Even in barren places the heart knows how to bloom

The sound of trauma

Trauma doesn’t always scream. Sometimes, it whispers through family secrets, hardened hearts, or quiet, buried pain. In The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart, we witness a haunting yet hopeful story of survival, silence, and transformation — reminding us that even the most fragile blooms can grow from scorched earth.

This series explores the impact of silence and secrets across generations. It mirrors the real-life experiences of countless women living with male-perpetrated violence — afraid to stay, afraid to leave, afraid to speak. It’s a sobering portrayal of the trauma hidden behind closed doors.

What now?

Last week, we gently opened a conversation about the different types of trauma. Today, I want to ask: What do we do with this awareness?

How to express your compassion

My own journey toward compassion didn’t start in a textbook. It began on the streets of Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside. Later, I worked for a university dedicated to training doctors for under-served communities across Northern Ontario.

Today, I’m still asking myself:

Can I change the world?
No.

Can I soften my own heart?
Absolutely.

That’s the shift I’m making. True education doesn’t just inform — it transforms. It melts judgment into compassion.

A resource that opened my heart

For years, I’d glaze over when reading about men in prison or women stuck in domestic violence. It was just too much. But in 2023, I watched a short video from the Compassion Prison Project called Step Inside the Circle.

And something shifted
Tears came
My heart softened

And as it did, I began to see people — and systems — differently.  If you’re ready to feel a little more and judge a little less, this video is a beautiful place to start.

Compassion isn’t about fixing others. It’s about softening the judgment we carry —
and seeing the humanity we nearly overlooked.

Why education matters for healing

If someone you love had grown up in a home like Alice Hart’s, would you expect them to easily express joy? To love freely? To show up with an open heart?

Probably not.

Understanding trauma doesn’t excuse harm — but it helps us hold complexity. It lets us choose compassion over contempt.

Your gentle pivot toward connection

Some of you are still carrying pain.
Some of you are still waiting for a safe space to speak.
Some of you are only just now realizing how long you’ve been holding your breath.

Maybe you’re thinking: I don’t know where to begin.

That’s okay. You don’t need to.
You’re not alone.
There are people who care.

There are songs that will speak to your story. One of those songs, for me, is Tom Walker’s Just Come Home. Though written for those struggling with addiction, it’s really for all of us.

Tap to listen

It reminds me — and maybe you — that no matter how far we’ve wandered, someone is always leaving a light on.