Owning our own impact
If you have been reading this blog over the last few weeks you will have noted a reference to Rich Harwood in my blog of 14 March 2016 entitled ‘Turning Inwards’. This was in reference to a term ‘turning outwards’ used by the Harwood Institute for Public Innovation, which Rich Harwood founded, which provides a consultative framework for our work in the community sector; a wonderful framework for gathering the information pertinent to our work being relevant in our community. My argument in that particular blog is that in our personal lives I believe there is real value in ‘turning inwards’, in order to ‘turn outwards’. We all need to work out the ways that we can nourish ourselves so that we can deal with the stuff that life throws at us, so that we can manage what we need to do to help us to be present in the world and ‘turn outwards’ in whatever that means in our daily lives. (see http://petawilliams.com.au/petas_blog/turning_inwards/)
I refer to Rich Harwood once more in today’s blog as I have just read his own moving blog of 24 March 2016 about his father, who died recently (see http://www.theharwoodinstitute.org/richs-blog/2016/3/23/thinking-about-my-dad)
In that blog he uses the phrase ‘Here I am’, in reference to the work and ethic that his father lived his life by. This is a belief, and I quote, that 'we are each called to step forward to say, “Here I am,” in our own way—to repair breaches in society and account for our daily actions. He believed how one lived their life mattered.’
So, in thinking about what to write in this week’s blog, I was reminded about another affirmation, or spiritual belief, about ‘owning our own impact’. If we behave in ways that are toxic to others, we need to own that impact. If we strive to be the best person we can possibly be – recognising that we are human and imperfect and that we will make mistakes and fail, and all of that is OK - then we can own that impact, too. If we have something that we can offer to others – of music, of art, of words, of teaching, of philosophy, of thoughtfulness, of care and concern, of lifting someone else's spirits, of sharing our own journey, of sharing that which makes life meaningful, of spiritual nourishment, of making someone smile, of whatever we can offer in our work or the way we live our lives that is about ‘turning outwards’ and adding a light to the world – we can own our own impact.
As most of you will know, my new CD, ‘Places with high levels of natural beauty’, is now out in the world. I am touched by the positive responses I have received to date. I want my music to touch people’s hearts, minds and spirits and provide a nourishment to their inner lives. I know that not everyone will respond to my music, but nonetheless, I am owning my own impact. In fact, perhaps, through my music, I can say, ‘Here I am’.
Until next time,
Peta