My previous article was, essentially, about how one single person can profoundly impact another without ever knowing it. After I had posted the revised introduction (and made slight edits throughout) on the 7th, I got to thinking about this subject of impact. It is said that we make an impact on people, positive or negative, whether we know it or not. My article was a prime example of this, but then Steven Wilson is a public figure. Of course he's going to make an impact of some sort, right? So... What about those of us who are not in the limelight? Does that detail matter? And what sorts of impacts do we make everyday, whether or not we are well known?
The following article is my own thought explorations on this topic. I am not an expert nor will I claim to be one. I'm just going to see where this thought train takes me, and I hope you will all come along for the ride. (Don't worry. It won't be too long. ;-))
There were many times in my life when I wondered how it could be possible that I could truly matter in the grand scheme of things, and I often doubted that I could make a positive impact, make a positive difference in someone's life (even in terms of my own child). Since I had written my article about the amazing impact Steven Wilson has had on my life, I began to revisit some 'wonderings' I've had: Could I really make a positive and profound impact on another? Have I already done so and not know it? Is it possible that I matter more than I realize?
Then I took my personal sense out of it and thought of it on a broader scale. I thought of all the things happening politically and the global effects of it all. I thought of all those lights in the world that bring wonderful things to us and the dark shadows that seem bent on taking those wonderful things away or, at the very least, tainting them. And I thought about the whole concept/ideal called “Pay It Forward', which is when you show others a kindness that was shown to you in hopes of creating a chain reaction of positivity. These are all examples of impact, or effect, too.
It is said that we all make impacts on people, whether or not we know it. That we do it everyday, every time we come in contact with people, and that it's not the size of the impact but the fact that we made one that matters most. If this is true, then I have to surmise that I make an impact as well. And this truth also proves that one does not have to be a public figure to do it.
The effects made can be positive or negative, depending on ones output to the world. Sometimes something as simple as smiling at someone or holding a door open for them can turn an otherwise mundane moment of life into a bright spot, even if only for the moment. And sometimes a grouchy 'wet blanket' can come along and ruin your otherwise pleasant day. All of these little things matter in the moments they happen in, and there are times when the moment ends up lasting a lifetime. Like those times when we don't think before speaking or we do something impulsive without considering the action adequately. (Saying or doing the wrong thing at the wrong time can make a very negative impact that lasts a lot longer than we would like it to.) Or something as seemingly harmless as allowing a slightly intoxicated, or "buzzed", friend to drive can have massive life-changing repercussions. And those life-lasting impacts aren't always negative. Sometimes an honest person simply returning a check card they found back to the bank it was issued at can keep that mishap from becoming a case of stolen identity. It could even be something as small as a call to the cops when you see something suspicious that ends up saving someone's life. Or simply giving comfort to a stranger in need can bring to them a moment that changes their perspective positively and stays with them forever. So many simple things that many often overlook or dismiss... So many seemingly trivial or mundane moments and pieces that can really be a lot more important than we realize. And these are just the everyday things.
What I often think about most, however, are the impacts made on a more personal, internal level, which is where the greatest impact on my life was made. I think about how one soul can amplify another by sharing their light, or by sharing what they've learned, what they know about life. Sometimes something as simple as holding up the proverbial mirror to someone can change that person dramatically in a wonderful way (even if the learning is tough at first). And it doesn't take a particular type of personality for 'The Great Impact' to take place. It's all in how we connect to ourselves, to others and the world at large.
As I've been thinking on this subject lately, I find that I'm wondering if maybe we make greater impacts depending on how authentic we are to the truths within our cores. If we listen to our inner voices rather than ignore them and follow our true hearts, could the after effect be an even greater one? Maybe something as simple as being yourself and giving of yourself, even if what you bring forth isn't perfect or could be better, can have a positive effect? It seems to me, by my observations of myself and others, that people get hung up on whether or not they are good enough or important enough to make a difference and touch people. Or on whether or not what things they bring forth are perfect enough. (I've been there, as all of us have at some point). So many people don't try because they don't think it will matter, that it couldn't possibly be good enough, but, as I found in my heart this last week and a half or so, it always matters. It has to. In all the growing I've done, I've learned that no deed, no risk, no attempt is too small. We can all make a difference of some kind, and the more positive energy we bring forth in even the small things can raise the positivity levels around us. We are not perfect beings, so all we can do is strive to be our best, truest, most authentic selves and put that forth to the outside world. I think that this is an absolutely wonderful goal that all people should have. (I hope to keep this goal going strong for myself, and I hope that those of you who are reading are going strong in this as well.)
It also seems to me that, the more honest we are with ourselves, the more honesty we bring to the world and in that honesty we bring greater light. It's not a matter of being brutal, but a matter of knowing and honoring what we know is right in our hearts and right in the overall whole of humanity. When we seek out truths internally and externally we find more clarity, which impacts us as individuals. When we bring what we've learned to others, it amplifies that impact. There are many figures in history and in existence now that exude this, and these are people we can learn from as they are great teachers. But we can also learn from and teach each other. As we work on our own selves in the constant progression of our souls, helping others in their growth along the way can only help us to grow as well. I mean, we all screw up from time to time and, once in a while, our screw ups are royal ones. When this happens, all we can do is our best to right our wrongs in the most positive way we can - even if the best we can do is apologize and walk away - and learn from the experience so that we can help others in similar situations or from making the same mistake. But the fact remains: We are never too small or insignificant to make a difference, and we are never too imperfect to make a wonderful and perfect impact.
It is true that sometimes we have to go through and understand the darkness to get to and truly know the light (and have growth). But we don't have to live in the darkness indefinitely and wait for the light to come. The light, the positivity is all around us and within us. It never leaves, no matter what it may seem in those hard times. It is my hope that those of us who are conscious and aware of all these things I spoke of in this writing can do our best in that quest for authenticity so that we may breed and amplify the positivity and light in this world. So that we may bring the empathy, compassion, comfort, hope and joy to all those we come in contact with. And so that we may allow ourselves the vulnerability to be helped and comforted in our times of need (which I learned over this past weekend). We are all connected on more levels and in more ways than we often realize. The more people that understand this truth and honor it, the less injustice and darkness we will see, and the more humanity and peace we shall find. Maybe it's overly idealistic of me, but I think it can and will happen. I just hope that I get to see it take shape before my time here on Earth is done.
I'm not expecting to change the world with this short little post. I'm not attempting to be a guru or act like I'm all knowing or something, either. I just think a lot and want to share my thoughts and observations on this topic. I think that they have value, and I hope that you, the reader, agree. I don't know what impression this writing will make within 'The Big Picture', but I hope that it makes a good one.
Thank you for reading.
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