I guess you know the story … Maya Gebala is fighting for her life in a Vancouver hospital after being shot in the head at school.

[This has turned into a very long post!  I hope someone reads the whole thing.  Well … at least you have started!]

Millions of people are praying.  Thousands are posting on Facebook.  I think of geography:

1.  Canada

Sending prayers from NEWFOUNDLAND 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼

We are praying from Montréal, Québec.

Sending prayers, hugs, love, strength and  healing vibes from Oshawa, Ontario and all of Canada. 🇨🇦 Wishing you a long, healthy, happy life.

Prayers for Maya and family from Saskatchewan

Sending so much love from Toronto 🙏🏼❤️‍🩹

Praying for Maya and for the family as well from Northwest Territories 🙏🏼❤️

Prayers for the family and above all else PRAYERS FOR MAYA … from the Maskwacis Cree territory and my whole family

Prayers from Port Hope, Ontario.  All Canada prays. 🙏🙏

🙏🙏🙏🙏 prayers from all the way from Grise Fiord, Nunavut

Praying over and over here in Prince Rupert

We are praying for you, Maya.
You are a true warrior.
From Deep River, Ontario

God bless her for a long life she is going to have Amen. From Ahousaht, BC Canada

From Edmundston, New Brunswick (we are 🙏 for you )

Sending prayers from Gravenhurst, Ontario

Praying from Airdrie, Alberta 💕

Maya, hear my prayers please … Momma keep singing to your girl she hears you, dear, and so does God.  Maya, we love you here in PEI CANADA.  Fight fight fight .  I hope someday to meet you and your family so I can give you the biggest hug ever. 💞

I am still praying for you, Maya … lots of us here in Waterloo, Ontario.  Keep fighting.

All of our thoughts and prayers are with her from Dawson Creek and Edmonton

Praying for you, Maya from Rocky Mountain House, Alberta.  Hugs 🥰

We are all praying for her.  Sydney, Nova Scotia.

I hope to see a little video of you out there on the ice.  I bet you are really good.  Well I just wanted to let you know that we are all cheering you on with lots of prayers from Saint John, New Brunswick 🙏 ❤️

This is great news.  Even though she cannot speak or see at the moment, her little body is fighting to get better.  Stay positive, mom and dad.  She is in a good place for care.  My heart breaks for you.  I fully understand your pain.  From Tavistock, Ontario 🙏🥰❤️

Prayers 🙏 from St Joe’s Island, Ontario get well soon 🤗

What a sad day that was.  People in Manitoba are praying for you.  I’m from Steinbach MB.  Keep the faith alive.

Sending all of our love and positive healing energy to Maya.  Love from Hamilton, Ontario 🩷🩷🩷

🙏 for Maya and her family from Beamsville, Ontario.💜

That’s great news 🩷🙏🏼🌸 from Quebec 🥰

Praying for you Maya.  You are a trooper and my hero.  With love from Missisaauga, Ontario, Canada  🇨🇦 ❤️ 💖

She is a beautiful and strong young lady … in our prayers from Cape Breton, Nova Scotia 🙏🙏

Young lady everyone that love you and miss what s once to keep fighting you have come so far.  I have faith that you will fight your way back. Friend from Valemount, BC

I pray for you every day 🙏 🙏and for your family.  Keep fighting !  You got this!! 💪❤️ sending you much love from Quebec ❤️❤️

That’s a step in the right direction.  Great news.  I’ve been praying for your beautiful daughter.  I will continue to do so. 💓🙏
Petawawa, Ontario 🇨🇦

You’re a strong, sweet girl Maya!  Lots of Hugs from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan 🩷🩷🩷🥰

God be with her saying our prayers for her take care Maya from St. John’s, Newfoundland

Love and prayers to Maya and family from Montreal, Canada. 💕 🙏

Beautiful girl keep fighting.  We are all praying for you!  Praying from Regina, Saskatchewan!

Yay amazing news, prayers from Peterborough, Ontario ❤️

Everybody here in Calgary and at Tim’s cafe is praying for the safe and quick recovery of Maya.

Love from Port Alberni, Vancouver Island.

Sending our love from Toronto.  God bless you, Maya.

Maya, from many, many people on Vancouver Island, BC Canada … we are all sending you so much love.

