DAY 20 - THE BOOMERANG EFFECT

Day 20

Yesterday, I went to the McCord Museum. There is an exhibition called ‘Wathahine - Photographs of Aboriginal Women’. It presents the work of Nance Ackerman, documentary photographer, who travelled to all parts of Canada to capture on film the faces and expressions of some 20 Aboriginal women. She photographed seniors and teachers, artists and activists who have all shown strength and determination in their efforts to improve the lives of those in their communities. The compelling testimonies that accompany the exhibition made me think of how one single person can have a long-lasting impact on people’s lives.

We don’t all have to become activists, but with every day gestures and words, we can positively impact the lives of our friends, family and acquaintances. Who doesn’t remember a teacher, a family member, a friend, a coach, etc., who said or did something that ended up propelling them into a direction they would have never anticipated.

I have received letters of old students thanking me for something I had told them or something I had done. I usually don’t remember the actual event, but it always makes me happy to know that I’ve played, even the tiniest of roles, in making someone’s life a little better.

It is not always easy to be kind. Especially, when you’re feeling crabby yourself. Sometimes, I feel so grouchy that the mere sight of a cheerful person around me annoys me! If I’m not in a good mood, why should anyone else be???? But there is, nonetheless, a flower child side to me. If I didn’t hold back, I would probably embroider peace signs on my pants and walk around in the city talking about the necessity of making love not war!!!!

The matter of the fact is that there just might be such a thing as the boomerang effect or, as my Hindu friends would say, karma. Whatever you give out will come back to you with even more velocity! So, in the end, performing acts of kindness, whether in words or actions, in whatever shape or form, will help create a better world for you and for those around you… Namaste!