There are so many problems in the world that it’s easy to become overwhelmed. Some people have given up reading the news or watching it on television because it is too disturbing. But trying to ignore the problems won’t make them go away.
Some might throw up their hands and say, “Somebody should do something about it!” Well, somebody can do something about it and that somebody might be you. If you want to be a “somebody”, this is your chance!
Anna Dinsdale is the Community Safety and Well-Being manager at City Hall. She was featured in a recent Prince Albert Daily Herald article discussing the city’s efforts to address homelessness. Among other things, Dinsdale suggested that to make our community a better place in which to live we could talk to our neighbour or pick up garbage. Small gestures like this can help us feel better about the city in which we live and give us a sense of ownership.
A few years ago, while waiting in the dentist’s office, I read an article about a woman observed picking up garbage in the park on her way to work. It turned out that the woman was a judge. It was one way in which she could help to make a direct impact on her community and it showed me that none of us is too important to do so-called dirty work like picking up garbage. I was inspired by the story and for several years I have been picking up garbage every morning. It has helped me to feel better about myself and my neighbourhood.
I would add to Dinsdale’s advice, “shovel your sidewalk.” The snow season will soon arrive and cleaning the sidewalk in front of your home is a neighbourly gesture that is of great important to many people walking along your street.
My friend Don Horncastle is the coordinator for a local blind and low-vision support group. With the assistance of paNow, Horncastle made a video showing how difficult it is for a person who uses a white cane to walk on a sidewalk that is snow-covered.
I also find snow-covered sidewalks difficult because they are uneven. I use a walking stick to assist my winter walks, but they would be less stressful if I was able to walk on a snow-free surface.
People who use walkers or wheelchairs also struggled with uneven show-covered surfaces. Baby carriages and strollers may be impeded by a sidewalk that has not been shovelled.
Jane Goodall passed away this year. She was a “somebody.” She dedicated her life to the study of chimpanzees. Her ground-breaking work revolutionized our understanding of primates. In a farewell interview she said, “Your life does matter and every single day you make a difference in the world.”
Chatting with your neighbour, picking up garbage or shovelling the sidewalk aren’t Earth shaking, but they provide you an opportunity to be a “somebody” and make a difference.
