The Life of an Inspiring 85-Year-Old Change Maker! | Something Beautiful for the World
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 28 ก.ย. 2024
- This film is part of the collaborative series 'Something Beautiful for the World'. Watch all the films in the series at • Something Beautiful fo...
Is there an age at which you stop being an activist for change? Not according to Helen Dew!
In fact, Helen’s activism didn’t even begin until she was in her 60s. Back then, she was introduced to a woman who was campaigning to change the fragile and problematic global financial system. When Helen understood what the issues were, she realised, “Now I know what to do with my life.”
Our money system is integral to how we live our lives and the impact we have on each other and our planet. A lifelong gardener and an innately frugal child of the Great Depression, the concept of living simply is second nature to Helen. But as the world around her has become less and less ‘simple’ her passion has grown ever greater to educate her community about why we benefit from growing our own food, saving our own seeds, taking care of our water and other resources - and how all of these things are linked to the money system that dominates and impacts our lives.
For Helen, a key element in building personal and community resilience is in building quality soil. From making biochar for her compost to petitioning the local council to create a natural burial park, she has worked tirelessly in so many ways to contribute to her community and to the planet. She is truly Something Beautiful for the World!
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The films of the series "Something Beautiful for the World" explore how small acts of love and kindness have the potential to ripple out and change the world, touching hearts and minds in ways that we could never begin to imagine. We'll be sharing a total of 12 short films, from across five continents - releasing one per month for the whole year of 2024 - four from each filmmaker.
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What a beautiful and inspiring woman. A wonderful uplifting life. Frugality isn't only about not wasting resources, it's about not wasting time as well. And Helen shows us how. Thank you.
Helen, you remind me of a Master Gardener I worked with for many years and now count as a wonderful friend. She too is in her mid-eighties and wants to teach the world about the rewards of gardening, food security, the beauty of art. While also teaching people to look up and not always at the ground and be humbled by our world. Her name is MaryLu and she holds many classes and hosts people at night for stargazing. You are in a group of very special people. Thank you for your inspiration to all those around you.
I see that she was harvesting chard she had grown. I am 66 and today I harvested chard & kale to make a lovely frittata for Easter Sunday. I wish she were my neighbor.😊
Frittata is such a healthy meal, especially if the greens are freshly harvested and the eggs are free range.
I am 59 and this is how it was when I was a kid. Learning and listening to wisdom for old folks! These young kids today don't know the value of listening and hanging around and learning how to survive in this world from the elderly? They are drunk on social media!
@@allthingznatural5592 Please remember that it is social media that brought us Helen's story. Like anything in life, it can add value when used correctly. Blessings.
@@thisorthat7626 Used in a positive way it is a great tool.
I wish the world was a beautiful lovely place where we all worked together, and grew our own food and revered our elders, and taught in school things like caring for elders, loving ourselves, growing our own food, the importance of community and kindness and simplicity.
Yes, it would be wonderful if the whole world was as you describe. All we can do is help create such a world in our local environs. Actually, that is the world we live in!
@@helendew5333 it all starts inside each one of us. Peace begins with me! ❤️
We weave the world we live in day by day, through our thoughts, actions, and the relationships we form with one another.
Amen!
This too is my hopes and dreams... I am a Gardener and want to instill it not only in family but others as well. What a Beautiful woman. I pray that I will be like her when I am 85 🙏💛🙏
What an inspiration Helen is! ❤ I absolutely loved watching this.
What an awesome lady. I turn 70 next month and have been working towards self sufficiency since moving to the country, best move I have ever made. Never too old to start. 😊❤
With what you are saying, you give me more courage do move to the country at 64 oder 65...I have always dreamt of a garden. Love from Germany
This clip really moves me to tears. Best wishes for this grandma.
Omg this lady lives 3O mins from me. I had no idea. She’s so onto it. God bless x
I hope you can meet her one day and learn more about her philosophy. We need to pass it on to younger generations. Blessings.
