Little Things lead to Big Changes
I was up in London again recently and had reason to spend some time thinking about ‘little things’. More specifically how paying attention to those ‘little things’ can lead to you noticing things you have never experienced before.
In my work as a coach I’ve tried to be better at this, being aware only looking for big ticket items can result in missing what is really going on entirely. I try and do it in every part of my life, with varying degrees of success. There are days when I can engage in the minutiae of my environment, and then there are days where only those big ‘charismatic’ experiences register with me. Maybe that’s the way for all of us?
As well as noticing the ‘little things’ they also feature in an internal dialogue in which I wonder if I am doing enough to take care of the planet. I am conscious of not having a big charismatic action to take and left feeling inadequate at only doing ‘little things’. I have to work hard to believe that ‘little things’ can have big consequences when there appears to be so much evidence to the contrary.
My reason for being in London was to share some time and space with a lovely group of people who are seeking to exert their influence on both the small and large scale. Their purpose is to support young people who have been victims on childhood trauma. There focus is on doing this ‘one person at a time’ as well as through working with the system to ensure it functions as a support in the navigation of trauma, not as an agent in extending its duration.
Our purpose on the day was to explore some training resources which would help trainers to build competency in practitioner networks working with young people. If you like, the curriculum and content we experienced were the ‘big ticket items’ which were occupying all our attention. Very good it was too, yet I found the ‘little things’ to be just as important in the learning process we were engaging in. For example, comments, stories, particular choices of language, the non-verbal communication. Each one was a curriculum in itself!
Come the end of the day I had some time to fill around Paddington. I went on a tour of the area taking in the Grand Union Canal at Paddington Basin. I never get over the unsettling feeling of walking upstairs, out of the main station area, to find a sizeable watercourse complete with barges, bridges and other water-based paraphernalia!
I went in search of the famous bear, the one named after the station, and was pleased to find him on one of the platforms. I was also delighted and surprise by the huge sculpture called The Wild Table of Love by Gillie and Marc, which I found just outside the station. It has their alter egos, Rabbitwoman and Dogman, hosting a table at which the ten most endangered animals on the planet all have a place as they share a meal together.
As an observer you are invited to take one of the vacant places at the table, an act full of symbolism. When I did so I contemplated my individual and humankinds collective role in causing the extinction of so many species already, and what we might to do protect all that are left. I was also thoughtful that continued the geopolitical insanity of our current times might well mean we have a place at this table as one of the species at risk of extinction
The animals represented at the table and the message being shared seemed to belong in the big ticket, charismatic category. There is no implied criticism in that, it is a big-ticket issue. However, it did make me wonder about the little guys, the small ‘uncharismatic’ species also at immediate risk of extinction, which must number in the many 1000s. How big would the table need to be to give them all space for a seat?
I also realised I was tipping into a feeling of helplessness characterised by the ‘what can I do?’ query. Interestingly I notice it is for queries rolled into one, each one distinguished by where you choose to put the emphasis as you speak the question out loud.
I did a quick bit of googling of Gillie and Marc and came across their very considerable contribution to the discussion on environmental sustainability relevant to all species, through their creativity, awareness raising and generous donations.
I was still stuck in the ‘what can I do?’ territory when I spotted details of their Little Things Lead to Big Changes installations which are in several cities across the world, with the only complete set being distributed around Paddington! It comprises 18 bronze sculptures in miniature, distributed around shops, restaurants and hotels in the area, variously inside windows, or attached to walls and railings. All in plain sight, although some taking more searching out than others.
The alter egos created by Gillie and Marc, rabbitwoman and dogman, and their love despite of or perhaps because of their differences, is symbolic of the importance of inclusivity. Each of the tiny sculptures feature the two characters in some act of kindness or consideration for their environment and the creatures which inhabit it.
I had a brilliant time chasing around the streets of Paddington with time to locate about half of the sculptures. It was curious how being an explorer on this sculpture trail did connect me with the people of Paddington, many of whom were interested to tell me where to look. It was a delightful demonstration of community building through small interactions and also an example of what outdoor art can achieve by in creating focal points of interest which have the capacity to connect across communities and send messages which have a power beyond words.
The whole set of coincidental experiences on that day conspired to help me understand better that doing what I can, however large or small an act it is, will have an influence on the environment around me. My role is to ensure my influence is a good one.
It seems appropriate to conclude with a call to action to everyone holding the same concerns as me. It comes in the form of a quotation taken from Gillie and Marc’s description of the purpose behind Little Things Lead to Big Changes.
‘At first glance, our individual acts may appear small, but when united, they form a force of tremendous magnitude. Emphasizing the essence of unity, we believe that each one of us possesses the potential to bring about transformative change in areas such as the environment, conservation, mental health, kindness, and love, simply through acts of compassion and understanding’.
I couldn’t have put it better myself.