Courage du Québec 🙌❤

Praying for Maya’s fast recovery!  Such a strong little girl.  From Kelowna, BC 🌹❤️🙏

Wishing you a speedy recovery 🙏 from Mayo, Yukon

Prayers from Vancouver, BC Canada … you can do this, Maya ❤️

You got this, Maya 🐻 slow and steady is a blessing, love, hugs and prayers from Newfoundland and Labrador ❤️❤️✌️

Come on angel after being through this you can overcome anything love and prayers from the Ottawa Valley

2.  The United States

Maya, we are praying for you in Minnesota … You have people across the world sending you strength and ❤️

Maya, I am so sorry this evil event happened to you.  You showed strength and courage that most adults wouldn’t have been able to do.  I pray with all my heart that you heal and are rewarded tenfold.  Keep fighting.  With love and prayers from Oregon.

Nothing but positive thoughts and prayers from St. Louis, Missouri

Your Baby Girl is in all my prayers as well as the churches in Plain City, Ohio.  You need to rewrite that.  It’s not just an entire community praying for her, it’s the entire world.  We all over the world are praying and pulling for Maya to come through this.

From Colorado praying for your baby girl 🙏🙏🙏

I’m still praying 🙏 every minute of my day for your daughter.  Love and lots of hugs from Texas today 🙏 ❤️ 💗

Prayers from Boise, Idaho 🙏💕

I cannot even imagine.  Maintaining the vigil here in New Jersey. 🙏✝️

Prayers sweet girl from Paris, Texas

Another link in the prayer chain sweet girl, from LaFayette, Georgia 🙏 🙏 🙏

She and you are an inspiration to all of us, strength, dignity, grace we continue to pray for her in New York watch for updates every day, hanging on with every ounce of hope.

Prayers from West Virginia, USA

We are praying for her everyday from North Carolina, love and prayers

Keeping you all in our prayers 🙏 ❤️ from Rhode Island.  We are sending healing prayers and strength.  Your baby girl is hero and she’s a fighter.

My prayers are with you and your family get better Sweetheart from Albuquerque, New Mexico

Yes, that’s good news she’s doing a bit better ahead a fighter that’s great 👍 prayers sent your way from California

Much love and prayers to you, Maya!  From the High Desert of Nevada.  You’ve GOT THIS, we embrace you with positive energy.  You are amazing!!!

That is wonderful news that she was moved into a room for recovery!  We are still praying for her in Michigan. 🙏🙏❤️

Many prayers from Clarksville, Tennessee  🇺🇸

I will be sending a card from Indiana

Sending prayers from Montana. 🙏🙏🙏

You’re way too young for any sort of wings🕊🕊🕊  Keep up the Fight until you open your beautiful eyes & see the Light 🌸💗🌸
Our prayers are with you here in McKinney, Texas … 💕

3.  The World

Just horrible.  What a brave young girl thinking of others before herself.  Keep fighting for your life.  Sending prayers from Australia.

My heart breaks 💔 for your loss Canada sending love and prayers from Glasgow hope this brave child pulls through.

Cheering you on from Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, Maya ❤️❤️❤️

Brave Girl 🙏 be better soon ❤️’s from Denmark

Healing prayers from Ireland 🙏🙏🙏❤️

Good luck, precious Maya.  You can get through this.  Sending love and prayers to you and your family as you fight this battle.  Thinking of you all from Victoria, Australia. 😘🙏

Maya, my love, I and my prayer team here in Jamaica are praying earnestly for you. My beautiful Maya, I love you so much, baby girl.  I truly believe that one day you  are going to respond soon. ❤️ 💖 💕 ♥️ 😘

Keep going beautiful girl xxx prayers from Scotland

Prayers, prayers, prayers from South Africa 🙏🏻😢❤️

Keep on little angel 😇 fight u can do it princess Maya sending 💕💕💕💕💕💕💕 from Zambia 🇿🇲 and healing from God almighty

Prayers from Rome, Italy ♥️

Kia Kaha sweet girl.  We are with you from New Zealand. 😘

C’mon little girl everyone is praying for you here in the UK.

Maya, you’re an inspiration to us all!  Keep fighting!  Sending prayers all the way from Ireland 🇮🇪 you are so loved ❤️🌹

Many of us in Ghent, Belgium are loving you, Maya.

Love from Sweden! ❤️💐

You go, girl!  Sending good karma from the Caribbean!  The sun is shining for you!!

Praise the Lord for getting this baby back on her feet.  We love you Maya and are pulling for you here in the Philippines.

I’m delighted to hear that Maya is being moved to recovery.  Nothing is impossible with God!  Prayer can move mountains.  I do believe that she will recover but you must have faith to receive the miracle.  She’s a fighter for sure.  Sending love and kindness ❤️
From Limerick,  Ireland … xx

Hi, I’m from Paraguay 🇵🇾. Praying for Maya and your family.  We have experienced like that too.