What a beautiful "old" soul. When she, almost in tears, read that poem I could see so well the two young, absolutely carefree children on a beach building sand castles. It was so poignant and brought back such innocent cherished memories of parts of my "ancient" past. Thanks so much for this lovely portrait of an inspiring fellow inhabitant of our precious world.
Thanks so much for your kind comments. Seems my poem has struck a chord for quite a few people. I'm pleased that it was included in the film.
@@helendew5333Thank you again Helen for being an inspiration to your community and the world. I wish you a speedy recovery from your fall❤😊
Thank you Dear Helen Dew (and to Happen Films) for giving me some hope.
What a beautiful soul, Helen is!
This lady is a real treasure❤
Me too Helen. By later years are the best ever. ❤my motto: LIVE LIFE! LOVE ALL!
Beautiful! Such a powerful Soul.
What a wonderful inspiring lady, telling us the good and the bad and still full of hope for her future. Thank you for sharing.
i really enjoyed listening to Helen Dew and greatly appreciated visiting her beautiful garden. I am 70 and learned over many decades how important the beauty and soul of one's garden is. If one is blessed, that beauty will bring many life lessons. Helen Dew has been fortunate to catch the wisdom of the garden and like all good teachers, she is kind enough to share a peek into her life. Lovely video, thank you.
Wonderful to see people listening to a senior...👍😎🇨🇦💜🌿
Thanks for your acknowledgment .
I'm pleased that people are keen to learn from me.
However, I'm impressed with the wisdom found in many younger people these days. Gretna is one outstanding example.
Gretta!
Simply beautiful and absolutely inspiring. What a resourceful woman! Joy and contentment in living lightly and well. Thank you.💐
She is amazing! A true inspiration ❤
I went into terrible depression as well with COVID
🙏 Thank you for your beautiful poem 🏖️ gosh! So beautiful 😍
Thanks for your kind comments.
The depression associated with covid is hard to describe. I hope you've made a good recovery.
Incredible story, what bravery and resilience! ❤
wow.. the emotions and the character that came through reading her poem.. that was real and pure from the bottom of the heart
Love these beautiful reminders that there are amazing souls adding light and love to our world!
Yes, there are lots of wonderful individuals and groups quietly working away to help make life better for people and planet.
Thank you for the vlog and so much for the poem. I am in the covid tunnel now and after 4 weeks it's taking it's toll emotionally. Helen your poem made me feel confident that I will get back on my feet and back to my garden and playing with my grandsons. Thank you Nga mihi nui
Lorraine I thought the poem was so moving as well. I cried and then I laughed. I hope you feel 100 % very soon.
Hang in there! You will eventually rise above this, but I know it's hard to endure when you're in the midst of this awful illness.
Don't be afraid to ask for support - I've found that people welcome the opportunity to assist when asked. Perhaps you have gardeners among your friends?
@@helendew5333 Thank you I have friends that are being amazing and my garden is ok and my oasis even just standing watching the birds, I ignore the weeds. Just thank you for your poem, it made a difference just hearing you read it - there is light at the end of the tunnel. Nga mihi nui
Thank you for sharing the life of this Lady. So inspiring.👏🇵🇹🥰
Thank you for this!!! I am so inspired and hopeful, not just for today, but even for the eventuality of my life's cycle. I hope to do the same burial as this beautiful woman. Another amazing video and story!!! Thank you!! --Tess
Hi Tess, thank you for your kind words.
I don't know where you live, but do lobby your council if you don't already have the option of natural burial in you area.
@@helendew5333 Thank you Helen. I am researching any laws and requirements now. I had just learned of this not too long ago, and after watching this video, I am even more so interested in this. I told my girls, when I die, just take me to a mountain forest and bury me there. I know that it isn't that simple in today's world, but I never wanted to be in a cemetery. Again, thank you for all your wisdom and giving of hope. --Tess
May the circle of life continue and may we all help it right along.🥀🌻🥀🌻
Oh what an inspiring woman! She has opened my eyes xx
What a wonderful woman. Thanks for sharing her story, you guys are amazing too 👍😀🌻
Thanks for your kind comments.
