppie bar where this story takes place. What I do recall about that night is one of my female friends, sitting on a bar stool with her legs crossed, her eyes focused on a young man in business khaki casual, listening patiently as he attempted to strike up a conversation with her. She was, and still is, a rather striking beauty, well-acquainted with getting male attention, and her demeanor in this case is friendly but non-committal, and very, very patient.

There is something about her that says she’s been down this road before, and she knows how the game is played, and while she is not averse to it, she would kind of appreciate it if this guy would just cut to the chase. There’s no artifice in her; she is not leading him on, nor is she dumbing herself down as I’ve seen a few other women do in places like this. She is simply being herself, completely relaxed, confident, polite, and rather like a hiring manager facing a competent but unimpressive applicant, who might be okay unless a more interesting candidate happens to appear. She’s not rejecting him (yet), but she needs to see a bit more.

My friend is not unusual. The majority of the Canadian women I have known have exhibited, by varying degrees, this exact level of composure. They are intelligent, patient, kind, imbued with trademark Canadian wit, and willing to give a guy a shot if he’s not too boring or boorish. Incidentally, the poor guy struck out, but she was gracious about it, and he didn’t take it personally.

Is it any wonder then, that Shania Twain strikes me as a quintessential Canadian woman, especially when her songs celebrate the very traits that my friends embody? Ms. Twain’s songs were not typical fare in the 1990s, or even now, from what I hear. The majority of female pop stars, then as now, were unquestionably talented, but their songs generally spoke of love, heartache, or seduction. They didn’t sing the praises of a girls’ night out, as Twain did in “Man! I Feel Like a Woman!”, or humorously voice their frustration with male egos, as in “That Don’t Impress Me Much”. These songs are smart and witty and fun, and they showcased a much wider view of a woman’s experience than simply hooking up or falling in love.

Shania Twain makes my Canadian heart glow because she is representative of the Canadian women that I had the pleasure of growing up with; the same women who were my friends and confidantes and lovers, who were smart, funny, and real, and whose nights on the town were often less about sex or romance and more about cutting loose and having a good time. I miss them all dearly, because whether friends or exes, they were incredible people and so much fun to be with. I feel very lucky to have known them.

— Patrick Ocampo - Brampton, ON - patrickocampo1014@gmail.com
@patrickmocampo