Context Matters

Sometimes the plan is going well. Sometimes it needs to be modified. The overriding flavour or sentiment of WāōH has been to highlight the heart’s power. On a physical level, the heart keeps us alive. It pumps our blood and allows the human “system” to continue doing its thing. On a meta level, it is very similar. It can be defined in various ways…

The Core or Essence: The central, innermost, or most vital part of something (e.g., “the heart of the city” or “getting to the heart of the matter”).
Seat of Emotion: The metaphorical center of human feelings, personality, affection, and love (e.g., “she has a kind heart”).
Courage and Spirit: Fortitude, bravery, or enthusiasm during difficult times (e.g., “don’t lose heart”).
Sympathy and Compassion: A generous disposition or capacity for pity (e.g., “have a heart”).
Symbols and Games: A symmetrical, two-lobed shape representing love (♥), or a red suit in a standard deck of playing cards.

It is one of those terms that is so amorphous that it can get lost in the background of life’s noise of activity. This morning, after two weeks of picking myself back up several times, my decision to modify the goals of the first iteration of my WāōH efforts. To say it was a tough choice to make is an understatement.

A younger, stronger me would probably have looked at the signs of the need to change course as distractions or obstacles to traverse. Certainly, this mindset helped me many times during previous philanthropic activities. The reality is, approaching my 60’s means my capacity to “blood and guts” my way past proverbial walls is diminished. The guard rails of things like pain and fatigue require a different lens through which I must view the world.

All this being said, the new total distance to be traversed on and around the Elora Cataract Trailway in December of 2026 is 500km. Accordingly, the fundraising goal is halved to $5,000.

While I could probably write a book about all the reasons and what led me to the final decision, it will have to wait for future posts and/or private conversations. For now, this is where we are for this year. Restraint and control, similar to the beautiful Shand Dam, will help create a more lasting environment.