As the typhoon winds are blowing through my living room here in Taipei City and I am sending a silent prayer of love and protection to all places and beings in the centre of catastrophe right now, I feel deeply moved to share a personal experience of something deeply beautiful that happened here in Taipei on July 5 2025.

I am sharing this experience with a heartfelt prayer that it may inspire and remind many of us humans in many places here on Earth right now of the power of love, the power of community and the power of healing that we each and all carry in us, that we all are, have always been, will always be. We have only forgotten. 

I have a very dear friend, a beloved soul sister, Leonie, who was born in South Africa and has, like me, lived here in Taipei for many years. 

Leonie playing the hand-pan on 5 July 2025 at 'Roar with me - a Benefit for Leonie' and her breast-cancer healing journey at Red Room Rendezvous Taipei.

She is a teacher, a healer and a giver. 

For a long time, she has been used to taking care of herself while at the same time, she has so generously helped so many humans here of all ages from all over the globe with her amazing ways to teach English, with her healing gifts, her loving heart, her generous laughter. She loves to give and share and receives the greatest joy and fulfilment in knowing that she has made some kind of positive contribution to another’s life. I deeply relate to this. 

A few months ago, she was diagnosed with breast cancer. When she first shared this with me, she said: ‘I know that my soul has chosen this experience, because through this experience, there is something for me to heal, to learn, to remember and I know I will be healed completely. Would you stand in this truth with me?’

My answer was: ‘Yes, absolutely, and I deeply feel this is your truth. It is my greatest honour and joy to stand in this truth with you, my dear sister, and whatever you think and feel I can do for you or support you with on this healing journey, please do let me know, please do ask!’

‘That’s it, she said, that’s it. I have to learn and remember to ask for support. I do not have to do it all by myself. I am not alone.’ 

This is something I can so deeply relate to as well. It is something I had to learn and remember too and still am. It made me realize how in this world that we are in right now and with all that we see and hear on all kinds of news and media channels all the time, how easy it is to believe that humans are all bad, how easy it is to think that we can’t ask for help because we will only be rejected and hurt even more.

But the truth is: WE ARE MANY, WE ARE THE VAST MAJORITY:

Humans, who love to give, to support, to share, to contribute. 

Humans, who care deeply about others, about the Earth, nature, animals, and community.

Humans, who feel great joy and fulfilment by making some kind of positive contribution, in whichever way we each can. 

Human, who loves deeply and fully. 

So, as my dear sister-friend is courageously walking her very own journey of healing, she allows herself to openly ask for help and support and because of her and her journey, a wonderful group of humans from all over the globe who live here in Taiwan have gathered on July 5 to support and celebrate our dear friend in a benefit for her. 

We gathered at Red Room Rendezvous in Taipei, we brought and contributed our diverse arts, we shared space, food, creations, stories, tears, laughter, hugs and gave all proceeds to our dear friend, so that she doesn’t need to worry about how to pay her bills while she can rest and heal.

Most importantly, we shared love. The space was filled with it, our hearts overflowed and I am sure we each and all received so much more than we could have imagined: a sense of true community, even though many of us met for the first time. A deep inner knowing, a remembering that we are always loved, always held, always supported, always cared for. WE ARE LOVE and LOVE is what connects us all.

Tina sharing her song for Leonie. 

We gathered at Red Room Rendezvous in Taipei, we brought and contributed our diverse arts, we shared space, food, creations, stories, tears, laughter, hugs and gave all proceeds to our dear friend, so that she doesn’t need to worry about how to pay her bills while she can rest and heal.

Most importantly, we shared love. The space was filled with it, our hearts overflowed and I am sure we each and all received so much more than we could have imagined: a sense of true community, even though many of us met for the first time. A deep inner knowing, a remembering that we are always loved, always held, always supported, always cared for. WE ARE LOVE and LOVE is what connects us all.

We do not need to know each other. Maybe we have never met and will never meet.

We do not need to agree with each other nor do we need to like each other’s ways.

WE still ARE LOVE and LOVE is still present between and among us, always. 

My dear human Sisters and Brothers of all shapes and forms, colours and cultures, I invite you to remember the LOVE that YOU ARE. In your very own ways, time, place, community, small or big, REMEMBER and BE the LOVE that YOU ARE, the LOVE that WE ARE. 

This is the power we each have, the power we each are. We do not need anyone’s permission for that and we do not need anyone else to change for that. 

REMEMBER and BE the LOVE that YOU ARE, the LOVE that WE ARE. 

FEEL it, even if only for a moment. 

It changes the World, one Heart at a Time.

And if you have your own experience, your own stories of the power of love, the power of community, the power of healing, please share it! 

Let the voice of Love grow together!

Deep gratitude to my beloved sister Leonie for being on this healing journey.

Thank you. I love you. Blessed be.

With all my love,

Gabi 

Gabi, Linda, Salina, Constance, Liz at Red Room Rendezvous on 5 July 2025

(This piece reflects the author's opinion, and does not represent the opinion of CommonWealth Magazine.)

CommonWealth Magazine welcomes op-ed submissions. Please send your article proposals to [email protected]

About the author:

Gabriele (GABI) Seewald 高碧雲

Born and raised in Austria; Mother of twin sons and a daughter; is in Taiwan since 2009, in Greater China since 2001; Messenger of Love, Peace Ambassador, Healer, Leader, CEO and Author of the book ‘Taiwan. The Hidden Jewel.’ in German, 2018; fluent in German, English, Mandarin

Have you read?

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• Inside TaiwanPlus: From Critique to Vision
• Taiwan Investors Should Rethink Strategy as U.S.-China Trade Tensions Ease

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