Come on, Maya.  Keep fighting.  Give it all you have got, beautiful girl.  Miracles do happen.  Sending lots of love and strength from New Zealand. ❤️

Sending well wishes for a speedy recovery all the way from Australia.  Our hearts are devastated for this horrendous attack on your children and country.  We stand with you all.  Fight hard precious girl.  You have so much support and love for you and your family all over the world. 🌍🥰❤️🥰❤️💐💐

Sending warm hugs to Maya from Mexico!

May Lord Buddha protect you and bless you, dear Maya … from Sri Lanka

I speak life upon Maya’s in the name of Jesus!  Blessings from Guatemala.

Sending prayers from Italy 🙏🙏🙏  We will storm heaven with our prayers 🙏🙏🙏

Prayers from Puerto Rico 🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏

Brave brave Girl ♥️ lots of prayers and love from Denmark 🇩🇰

💌❤️ sending hugs and prayers from Germany

4.  Beyond

You are such a sweet, fighting, miracle little angel girl!  The entire universe is so proud of you!👏

It looks like a cool modern sculpture, but it’s just a tooth.  One of them left my body on Tuesday morning, thanks to anaesthetic and the skill of my dentist.  It was a rotten little thing that could have infected its neighbour if left alone.

I’ve been taking Paracetamol (Tylenol) every six hours for the pain.  My logical mind (often not to be trusted) says that it would be strongest the first day, and decline from there.  Forty-eight hours after the procedure, the pain is rising.  The Internet says that’s normal – something about inflammation.  “Day Three is the worst.”

Okay.  I’m a big boy.  I can handle this.

I usually go towards the challenges in my life, rather than running away from them.  At 5:00 am this morning, I tossed that idea out the window. 

There’s the pain scale (1 = no pain, 10 = excruciating pain).  I was at 6.  Not happy.

I know the strategy called “Be with the pain.  Let it be there.  Don’t add ‘Ain’t it awful?’  And then it will leave.” 

I wasn’t emotionally strong enough to let it be.  I defined “6” as too much.  My mind said “Do something!”  So I did.

I put my glasses on, reached for my phone and looked for a Facebook post about Maya Gebala.  I started reading the comments of love.  And I was transported to Maya’s hospital room in Vancouver.

Absorbed in the giving, I forgot about my mouth.  When I noticed it again, the number had dropped to 2.

Hours later, halfway through my six-hour Paracetamol period, it’s back to 5.

My body is pooped.  My bed is calling me once again.  And I’m amazed.  A 12-year-old girl fighting for her life gave me relief.

***

Oh … the mystery of living in this world

Millions of people are praying for Maya Gebala, who was shot in the head at her school a week ago.

Love is coming from Canada, the United States, Europe, Asia, Australia …

Immense power from the periphery to the centre

Maya, although apparently only marginally responsive to stimuli, is sending waves of energy outwards.  She is transforming the lives of those who are loving her.

Immense power from the centre to the periphery

Together we dance

Although Maya may be in a wheelchair for the rest of her life, I have another vision …

A hockey game at Rogers Arena, featuring the hometown Vancouver Canucks and the Toronto Maple Leafs.  Before the game starts, we hear the announcer:

“Ladies and gentlemen, a very special hockey player has joined us tonight.  Come on out, young lady!”

A girl flies out of the gate onto the ice, wearing a helmet, hair flowing behind.  She does two fast laps of the ice, watched by two hockey teams, 19,000 spectators and millions on TV.

She skates to centre ice, takes off her helmet, and puts down her stick.

“Please welcome Maya Gebala.”

On Tuesday, six children and two adults were killed by a gunman in Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia, Canada.

On Friday, Prime Minister Mark Carney and the leaders of all political parties got on a plane and flew to B.C. together.  Some of them spoke at the vigil for the human beings killed or injured.

And people on Facebook had things to say:

…

Thank you, Mr. Carney.  Much respect.

Photo op – no sincerity or substance.

…

He’s absolutely the best. ❤️

Hollow words from this man!!!

…

He is the kind of leader every country needs! 🇨🇦

Now the brain dead Canadians will think how wonderful he is and vote for him.  Piece of shit.

…

Carney set his own example of grace by inviting the leaders of the other national political parties to come with him to Tumbler Ridge. 

This grandstanding is disgusting.

