Saturday, March 31, 2012

A bird's ...er... monkey's eye view

So last year, around this time, I embarked on this really exciting project, namely, Harry Purple Monkey Dishwasher.  Never in my wildest imagination would I know that what I would get out of it would far transcend the goal.  The objective of writing the stories, creating the plush characters, developing the website and social feeds was to teach, inspire and have a lot of fun along the way.  When everything was launched I stayed true to what I was hoping to achieve, but then something else happened.  Harry PMD took on a life of its own. All you writers out there will totally get this; how often have you developed a character that becomes so real you begin to take on their characteristics.  Or should I say, the character coincidentally becomes you.  Now you are probably asking yourself, don't tell me she's becoming a monkey? No...not really...oh what heck...yes. By stepping into the world of a primate, I have had the privilege of knocking off many of the prejudgements and 'know it all' attitude and seeing things from a fresh, or in this case, monkey's view. 

What exactly does that mean? I have taken to exploring all the corners of the earth, trying to see, learn and understand what humans and animals are experiencing. I would describe it as someone removing a veil from my eyes.  See, it's easy to live in the world we surround ourselves, letting in information and news at a level that is appropriate to that lifestyle, but when you accept it all at face value, the realities, the great acts of kindness..or violence, the plights of many cultures, species and the state of our planet, nothing can ever be the same. 

When I had chosen the spider monkey as Harry, it was because of some of the common known facts I had learned.  I dug deeper and spent time watching these amazing creatures and I couldn't help but see so many parallels to humans.  The further I looked the more I discovered. One fact that hit me hardest was that these creatures are on the brink of extinction. They are one of many in such a frail state and I am saddened at what we as humans have done to cause all of this imbalance.  On top of it all, we've done so much damage to the very essence of what sustains our lives; air, water and earth.

Seeing the world through Harry's eyes has allowed me to really (and I mean really) appreciate the planet and everything in it.  I know there are many out there who already get it and are acting to help make the world a better place. But I also know that it's not enough. Every single being plays a part in nurturing or destroying our earth. 

So if you can, step out of the concrete world and immerse yourself in the beauty of our planet. When you do that, life as you perceive it will change, and you too will feel compelled to act and give back to a planet that one day may stop giving.

Be the change.

Saturday, March 24, 2012

Who are they?

Ever catch yourself in the middle of conversation saying 'well, they say...'  and then the question quickly follows 'who are they?' Every day we are inundated with information that our brains try to process and file away. Then in the midst of a discussion we sift through our collection and present our findings. The source of that information often times eludes us and it becomes the infamous 'they.' When approached for advice, we readily offer suggestions which often starts with 'they say that...' and the recipient openly accepts it, because 'they' must be reliable and above all credible.  I've watched this kind of evolution in what is an annual tradition, the making of tomato sauce. What started out as a day event with a few bushels of tomatoes washed, peeled, cooked and jarred in one's basement, has become a highly sophisticated process.  Everything has shifted to a more efficient system. Stoves replaced with propane burners, pots replaced with vats, manual tomato straining mechanisms with motorized equipment, and then there is the clock watching; timing really is everything. If all goes as planned from the 5:00 a.m. start; by 10:00 a.m. all is done including the clean up! A far cry from a 12 hour day. So where do 'they' come in? Well, this process didn't just happen. Every year while labouring away, the discussion picked up from last year and inevitably something new was introduced. Why? Because 'they' tried, tested and approved it of course. We were willing to try anything, in the interest of progress (and getting the job done faster) and to our delight that 'improvement' shaved off a few more minutes or made the process a little easier.

Got you thinking eh? How many times have you referred to 'they;' and how many times have you had no idea who 'they' are?  Hmmm...something to think about, after all 'they say...'

Friday, March 16, 2012

So, the other day, without warning...

it happened...I got the dreaded black screen on my laptop. No red flags, no funny noises, nada. Well, maybe there was one or two things that seemed odd. But with a click here, scan there, yes to repair, this baby should be running like a well oiled machine. Think again.  Do you sometimes feel you're at the mercy of all these great technical toys and absolutely necessary mechanical concoctions that are your life. It's not hard for me to stroll back in time and pinpoint all the inopportune times that something I needed to work didn't. Like the day I had dinner all ready to go in the oven and to my chagrin the ignitor decided it had its day. Or when I reached into the fridge and things seemed awfully warm for having been in a cold environment. Then there was the night that the furnace said goodnight. There weren't enough layers to keep us warm. Oh yes, the hairdryer that starts with a 'poof' and burns out, the television that gives me a colour show and zaps out like a scene in Matrix, and let's not forget the car...insert key, turn ignition, ixnay on the start your engine.

