Written by Sabine Demosthenes
I’ve still got Toronto on my mind, even after a few days back to the city of a thousand church bells, Montreal.
It wasn’t my first time in the Tdot, but it was my first time alone as an adult in the city. A few days disconnecting with my usual non-orthodox routine, that is – my crazy life, and without speaking the Molière language was interesting.
Montreal does have a special European charm and a certain je ne sais quoi, but Toronto is more a cosmopolitan city, with hidden treasures to be found every few streets.
I was in Toronto especially to listen to a nice conversation.
This conversation was insightful, funny, charming and so authentic. I’m really happy to have been part of it as a listener. Especially since part of this dynamic duo is my ultimate favorite journalist and person I try to emulate the most in this kind of journalism.
He is one of the most respected men in this field.
Nick Clooney is the journalist I am talking about. I won’t deny, listening to him gave me chills. Listening to him talk about Hazim “Haz’ Avdal, a young Yazidi Iraki refugee who is like a second son to him, I saw the pride of a father whose son gave him hope to believe in goodness in people again.
Both Amal and Nick were proud family members when they spoke about Az, as well as with Nadia Murad. Nadia is a young Yazidi woman that was captured by Isis. She escaped with some scars, but that hasn’t stopped her from being the sister, the mother and the ultimate superwoman to all the Yazidis.
She is proudly fighting the good fight with her secret weapon, Amal Clooney.
Amal is more than the woman who married one of the biggest movie stars in the world and one heck of a director (come on, Good Night and Good Luck was a masterpiece).
Yes, the media talks about her latest look. I do have to admit, she mixes fun and sassiness in her look like the majority of us women in this world aim to do.
There is even a blog dedicated to her fashion sense, but my point is that even the blog dedicated to her fashion sense talks about the cause that she cherishes. I definitely have more respect for a blog like the one I’m talking about over the TMZs of the world.
Why she is more than a celebrity?
It’s because, like Audrey Hepburn, her main focus is to shine light on causes that may not been known or talked about much. It’s not be easy to have this growth in attention when only 6 years ago, she could go to eat at her favorite Italian restaurant in Notting Hill without being mobbed by a hundred photographers.
But she has a good co-pilot in George and a good family unit that will continue to be her fortress.
I came back to Montreal with a refreshing perspective on life and the act of compassion.
I didn’t think that the city of Toronto would be the type to remind me to continue being compassionate and to keep up the good fight.
Speaking of keeping up the good fight, the best boxing trainer is in Toronto! Go check him out, Jorge Blanco. If you are in Montreal, you are not forgotten. You can train here in Montreal as well.
I’m so overdue that I will give my coach a call.
In the end, Toronto and Montreal are the perfect couple (except in the NHL). They are complementary to each other.
Can we take this as an example and be more complementary to each other as human beings, especially with regard to compassion and human decency?
I did see it last weekend in the Tdot!