Has the world always been this dark? We’re constantly hit with news reels and reports, and if it’s not about some egotistical billionaire tycoon deciding to show off by taking a vacation into outer space then it’s the latest stories on how global warming is sweeping the earth with floods and fires, the Israel-Palestine conflict, or how an average working person can’t even afford to rent a basement apartment.
We seem to listen to the news with so much indifference—I’m reminded of the reference to ostriches sticking their heads in the sand as a way to shield themselves from any problems surrounding them. I don’t know if this is actually true, but the poetic comparison to human behaviour certainly is true. It’s tempting to cover our ears against the madness. The world is an overwhelming and exhausting place, a place where I might not know if I if I can ever make a difference. However, over the years I’ve discovered that making a difference is all about small personal changes, and, most of all, awareness.
Working at a safe-consumption site, I see individuals every day who have slipped far under society’s radar. We all know them: when we go down Pandora they are the people in the tent cities who everybody tries so hard not to see, the people who live in a seemingly unrealistic world and culture. It’s so easy just to go past, to not waste our own valuable time, and to forget as fast as possible.
We might wonder how they got there, or say under our breath, “there but for the grace of God go I.” I’m not a religious person, but it’s a very telling saying. I mean, everyone has their own traumas, their own heartaches and pitfalls. Why is it that some people end up in these places and others walk free?
I guess asking questions and learning about people as individuals is a good start. When I’m at work I’ve found how much value there is in looking into someone’s eyes and offering my attention to their needs. When these folks go through most of their days being ignored or mocked by the rest of the population, having people who know them and treat them as valuable gives them some strength to carry on.
It seems like such a small thing, but time truly is the most important gift one can offer.