…

We need to remember Carney’s words and try to help those who are hurting instead of demeaning or rejecting them.

Words of the devil!!!  Wake up Canadians!!!!  The wolf dressed in sheep’s clothes!!!!  The only place that this thief belongs it’s in hell … !!!!

…

Such a kind, capable and humane leader 🇨🇦

Don’t make this guy look like he cares for Canada.  Because he doesn’t.

…

Best PM we’ve had in a lifetime!

Did he bring his pervert son with him?

***

And a voice of reason to conclude …

Apparently some of you are unable to leave politics out of it right now as Tumbler Ridge, and the rest of Canada, is in mourning over this tragedy.  Take a page out of the books of our nation’s political leaders and set it aside to come together as Canadians to support one another.

On Tuesday a shooter killed five children and one staff member at a school in Canada.  The community of Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia has been torn apart.

Two students are in hospital.  Paige Hoekstra had surgery for a chest wound and probably will be going home soon.

And then there’s Maya.

Maya Gebala tried to lock the library door to protect the kids inside.  The gunman burst in and shot her in the head.  Maya is clinging to life in the B.C. Children’s Hospital in Vancouver.

Millions of people across Canada and the world are praying for Maya.

Here are some comments on Facebook:

What a massively brave and empathetic heart she has, God bless this young hero.

Keep fighting, Maya. 

I am praying for her to heal so she can continue her life and see how much she is loved.

Who is not brought to tears seeing this?

You are what this world needs, someone loving, caring, thoughtful and with a beautiful heart … The world could sure use more Maya’s.

Whenever I see posts about this young lady I’m worried it’s going to say she passed away.

Stay with us, Maya.

God, please let her live.

***

Look at the power of love in this world

May we all receive it

My body is separate from yours.  Sometimes we touch but mostly we’re occupying different spaces in the world.

So … you could say that we’re each an object, something solid.  Maybe something like this …

That looks a little extreme – all those straight lines and right angles.  But you get the idea.

In 1971, a fellow named Werner Erhard started a program of personal “transformation” called est (Erhard Seminars Training).  The training consisted of two weekends of very intense sessions, at least fifteen hours a day.

Transformation:  An extreme, radical change in form or appearance

Werner had many wise things to say.  Here’s one:

You are the space in which your life occurs

Not a cube.  Not a thing.  Instead, something like this:

No precise location

No boundary

No problem

***

And … immense room to dance

I wonder

I like writing.  I like hoping that my words reach some people.  I like fantasizing that some of my thoughts will outlive me in the reader.

And then there’s the elbow bone …

I love a particular bone.  Here’s a photo:

It’s not the pointy one.  It’s the prominent one between this person’s thumb and first finger.

I watch people wearing short sleeves.  Every one of them has this bone, proudly displayed.  I bet it’s attached to an entire skeleton!

Why does this bone thrill me, you ask.  I have no idea … and no interest in probing a spasm of analysis about it.  The whole subject of bones underneath skin leaves me thoughtless.

However, I appear to be writing about it.

Why? … Who cares?

When? … Every day when elbows are displayed

Who? … Eight billion human beings

Sixteen billion elbow bones

Us

Crème Brûlée

Arms Around

Eyes Together

Lemon Pie

Kids Sliding

Patchwork Quilt

Making Music

Chai Lattés

Grandson and Grandfather

Resting

Let’s have a time machine … with lots of buttons to press.  How about 1821?  Or, if you like, 2092. 

One no better than another.  Just different flavours of ice cream.  Delicious.

Some say “Here and Now” is better.  Maybe not.  Or that an evolutionary future beckons.  I bet that’s true, but perhaps it won’t be better, just different.

The moments of time all have their beauty … and blemishes.  I choose to honour them all, even though it appears that I am stationary in 2026 right now.

What happened in 1821?  Who was roaming around?  What discussions could I have with the locals?

2092 is a mystery.  No history books to consult.  If my current mind tries to put a frame around the future, the wood is from a recent tree.  In the years to come, such a living being may look like this:

And then there’s my life …

Bruce at 5 – scared as Hurricane Hazel hits Toronto

Bruce at the moment of 21 – standing in the Eglinton subway station as I became an adult at 10:00 am

Bruce at 39 – marrying Jody in Coaldale United Church in Alberta

Bruce at 74 – waiting in the Brussels Airport with my six pieces of luggage, having just changed countries

Bruce at 77 – tapping away on my phone right now

Bruce at 88 – beyond the bounds of 2026

***

They’re all good … those years

The patchwork quilt has much to say