Fox brought out the best - in some of us QUESTION: I am happy that I made what was, to me, a generous gift to the Terry Fox fund. Soon after I sent it in, howeyer, I knew I gave more than I think I can afford. But I was still glad about it. This may seem like a strange question, but for some reason I think ft is important, not only to me, but to a lot of people who must have given on the spur of the moment an amount that they felt was really beyond them. It's out of character for me to spon- taneously give more than I can afford, and still be happy about ft. What ts this? What happened to us? STEWART: I expect it was not “out of character” for you to give as you did. It is likely that you were IN character more than you usually are. We are all one family and it is naturally in us to be mutually helpful even at sacrifice. You responded to a challenge in true character. J think you will not suffer because of it, but even if you do, it is stil O.K. and creatively contributory to our basic togetherness. You gave more than you think you can afford, because you can afford more than you think! Terry Fox wanted to spark an increased support of cancer research. Little did he know that he would also be the instrument to spark apn increased support of our basic humane compassion. He helped a lot of us come alive to our hidden splen- dour. Doesn't your heart ache for the guy who wrote the letter up above who has only managed to come out of the experience, bored? The rising tide of support of the Terry Fox Fund is also a fsing tide of released unselfishness and love. A whole lot of people chose to BE the change they wanted to see happen. To some, that Free to speak on anything QUESTION: Is it just my imagination or is there a lot more talk these days about reincarnation? Five or six years ago, I rarely ever heard the word used in public and now it seems to be a very common topic of conversation. Is there a new fad going? STEWART: I don't think it is your imagination. There is, il seems to me, a great deal more interest in the subject than there was. But in addition to that, there 1s far more freedom to speak out on any subject that is considered to be a mite unorthodox. In my younger days we tended to keep quiet about our interests in a subject that was thought of as being a little far out. No more is it so. Another change that loosens our tongues is the freedom to share feelings and views about a subject in which we are not considered to be “professionals”. “Experts” are no longer held in such awe. l hope this new freedom. undoubtedly nurtured by the flower children of a few years back, will be a lasting one. There is a chance we'll Surge of unselfishness QUESTION: I think the Terry Fox victory ts being judged on a basis of dollars and cents and that ft ts much, much more than that. Something has happened itn Canada that is much more than increased help for Cancer Research. God has taken a hand in bringing about an upsurge of un- selfishness which is greatly needed im our land. What has happened ts away more important than the Ministers’ Conference. STEWART: Sce above. can only be boring. To others, magnificent. make more mistakes, but there is also the chance that we'll make fewer mistakes. The flower children, at least im one sense not knowing what they were talking about, often seemed to jump past the details to the conclusion. 1 get the feeling that we are “sensing” and “knowing” more these days than we used to. There is less waiting about for a professional opinion. Could be a healthy counter-balance to computers! C13-Sunday News, September 21, 1980 | ask hayden stewart Freelance Counsellor Hayden Stewart may be reached at 261-6242 for appointments for individual, family or group counselling. His new office in the Internauonal Plaza Hotel (Open Tuesdays only) is for the convemence of North Shore residents BORED WITH THE “‘HOOPLA”’ QUESTION: I must confess that although I have con- tributed for years to help research in cancer, and although my admiration of Terry Fox is unlimited, I am just a little bored by all the sudden sentimental hoopla over his efforts. STEWART: I have cut your letter drastically because the rest of it contained quite a bit more of the “sentimental hoopla” that bothers you so much, and I am sure would bother our readers much more than the developments growing out of Terry Fox’s “efforts” have bothered them. The magic conflagration that has sprung up from the spark that Terry offered us does not need your cold water poured over it. Terry has not made us com- passionate. His personal action has simply initiated the release of our com- passion which was in us before he started running. Y ou, the writer, did not need his challenge apparently. Y ou were already doing your bit. If so many of the rest of us needed the sort of “starter” Terry laid on us, in order to encourage us to relaease our compassionate humanity, then I for one am tremendously grateful to -him, and to those who responded so en- thusiastically and con- tagiously in the early hours and days of his selfless and costly action. Yours was the first bit of negative “small potatoes” that has come to my at- tention in regard to the Terry Fox miracle. So please — please - will you not only turn off your inappropriate negativity, but have the good grace to encourage other gripers to Cool it too. What has happened is not just good for cancer research (important as it is) but -it is good for human beings to for those who find themselves responding. to the lure and challenge of their own compassion as it accepts Terry's warm in- vitation for it to come out of its closet and enjoy’ itself. We are all lovers and sharers, but for kinky reasons of our own, we condition ourselves to protest we don’t care. The sudden spontaneous giving of several millions of dollars suggests to me that a whole lot of people have got closer to being their own real selves. That bores you? Then why not go and have a thrilling game of solitaire instead of writing strange little notes to newspapers? can tell the difference... our specialty SOLID TEAK dana interiors Itd. 530 Brentwood Mall 291-2012 COLONY IS PROUD TO INTRODUCE AN ALL-NEW LINE OF WASHERS, DRYERS & DISHWASHERS WITH A VERY SPECIAL Big Savings on Maytag Washers, Dryers and Dishwashers. Today More Than Ever it Pays To Invest in Maytag Quality. 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