Adventures of the Living Opals No. 3
Excuse the bad quality of the photograph above & be inspired by this woman. I met her a good while ago now, but she ceases to exist in my mind. I used to see her often catching the train to Reading from the town where I lived, as she did everyday, dressed up as a clown to collect money for charity, for a type of cancer fund. The day I met her was very cold and so were the nights she got home after doing this on her own, wheeling around, and reading’s a pretty dangerous place. Could I take your photo? Yes, as long as you donate some money. And now she’s probably still doing just that.
I admire her because of her altruism, her imagination and the relentless hard work, deep empathy and love shown in her actions. I don’t know why she made me feel sad after this photo, good sad, in a way. Maybe cause I realised many people i knew then rarely let themselves care this deeply about topics outside of their own 9-5 life. I don’t know.
So, I thought you might, too, like to celebrate her !
No. I mean actually celebrating her. She made me question what it is I’m passionate about and what I might like to do to ‘give’. The more you create and ‘put out’ to the world, the more your inner life is abundant and nourished and you actually do attract more wonderful happenings.
I’m aware of how boring charity seems to our generation, or even condescendingly gimicky-indie, but it should be done in your own personal way. we can do it however we like!)
Suggestions to get your ideas rolling:
- Everyone loves helping a friend..is someone a little bit shy? you could organise a ‘free hugs’ saturday with your mates somewhere public to help them conquer their fear, as a surprise
- I love the idea of Guerrilla gardening..you can be your own independent rebel, going about town with your home-made ‘seed bombs‘ or simply volunteer with a re-vegetation organisation.
- or even if you have a skill such as art, you could brighten up a dull looking place with some awesome graffiti,
- you can also just make posters for your work or school to raise awareness
- You can organise or help set up barbeques, events (know any musicians?) or awesome themed social parties, tacky roller discos with tickets at a set price for donation.
Note – if you don’t feel particularly psyched about helping anything, you’re not that soulless, haha! just do your research! what would be fulfilling to you? how do you feel about issues in the media which are seen as ‘bad’? For example: whaling, chocolate trade slavery, disasters, poverty, malnutrition, orangutans & palm oil, mental health treatment)…now think locally or just laterally. where is there suffering nearby? I know that people in hospitals would love to have a chat sometimes, it does depend on the person, but it’s often really super helpful because they’re most likely having a pretty horrible time and it feels as boring and mundane as prison.. i promise you. ask the hospital about volunteering for this kind of support, or in old people’s homes. etc.
Ellen Von Unwerth’s Lauper & Gaga for the Viva Glam fund for Aids Campaign by M.A.C
I’m not saying you should do everything and you’re not already being good enough! Just have a brainstorm and re-think your idea of ‘charity’, and how you might get refueled from everyday by finding something else to have time with and escape from other mandatory responsibilities. If it’s the right thing for you, it will definitely be energising. Think about what you’d feel amazing to help with & which skills you can learn, or use and improve. It would look super good on a CV, anyhow. If you love dressing up, use that! If you love organising parties, use that! Scared of something? Do that. You get the gist. Even sort out a theme for entertainment/fun value with friends or lovers or family and brainstorm on passions and ideas for carrying out help. It could even be a ridiculous midnight grog-fuelled guerilla gardening mission with balaclavas. There, my friend, you have a pretty twee bonding session, too.
Once you’re really excited by how fun and fulfilling it’ll be, whatever ‘it‘ is you chose to do, make the time and the plan, and get it going. If you can get your friends interested, awesome. Non? Protests and demonstrations are very good to meet people who would be. But don’t just go along with protests to ‘make a point’. You’ll feel the euphoria of being in a place with like-minded, passionate people and being part of a motion, but this won’t sustain, and you might actually feel pretty drained from it, especially if it’s negatively driven. Take the pro-active, productive road and use your creativity! Be the positive force to make little, but very powerful, changes. I promise you’ll inspire those around you. Some girl might even take your picture when you’re an 80 year old dressed up as a fairy, helping a blind dude cross the street.
LOVE
