Mindset
Love More, Hate Less
“What the world needs now is love, sweet love, it’s the only thing, that there’s just too little of.”
– Burt Bacharach
I grew up in Canada.
I’ve experienced many places around the world — I lived as a baby in Singapore, spent formative years between nine and eleven in London, England, and later as an adult in New York City and its suburbs. But Canada is what I know. It’s the soil beneath my feet and the cultural fabric that shaped my worldview.
I truly believe it’s one of the best countries in the world — multi-ethnic, multi-lingual, and, for the most part, tolerant of differing political and social beliefs. We’ve done our best to build a place where citizens feel both liberty and opportunity, while also experiencing a sense of community and belonging.
Have we gotten it perfect? Of course not — no one has. But I do believe we’re trying.
Canada is a nation founded by immigrants and continually renewed through immigration. That policy, while imperfect at times, is built on the essential belief that those who seek a better life and are willing to contribute to the ideals of freedom and democracy are welcome here.
But long before it was called Canada — long before anyone migrated or immigrated here — this land was home to Indigenous peoples. Their cultures were rooted in deep connection with the earth and in stewardship of the land. And yet, flawed as our ancestors were, and flawed as we remain, we imposed our own beliefs and systems upon them. In doing so, we stripped them of theirs — and with that, their dignity.
Only now are we beginning to truly reckon with the nature and impact of what was done in the name of religion, power, and control. We cannot be proud of that legacy — but it is ours to bear, and ours to reconcile.
Recently, on the podcast, I had the privilege of interviewing Jovica Savic — a Serbian immigrant who arrived in Canada with his family in the late 1990s as a boy. They fled the violent dissolution of Yugoslavia and the atrocities that tore through the region.
Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, and Slovenia were once united under a Soviet-style socialist federation led by Tito. But upon his death, everything unraveled. What was once stable became volatile. And as has too often been the case throughout human history, the deepest divides were drawn along religious lines.
Neighbors who once shared meals and playgrounds became enemies — and in some cases, perpetrators of violence, displacement, and death.
I discovered Jovica by chance. I came across a post on Instagram from his account, @yatziruns, where he shared something deeply personal. He had been out training for an ultra-marathon and, while crossing a bridge, noticed a Canadian flag pinned to the railing. It moved him to speak:
“I ran past this Canadian flag here. And amongst all the hate Canada is getting these days, there are a few words I want to say.
Twenty-five years ago, my family came to this country.
We came here because that flag — and this country — was the only one that would take us in.
The only one that welcomed us from the aftermath of a bloody war, living as refugees in the basement of a shitty apartment building.
This is the only country that took us in.
I may not have been born here, but I am Canadian.
And you should be proud to be Canadian.
There aren’t many countries like this. Yes, we’re going through a lot, and yes, it’s hard. But I don’t think most of you know what real hard is.
Just count yourselves lucky… just count yourselves lucky… alright?”
Those words struck a deep and positive chord. A post from a man with only a handful of followers was seen by nearly 300,000 people and shared close to 40,000 times.
It clearly resonated — with those who saw it, and with me.
I wanted to know more about his story, which is why this week’s episode of Leave Your Mark (EP 445) is a conversation with Jovica.
I wanted listeners to hear the perspective of someone who came here seeking safety and hope. I wanted us to be reminded that what we have in Canada is precious — unusual, not usual — and that it must be cherished, supported, and reinforced.
It is far too easy to tear down what we do not understand, or to lose sight of our blessings amid the noise and frustration of everyday life. But perspective — especially the perspective of those who have suffered in ways most of us will never know — has the power to restore gratitude and inspire stewardship.
To truly understand one another, we must listen to one another. We must share our stories.
Because life is only made better through love and understanding.
Love more. Hate less.
