- Blue Turtle

A Word from the Founder – Haya Bitar

What makes life truly worth living? It’s not found in material gains or fleeting successes but in the moments where we connect—heart to heart, soul to soul. It’s in those instances where we listen deeply, where our eyes meet with genuine care, and where compassion flows freely, reminding us of our shared humanity.

The essence of community lies in the way we show up for each other, not just in times of joy but in moments of vulnerability. When we strip away status, race, and gender, we create space for equal opportunities, where the strong uplift the weak, the wealthy look out for the poor, and the healthy support the sick. It is through such connections that individuation, as Carl Jung describes, is born. A process of becoming, of evolving, and ultimately, of finding freedom within ourselves.

But freedom doesn’t come from isolating ourselves. It comes from asking, “How can I serve?”—from looking at our neighbor and offering the same love and care we wish for ourselves. It’s about showing up authentically, reflecting on our own judgments, and asking if we’re truly seeing the other person for who they are, not for what we assume them to be.

True communication requires more than just speaking—it demands that we listen, that we give each other names, identities, and respect. It’s about creating a dialogue where everyone feels heard, understood and seen. Even in disagreement, there is room for grace, for love, and for containment—not resistance. When we stop resisting, we start to heal. We allow ourselves to process, to contain the emotions within us and create space for others to do the same.

This is not just about individuals; it’s about building communities that uphold shared ethics, where the beat of one heart synchronizes with another. A community where the touch of a hand transfers compassion, where every interaction matters because we recognize that we are not 8 billion separate beings, but we are one. One humanity, connected by love, by shared struggles, and by the unspoken desire for ultimate freedom.

As a mother, I call upon others to come together, to light a candle for the future we are shaping. Our children are not created to fulfill our desires or to make statements—they are here to teach us, to show us how to smile, how to play, how to love. It is our responsibility to protect that flame, to nurture it, and to ensure that each child grows in a world where compassion is the norm and love is abundant.

So let us ask ourselves: What truly makes this life worth it? Is it in the questions of “why,” or is it in the answers of “why not?” Let us choose to live in reflective equilibrium, as John Rawls describes, bringing our principles and judgments into alignment. Let us choose understanding, compassion, and communication, for it is in those moments that we can begin to see the truth of our shared humanity.

In silence, we reflect, but in action, we create. So I ask you again: How will you make it all worth it?

Yours,

Haya