I couldn't agree more - HF is an amazing team - doing really important work!
What an inspiring human. Bless her heart.
Thanks, guys, for your leadership & quality work. It makes a huge difference! Wishing you health & abundance! 😀
Thanks Juan - and for your support for so many years!
Yes, I'm so blessed that Happen Films chose to film my story! It will become a family treasure!
This upload should shared as many as possible, starting from education to the entire social media! Exemplary in any/multiple ways! Thank you for sharing.
Thank you. You are an inspiration Helen, and you have such a joy in living life to the full while accepting that all life is finite.
So inspiring! And I learned a little more about gardening and composting.
Thank you Helen.
Thanks!
Thank you 🙏
What a adorable inspiring lady xx
Thank you Ma’am for your tender heartfelt comments.
I am blessed for having listened to you.
Thank you. I received so much for her wisdom and truth.
Would love to have heared more from Helen.
And always great to see people who stay active and keep inspiring others. 💛
Hi Kara. Thanks for your kind comments. I hope to remain active as long as possible.
And I'm so fortunate that my brain still functions so that I can continue to encourage others as I become less physically active.
This is indeed inspiring! Thank you so very much!
Thanks for watching. Glad you enjoyed it!
What a beautiful lady, inspirational Helen I wish I lived closer to you. You could teach me and others so much. The biggest gentlest hug. ❤
I've no doubt there are other 'Helens' all over the world. I hope you discover one near where you live.
I hope so too Helen. ❤
Thanks for sharing💐We love you Helen Dew keep smiling🌻🍁🇨🇦💐
I loved your poem to Matilda, it made me cry. You are a beautiful person. My mother's name was Helen.❤
What an inspiring lady. Thank you for this video 🙏🏻🍀🙋🏼♀️
Very inspiring story, i cried and smiled with her, thank you for sharing it❤, love you from Algeria
I'm pleased that you liked my story. Thanks for watching!
@@helendew5333 may God give you a long, healthy and blesed life
Very wonderful
wow thank you they were very heartful and made me cry along with em!
That’s nice to hear 😊
What a lovely and inspiring soul
Wonderful!! And inspiring because it is doable, for each and all. All the best to you Helen from beautiful Aotearoa
Fantastic and inspiring video! This lady is a gold mine for the youth!
Fantastic. Thank you
Thanks for watching. Glad you enjoyed it!
Thank you for your kind comments. I'm pleased that 😢you liked the film.
Wonderful praise God for these special women. Yes my grandmother was one of them. Mrs Silincy Kharsyntiew of Cherrapunji lived till 93 years and gardening was her passion n hobby!. Though my Granny married to a renowned Doctor Dr. H.C.S.Wahlang could have just lived a comfortable life style. But no my granny after attending house chores went straight to her huge flower and vegetable garden all around Hillside Cottage and tended her flowers etc from morning till evening . This was n is the secret of happiness n long life and she shared all her veggies to all family and friends. Miss her lots but now I am also like her ,I inherited her green thumb and gardening is my passion too. But not in Cherrapunji but Ziro Arunachal my husbands home town.
This did make me cry in a good way. And thanks Zuzana for Slovak translation, my mom could watch too thanks to it.
thank-you so much
Thanks for watching. Glad you enjoyed it!
What a wonderful woman ❤ she is pretty amazing 🤩
So that’s how you make biochar. So easy on home size scale. Some great tips. So wonderfully shared.
Hate to tell y'all...but
Our decaying bodies might be part of what feeds the bionics
Of what feeds the trees .
But at the end of the day
What ever gives you solace is inspirational .
I love gardening and Helen has inspired me so much. God give her more years full of health.
