The Ripple Effect

It's funny when things happen at opportune moments. Maybe it's like horoscopes; you see the stuff you want, when you want to. Maybe it's a matter of the cosmos putting people together at exact moments. Either way, when Julia and I chatted with a stranger while we contemplated going to a drag show, (what? its friday night and we were looking for some laughs) what he said was profound for not knowing us or what we were doing in Vancouver. 

Randomly, he started talking to us about the ripple effect of one person touching the life of another. He said, "everyday you could effect hundreds or thousands of lives." Helping someone, a smile to a stranger on the bus, reaching out to a youth, these seemingly minor things can effect them, which can effect the people they are surrounded by, which can continue to effect more and more people exponentially and over time. Can you imagine that impact? 

It was an interesting conversation, not necessarily because of the content but because of the way I was feeling at that moment. Finishing my learning week and learning so much about different non profits and programs in Vancouver really energized me to get back to work and didnt exactly excite me to go back to camp. Working at camp, working with youth, at the Y etc can be very exhausting. Sometimes you can begin to feel run down, out of control or crazy. But, this strangers brief conversation flipped that mentality and helped me to realize that the young people I get to hang out with next week could have their lives changed in a moment, and I could be the person to do it. Heck, I could have just saved the world (which is my ultimate goal) by having an impact on a youth who just may someday come up with a totally sustainable form of earth friendly energy which in turn could solve the energy crisis. Hey, it is totally possible. 

So, may the ripples continue outward from the center, which at any given moment at any given place could be you. Thanks stranger on the street, I'm glad I got to be a ripple in your wave pool.

           

On another note, I would like to go back to adding a musical element to my postings. Why have two blogs when I can just kill two birds with one stone. So, with this topic I'd like to include a link to a local Vancouver band that I'm currently rockin out to. They at The Zolas, sweet indie rock that's got a fun vibe that will definitly make your head bob, automatically. Even while trying to save the world I can still find time to soak up the BC music scene.