What Ignites You?

Don't just live, stand up!

Dear M & B,

Sitting in the Women Against Gun Violence 30th Anniversary Heroes Luncheon listening to the brave survivors of gun violence speak and ring a bell for the thousands of victims who did not survive this year — and it’s only May — I was struck by how integral it is to do this work.

But “this work” does not mean fighting for an end to gun violence. This work refers to fighting to change, to better, whatever social ill moves you to get up, get out, and take action.

What I know for sure is that we are incredibly powerful beings individually. And collectively we are a force of strength that can achieve the “impossible,” especially for the good.

When we reflect on what we have created, accomplished, and been responsible for, altruistic and noble as well as subversive and horribly evil, there is no denying this fact.

We are innovative problem solvers too. We always have been. The evidence speaks for itself. We have created language to communicate and tools to further civilisation; we have discovered how to make fire and how to send people into space. Daily we are inventing and innovating. It is in our DNA as humans.

We can do so much towards accomplishing what we put our hearts, minds, determination, and perseverance to — individually and especially collectively. And we need to. We must. It is our responsibility as fellow humans to do no harm while we are guests here on Mother Earth, as well as to leave this world improved.

One of the pillars from which genuine happiness is derived is purposeful work that is of service to the greater good. Some of us can find this in our career. Others of us can achieve this deep satisfaction via activism towards a meaningful cause outside of our daily work.

Being at that luncheon, recognising that all of us, a diverse microcosm of Los Angeles, had been joining forces together, to better the lives of our children, families, communities, and society, was a powerful reminder: “This work” — the work that speaks to each of us — is critically important. This work is oxygen, not only for our souls, but also for the soul of our community. The tiny, incremental actions we take, over time, create meaningful change in the world, in our lives, and in our own happiness, too.

With love,

Maman

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Thank you to Kutan Ural for the cover photography.