Celebrating the living
Earlier this month I experienced a first. I attended a celebration of life for a person who is alive and well. As someone who has been present at numerous funerals and given too many eulogies to count, the act of paying tribute to someone very much with us here on this earth left an indelible mark on me. And it aligned with my long-held belief that appreciating people while they're alive is definitely better than waiting until they're dead.
While posthumous tributes can play an important role in bringing closure and comfort to family and others, the idea of bringing more mindfulness to how we spend our time with others here and now is worthy of attention.
The gathering was held for a colleague who changed my life in countless ways. A former political prisoner from the Oromo community in Ethiopia, persecuted and tortured for his beliefs, language and culture, he not only overcame but lived his life in the service of others, continuing to inspire, educate and mentor others so they could live a better life. He became a friend when I worked at Manitoba Interfaith and Immigration Council, more commonly known as Welcome Place.
Photo by Janine LeGal
Community correspondent Janine LeGal recently attended a celebration of life for a person who is alive and well.
It was an honour and a privilege to speak about Mohamed Damsho Ali's outstanding contributions and unwavering commitment to his community in Toronto, Winnipeg and Edmonton as well as his contributions outside of those. As a settlement worker and interpreter for newcomers, his commitment was obvious and nothing was more important than ensuring that he was available to help people.
It's rare that in this life we meet someone who gives so freely to others as much as he has given. He has changed lives, and helped people of every age from around the world. He's reunited long lost families. And he's helped give countless others a new life in Canada, while remaining a support person as they navigated the complexities of intercultural challenges.
My friend Damsho didn't just give his time. He gave families new to Canada hope. And showed them how to make this country a home. This was never just a job for him. It was a calling and he lived it 24/7.
The celebration of life event brought together friends, family and colleagues from several provinces and states as well as more than one country. Guest speakers gave presentations in English and in the Oromo language on the screen and in person. There were laughs and there were tears in the beautifully decorated space. And the best part was knowing that the person we were commemorating was right there in the crowd with us listening intently and taking it all in.
'For far too long, our stories of courage and sacrifice have been told only after our heroes are no longer with us,' organizer and host Mustefa Musse Ebro said. 'But today, we shifted that narrative. We gathered not in mourning, but in gratitude — to uplift, honour, and say thank you to a living legend whose sacrifices have paved the way for our pride, our dignity, and our identity as Oromo people and as human beings.
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Ebro added that when our mutual friend had experienced a recent health scare, the experience prompted him and his co-organizers to move to action and organize what turned into a most memorable, lovely and widely attended event.
The Oromo community is an example of rising together to lift each other up, of connection and belonging, which is so desperately needed these days. As Damsho would say, 'There's no such thing as your problem, or my problem. It's our problem.'
Imagine a world like that. A place where people never suffered or struggled alone. A place where people valued each other with words and gestures every day.
I'm eternally grateful to the Oromo community for showing me that what sometimes seems impossible is actually very much possible.
And now, I have one more reason to be indebted to this vibrant community, which has taught me so many important life lessons. A celebration of life to gather not in mourning, but in gratitude, is something we might do well to do more than consider, but to implement on a regular and frequent basis with everyone we know and love.
Janine LeGalWolseley community correspondent
Janine LeGal is a community correspondent for Wolseley. Know any interesting people, places and things in Wolseley? Contact her at: janinelegal@gmail.com
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