Reach Lesotho

Mittens and Bracelets

Posted on 02. Mar, 2010 by Elyse in Elyse

When she visited us on our retreat, Dr. Anne Marie Zajdlick mentioned that we need a Bracelet of Hope on the wrist of every Canadian, “just like those red mittens,” as she put it.  Frequently selling out, the Vancouver 2010 mittens were the hardest thing to get your hands on (or in) this winter.  They were certainly a very hot trend; Oprah even ordered them for her entire audience.

The Olympics did something very intriguing to Canadians: they made patriotism all the rage.  As a nation, we were wearing the red mittens, counting our medals, celebrating with Alex Bilodeau, mourning with Joannie Rochette, and even singing along to our national anthem in a Wonderbread commercial.  It was hip to be a proud Canadian.

This phenomenal sense of spirit can, in my opinion, be translated into something else as well.  If Canadians have so much passion for their homeland, I see no reason why they would not get behind another cause.  If it is posh to be nationalistic, what is stopping being globally minded from becoming as chic?

No one wants to admit that they could not care less about AIDS orphans or dying countries, and I do not feel that this is a widely held sentiment regardless.  Fundamentally, people understand that this crisis is wrong.  The extent to which the suffering has reached in Africa is undoubtedly a little muddled though.  Furthermore, there is currently little pressure to ‘walk the walk’ in terms of helping others.  Similarly to how everyone wanted to hop on the Canadian pride bandwagon, I hope that pressure and growing popularity will continue to develop in terms of desire to leave one’s mark and make a difference in the world.

Service trips to foreign countries are shooting up in popularity, many Haiti t-shirts and buttons sold at John F. Ross, global warming is a hot topic, and organic and ‘green’ products are very stylish.  I truly think that youth are starting to discover problems that they will be responsible for facing in their lifetimes.  We are individuals experienced in peer pressure with great influence over many.  I can see in the near future, with awareness and facilitated ways of helping, Canadians eager to finally put an end to AIDS.  We, as a country, are spirited and willing to work together.  We have demonstrated this recently by donating to Haiti and supporting our athletes.  I see eradicating AIDS in a fellow country a very reputable goal that we could achieve with our enthusiasm.  I would love to see a future where an instinctive and assumed part of being a Canadian is reaching out to others.

A pair of Olympic mittens costs ten dollars.  A Bracelet of Hope is five dollars.  We have proved that we are willing to pay twice that much to support a cause and to become a part of the latest craze.  All that we need now is the pressure to make caring trendy, of per say, not caring unfashionable.  I envision a future where everyone will be buying Bracelets of Hope as a meaningful and beneficial vogue.

And who knows?  Maybe one day it will be the red and white bracelets as the hottest item that Oprah will be buying for her audience.

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