Let’s face it, the news is depressing, full of dread, scandal and tragedy. Conflict and corruption grab headlines far more easily than compassion and cooperation. It’s easy to get demoralised.
I’ve had the privilege of meeting several thousand people over more than twenty years of facilitating workshops and it continually blows me away how normal it is, yet again, to have another great group of people turn up for training.
Of course there’s been the occasional disgruntled person or group that’s frying around the edges with burnout. But it’s remarkably, consistently rare. Our communities are rich with so many good people that don’t make the news – quiet stories of courage and kindness, commitment and advocacy.
It’s important that we don’t sentimentalise this good nature, leading to token acknowledgment at best and outright exploitation at worst. I’m convinced that thirty percent of community services are funded by people’s compassion. People who care for others deserve fair pay and adequate resources.
And the reality is some of these good people have not so great moments in practice. I sure do. There is no such thing as the perfect conversation. And humans get frustrated, make assumptions, have blindspots and lose focus.
But we also need to celebrate just how many people turn up over and over to look after others, whether in their job, their local community or in the global community. It’s pretty cool when you think about it.
Helen Mentha 