I saw something on the news headlines this morning that broke my heart. You will know that I love Elephants and support the DSWT….anyway, it was reported that the killing/poaching/murder of elephants and rhino is on the up in Africa (I argue that you shouldn’t hate the poacher, if you want to hate, hate the greedy dumb idiots behind the poaching) – well 80 elephants had been poisoned with Cyanide. This is a chemical that will not only kill the elephants, it could leak into the land and also anything that feeds from the carcass of the elephant will also die and so on and so forth. So how many deaths will result from someone needing a trinket?
It made me think about the repercussions of our actions.
These people are not seeing the elephant as anything worthwhile; they are not seeing anything but their own wanton greed. They are not seeing beyond their own nose. They really are not seeing the bigger picture.
This little issue is rife around the world. I don’t just mean poaching but not being able to see the bigger picture.
Companies and the government quite often act for the ‘now’, they don’t look at the bigger picture. If the Government really cared beyond securing more votes, they would look at the bigger picture. Sometimes it takes a lot of investment now to get the rewards in many years to come. To me that is surely better than a short term project that could ultimately fail or have no impact on the future, or even worse, have a negative impact on the future.
It is not for us to teach our children how to live in a destructive and brutal world, it is for us to teach our children how to care and live more kindly. Native American elders that had the chance to see the ways of old and the new ways always said that one day the people would see that their way of life wasn’t so daft and out of touch after all. And it’s true. How many of us want to escape the rat race and live more freely!?!
Recently I have purchased many dvd’s and books about life on the Yukon and Alaskan living. I could never do it – I don’t eat meat. I don’t like it to rain too often, and I wear dresses, but still there is something beautiful about the survival and the harmonious circle that goes on there!
I have been thinking of the repercussions of actions a lot. We quite often see that as a negative thing or view it in a negative way – but there can be amazingly good rewards and great lessons learnt from being aware of our own actions and others and how the things we do and say impact on others.
Take for example last November. I was attacked by a girl at the Vans Warped Tour UK. She came out of nowhere and seemed to be off her head. She caused me quite a bad head injury. I lost a massive section of hair (which is only just starting to grow back but hoorah it is growing back!) My head was very tender for some time. I have memory issues that are looking likely to be permanent from this; I also have a shoulder injury that I am combating with special exercises every day.
I don’t hate the girl that did it – I pity her – she probably didn’t even remember what she had done but last year it really had an impact on me. It is still having an impact on me. She must be so filled with hate look what it does to her. It’s downright ugly.
I am glad it didn’t happen to someone less strong willed – it’s the sort of thing that could’ve really messed someone up. As it is – I am a bit freaked out about being out on my own now but it never hurts to have your wits about you. I have noticed it has stopped me doing some things socially. I am sure some friends think I am just being flakey but it freaks me out being out on my own when things are getting rowdy – you know what I mean about the streets on a Friday and Saturday night I am sure. Messing about at a party once a girl turned to me and said ‘You better shut up otherwise I’ll pull the rest of your hair out’ . Excuse me but fucking ouch! I rose above it and laughed and walked away. I know she was trying to be funny – but seriously – it was about 4 weeks after the incident, I was still getting hospital treatment, way too fresh! Anyone I’ve mentioned this to has been horribly shocked so I think I did well to walk away and not say something.
I am not a bad person and don’t warrant such things happening, I mean who does really – but I realise that I can’t be held responsible for other people’s actions and I can’t carry that with me. It’s not my fault that I was in the wrong place at the wrong time and it’s not my fault that someone else’s idea of humour doesn’t let their brain translate to their mouth fast enough – nothing mean was meant by the comment at all I am sure – it was a flippant moment – but it’s one I don’t think I will ever forget. And shows how a careless moment can last longer than was intended.
Once upon a time there was some ladies who came into my work place – I hadn’t realised what a bad day they had been having – but something else was going on with a parcel they needed so I stayed at work a few minutes later than normal to help them out with the parcel, to explain how it all worked and to sort them out with a taxi home. They weren’t native to London and English wasn’t their first language. To me it was a small gesture that I made. If I can help someone out then I will – that is just the nature I have. The next day these ladies came to work with a lovely plant for me. Apparently it had been the final straw in what was a really bad day – and my little gesture put their faith back in people and in things working out. Every time I see these ladies they are extra friendly and still really grateful.
Now both were little things – both the comment from the girl and my actions with the ladies at work, but both had longer term reactions.
So don’t be so quick to judge a situation. Don’t be so quick to dismiss things or speak before you think. You don’t know someone’s story; you don’t know what they have been through. We all have the time to be a better person. We can all spare someone a few moments to help them or to listen to them. We all have the ability to help each other out a little more; to be conscious of our surroundings, to be conscious of our place in the world, to be conscious of our footprint on earth. We all have the power to make the world a better place just by little actions and little thoughts that can occur without much effort. If everyone did one nice thing for someone each day just imagine the repercussions of that. A tiny ripple in a pond spreads out to be a wave in the ocean. Just remember that.
Time For Tea 