We buy warranties that somehow miss their mark because the object in question knows when it expires and bides its time to spring its worn out, broken part.  To fix or not to fix? That is the question. These days it seems almost pointless to repair your stove, fridge, laptop, washer, dryer (you get my point) because for a few more hundred dollars you can buy a new one. The old adage that 'things are not made like they used to' is not an adage.  The pride in workmanship, longevity and after service has gone the way of the dinosaurs. You gotta wonder if life would be simpler without all these toys.  Let's not be silly. The reality is that we need all this stuff to function.  Whether it is to store, prepare and cook food, clean, dry and press clothes, trim, style, buff, shave, brush, wake up to, text, call, type, socialize, watch, play, drive (whew!) our lives have become entrenched with it all. 

This got me thinking. A number of years back we experienced a black out for three days. NOTHING worked. Habit commanded that we flip a light switch, open the fridge, dial a number, press the on button for the TV but there was no juice...electricity that is.  How surreal it was that night (and nights that followed) to step out in the middle of the street with total blackness, only the stars in the sky allowed you to see the silhouette of someone standing in front of you. Only candles to light your way around your home. The worry creeping into your mind of all the food spoiling and what would happen if the problem could not be resolved right away. Truly an eyeopener.

Funny, I was watching a BBC Planet Earth episode which highlighted a tribe that lived in the rainforest. Didn't see any phones, computers, ipads, refrigerators, washers, cars, television set, but yet, they all appeared happy. They danced, they smiled, totally oblivious to the technical world that existed just outside theirs.  Wonder if I could step into that world and feel the same; or would I be itching to answer a text, reach into a fridge, throw a load of laundry in the washer. Don't think I'll find out any time soon.  I am a city girl (well suburbanite) through and through. Kudos to those that can block it all out and life as close to nature as possible. For me, I appreciate earth, I speak up for the animal kingdom and our planet and do my best not to leave a ridiculous carbon footprint. In the meantime, if the worst I have to deal with is a broken laptop then I shouldn't complain. Life has doled out a lot worse things.

Thursday, March 8, 2012

Where evil lurks

My heart is heavy as I write this.  I can't begin to fathom why anyone would hurt a child. Violence against anyone is contemptible...but a child?  These precious beings rely on adults for guidance, nurturing and love. They are harmless, innocent and trusting. Yet in the bowels of mankind exist those that prey on, exploit, torment and even take their lives. Sadly it's not just adults, it's also peer groups. As each story unfolds we weep, not only for the loss of  innocence or life, but for failing to protect them.

The saying, 'it takes a village to raise a child' is more than a proverb. Parents, teachers, family, friends, coaches, caregivers, and neighbours all play an integral part in shaping a child. So we all take responsibility for the well being of that child. Somewhere down the line we've lost the innate ability to identify children that are living with abuse and bullying. The incidence of abuse, abduction, murder and bullying has been climbing and although we have so many well intentioned organizations and groups trying to raise awareness, we keep missing the mark. Why? Are we so absorbed in our lives that we cannot see what is as plain as the light of day? Or do we choose to ignore it? This is not meant to be a blame game.  Blaming gets us nowhere. It's a plea for change. We need to put better action plans into place and make people accountable. Everyone must work together to achieve the common goal of defending the defenseless. Regardless of our role in society, we need to be keenly aware of how our children are being raised, treated and taught, because, they will be the generation that takes the reigns when we become aged and frail...when we become reliant on them. Age has a funny way of doing that...bringing us back to a childlike state of dependancy.

So where do we start? Keeping the dialogue alive and action because we can too easily become complacent and think someone else is taking up the cause...

Remember the story of four people: Everybody, Somebody, Anybody, and Nobody? Well here's a refresher.

There was an important job to be done and Everybody was asked to do it.
Everybody was sure Somebody would do it.
Anybody could have done it, but Nobody did it.
Somebody got angry about that because it was Everybody's job.
Everybody thought Anybody could do it, but Nobody realized that Everybody wouldn't do it.
It ended up that Everybody blamed Somebody when actually Nobody asked Anybody.