I thank you for you inspiration and for sharing your heart wisdom and power of example 🌿🕊️
Beautiful ❤️❤️❤️
Thanks for watching. Glad you enjoyed it!
An inspirational human!
Thanks Teresa. I'm pleased that you liked it.
What a lovely story 😊
This is me in 16 years time.
Thank you for this!
Beautiful.
Love to that dear woman ❤
Great and nice home 👍🙏
Yes, I'm very comfortable in my wee home in a quiet cul-de-sac.
And I'm very close to town, rail and bus. Perfect in every way!
What a beautiful soul. She touched a place in my heart and inspired me.
much love.
Gratidão pelo vídeo 🙏
I'm pleased you enjoyed my film!
Amazing Woman
Thank you for what you doing for this world! 🤍 I'm struggling with depression now because my sister is dying. Your movies calm me down and gives me a hope 🤍. I love authenticity in you vidoes.
Thank you for the lovely comment. I’m sorry to hear you’re going through a tough time. Glad to hear that our films are helpful in a small way 🙂
Danke!
Thanks for your support!
at 80 putting that first fava bean in the bare soil and digging my bare fingers and pressing in the seed convinces me I just might live long enough to eat it and then I lick the soil and smell the microbes and know my biome is up to date,
Irony of life: by the time you have developed the depth of knowledge, understanding, & grasped the essentials -- generally you're too old/ physically weaker to implement the actions needed. .. so frustrating !
Inspiration 🎉
Corporations are killing the world!
A lady after my own heart having lost to death 3 people I was close to my heart my first husband my son an my partner. 😢Without my garden I would not be able to keep depression at bay and would therefore have difficulty carrying on
❤❤❤
❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
🙏🙏🙏👏💕
🥰👏👏👏👏🌿🌿🌿
Cooool
I'm pleased you enjoyed the film.
elders are the back bone to our World , RESECT
I want to be just like her when I grow up (I am 59). What a truly wonderful, intelligent, caring woman! May you have many more years of enjoying your gardening!
Thank you for your kind comments. Whilst you might wish to be like me, you'll develop into your best self by living each day with passion and purpose.
Me too!! Thank you Happen Flims for beautifully sharing this inspiring person and her story. I feel a fresh wave of inspiration and motivation fill me. What a marvelous path she walks and teaches from🙏😊
I’m 59 as well and I agree. She is a beautiful human.
My 75-80 yr old aunts/uncle mentioned that they had to give up gardening because bending over was too difficult. I bought them a few raised beds that are shallow but high enough (@4ft) so they don't need to bend over and could sit by the bed to pull weeds, etc. They ended up enjoying the beds and planting tomatoes in flower container pots, etc. They still seem to enjoy it...esp since the prices of fresh veg have gone up so much.
❤❤❤❤
When I die, I see no greater honor than to have an oak tree feed on my body. One day the molecules that make up "Keith" will live for hundreds of years inside an old oak tree - God willing.
why an oak? do those grow well in your part of the country?
My mom is buried under a massive oak tree. I love to go sit under it on a warm evening.
I wish it were easier here in the United States. I would like to be buried in my niece's forest.
I want to be buried in a chicken cage so they can eat me and turn me into eggs that someone else can eat
I requested that of my family, and they told me, "That's against the law." 😢
Occasionally you come across things that might change your life. This for me, might be one of them. Helen, you are an inspiration. Its an honor to know of you.
This story really touched me. I've started gardening again at 73, and it has brought me back to life, as well.
Hope this lady has many years yet to enjoy her garden!
I'm glad to hear that you've returned to gardening. I hope it recharges your batteries as well as it does for me!
Good for you. I used to garden a lot and found so much joy and serenity in doing so. I am currently unable to do that because I am traveling long term ( before I’m too old, 66 now ) and I miss it terribly. Once I am done with travel, I will throw myself back into gardening and never take a moment for granted. I remember one of my life’s 3 epiphanies came one very early morning, dew still on the ground, as I was replanting small tomato plants, hands in the dirt, I looked up and thought “this is what happiness is”. It’s the little moments of pure joy that truly matter. Take care.
@@Booboonancy Thank you all for your support and good wishes! I love the sense of experimentation and beauty that it brings. Hope to have some vegetables to share with other seniors.
Wow, this 85 year old woman is even making biochar. I can't believe what I'm seeing... what a knowledgeable and wonderful woman. Putting it through the compost first is so important to innoculate it with not only nutrient, but also microbiological life. Helen, you are a superstar! I wish we could be neighbours you and I. But then again, perhaps it's best if we inspire other people in opposite corners of the world. You and I would be best friends if I could be so lucky to have you in my local social circles...
Thanks for your comments . I also use the bokashi system for my kitchen waste, which increases microbial life when added to my compost.
Where do you live?
I'm not crying! Thank you, Beautiful Woman.❤
@@helendew5333I met u once in Carterton and still have your seeds. I'm 'over the hill' in Palmy. Huge fan of Bokashi been using it about 10 years here and ovsrseas. Make my own Bran now
Wow, what an inspiration. I hope she meets one day, her Lord, in heaven.
In 2003 she discovered what she wanted to do with her life. She was 64 years old. That's the kind of human I wish to be. Never too late. @7:49
Hey Happen Film, few years ago I watched a video about food forest on your channel. I was extremely inspired, and started my own organic indigenous food forest because of it! After 3 years of hard work its finally starting to look like a permaculture but it will take a life time to accomplish. Thank you, it changed my life!
*Fistbump* brother
@@CanadianPermacultureLegacy 🤜🤛
Rockin' !
Wow thank you for sharing! We love hearing how our films have impacted people. Wishing you continued success with the forest!
@@moonmist9 I was a notorious black thumb and I can share you how I personally did it, it was smooth and easy. Well first of all I hesitated to start a permaculture for more than 10 years, when someone told me ''DO IT!'', and so I did it and realized how easy it is, and I had wasted 10 years because of fear of failure. Let me be the one to tell you, DO IT!
There are lots of great youtube channels that could take you from ''total beginner'' to having a very good fundation. Channels such as Charles Dowding have great videos that would sky rocket your knowledge of how to work with different composts, how to make your own compost, how to plant and care of veggies for your garden. Even if he lives in England in a total different climate, the information is still extremely solid about veggies and especially compost. Another great channel is CanadianPermacultureLegacy 🖕up in this conversation. But personally there are like 15 channels that really changed my life, so just browse youtube for permaculture and organic gardening. Be careful, not all channels are good.
You should also go in the forest from time to time, sit down in a spot that has no human interventions and watch how mother nature works. Look the diversity of species, the density of the vegetation, the different layers of canopy, and how the ground is always very well protected by organic matters and plants. Grab soil in your hand, smell it, this is what healthy soil smells like, you will want to recreate that when making compost.
From there you could start your own compost station and your organic garden (this summer!) .This will give you basic experience how the soil works and keep you very busy and happy.
Meanwhile, I would order the books ''Teaming with bacterias'' - ''teaming with fungies'' and ''Teaming with nutrients'' from Jeff Lowenfels. Those book will really unite all the dots together, for me ... it was a life changing experience to read those books, way beyond permaculture. After reading those book you will not be in the unknown anymore, you will know whats going on in your soil and that will change everything.
You will also need to order book on native trees of your region. There are books that contain every native tree-shrub-plant species of where you live and how to identify them. So you can read those books and see what you would like to have in your permaculture. You will see what fruit - beries - medicinal herbs etc have been growing in your region for centuries, and you should focus on growing species that are adapoted to your climate, at least at first to give your food forest a solid fundation.
Then you can start contacting different tree nurseries in your area to know what they have for sell. If you are lucky, there will be a tree nursery which only sell native species, those nurseries are very very very important. Often those nuseries will not necesseraly be in your town, but they have online stores where you buy and get those native trees shipped to you. Often those nurseries are very ethical too, producing their own trees from their own seeds, not foraging them from a nearby forest.
From there, you could start making a plan of your property, make drawings of how you would like your permaculture to look like. Where patch of trees will be, where paths will be, a pond maybe etc. After a big rain, walk on your property and identify the spots where drainage is less efficient, you will want to plant moist tolerant species in those areas etc. Then you could start working the ground as you want it to be, with bumps and hills maybe, maybe dig the pond where drainage is bad etc. Its time to work the ground before you plant everything, then its too late.
Then you can start planting indigenous, fast growing trees-shrubs here and there just to give your forest a fundation. Around those trees you can plant indigenous (or hybrid) fruit trees - berries bushes, medicinal herbs, flowers, nuts etc. From there you just keep enlarging the patches until they all meet together. Diversity is key.
Thats how I did it, and it was such a fun experience, without failures really. Thats one way to do it I guess :)
What a beautiful love poem to growing older. My garden and a sense of wonder keeps me alive and I can see it in this lovely woman that there are still things to see and do, and life to live. Roll on!!
Thanks very much for your kind comments. My garden is my 'happy place', where I recharge my batteries. I hope yours continues to do the same for you for many years to cone !
Absolutely inspirational! Thank goodness for the Helen's of this world.
Thanks very much for your kind comments.
I just retired at 58 (I started my career at 20) and I have been feeling 'old' and not sure what I want to do next. YOU HAVE INSPIRED ME SO MUCH I"M CRYING. I am relocating and moving to another place and I cannot wait to start growing my own veggies. You reminded me it's not over til it's over. You are an amazing human being!
I feel the same as you. I wish peace and hapiness on your journey.
@@SIERRATREES Thank you!
58 ans vieux ??? N'importe quoi!!
@@Lherminewhite You are kind and you made me smile and laugh. But I do miss the unbounded energy I had (we had) in younger years (not to mention taut skin)!
Us younger people have to listen to our elders! Helen has so much wisdom to help us deal with our problems.
I love Helen Dew ! Tell her thank you for sharing her story with us. It is very inspiring and heartwarming. Her poem did make me cry , and then smile. I would love to go to her classes, workshops, and learn from her. Much love !
Thanks very much for your kind comments .
I plan to set dates for my next workshops as soon as I return from the hospital, where I'm recovering from a fall.
I live in the wairarapa. Where do you live?
@@helendew5333 So wonderful to hear from you ! I hope you are feeling well and can return home soon. I am Costa Rican, so , if possible, do you ever do workshops where someone can listen in on Zoom or another platform ? If it can't workout I understand, but perhaps someone can set it up for you and others from around the world can hear what you have to teach !
@@helendew5333Helen, you are an amazing woman. Thank you so much for not allowing that depression you suffered from during Covid, overtake you. I know what it’s like to fight depression. Thank you for helping me to realize that even though I’m 51, it’s not like my life is half over. I have so much time left to make a difference, and today is another opportunity to make that change. Thank you again for being a gift to this world. ❤
Thank you for sharing Helen's story, what a beautiful person! 😃
Thank you for your acknowledgement . It's much appreciated!
A moving and inspiring film. Helen is an endearing soulful woman with a purpose - the epitome of humanity. Thank you for making this important film. - Director, CRY OF THE INNOCENT: The Voices That Can't Speak
Thank you for your kind comments.
I will watch Cry of the Innocents when I return from hospital where I'm recovering from a fall.
@@helendew5333 Thank you, Helen. So sorry to hear about your fall. Sending healing energy to you. 🙏
I hope this wonderful woman gets to spend many more years honing her crafts on this planet before it's her time. God Bless her. Another terrific production.
Thanks for your kind comments.
I'm really honoured that Happen Films chose to make my film! I've loved watching their inspiring films over the years.