Impact

Impact.

I've been thinking about that one word a lot over the last week.

Thinking about it. Reading about it. I see it in everything.

One thing occurred to me. We all run around trying to make a difference in this world, to leave our mark, to make an impact if you will. Yet, we impact all the time. There's no such thing as a life without impact.

I've been reading a book called "Handle With Care" recently. I'm about halfway through and it was recommended to me by a legal-minded friend because she thought it would be of interest to her medical-minded one. It's hugely got me thinking and I'm excited to discuss it with her- mainly because I want to know whether if she were in the same boat as one of the characters in the story, she'd sue me! It's about a girl with Osteogenesis Imperfecta Type III. Only, it isn't really. It's about her parents and how they manage to screw it all up - but then I'm only half way through.

This girl in the story, now five, has had around 60 broken bones in her short life due to how brittle they are. If she puts her foot down too hard she gets a broken metatarsal - it's that bad. She's going through all of this because of the fact that there is no such thing as a life without impact.

As such, I've become acutely aware of my impact. I've become aware of my feet hitting the ground as I walk, my hand impacting a door as I push it open (and then notice it says pull - hey, it happens) and even my fingers hitting the keyboard as I type. Life is sensory. Life is felt. Life is impact.

In the midst of all this "impact" I saw the following on the news:

The Club where you can smash stuff up

I was actually totally appalled at this 'impact' - the idea of people going to take their anger out in this way just made me wonder how they could have better channeled that feeling and controlled it rather than just exploding outwards in a fit of rage. It seems like a pretty unhealthy thing to get used to: smashing stuff up when you're angry.

In reality, we can control our impact. We determine whether we will create or destroy. We choose if we will build someone up or tear them down. We can choose that our impact on the world will at least largely be the positive kind.

Then, I saw the most adorable family at hospital this week. The parents were pretty much superheroes. They had three little boys (all, incidentally, gorgeous) and were obviously tired, concerned, a long way from home and not in the best situation. One boy had lost a finger in a moment of impact and was having it sewn back on. His brother was bashful about it. But his parents were smiling, entertaining medical students and were just such a positive example of how to love every second of life. It's addictive to be around people who are like that! It makes me feel like life really must be wonderful if there are people like that in it.

They made an impact on me. I wanted to be like them. They were probably completely unaware of that impact, but I know that seeing them made me believe a little bit more (I'm an optimist anyway!) in people.

Going to see Travis (yes, they still exist) on Saturday also had a positive impact. At one point, Fran Healy was talking about how it's been 5 years since they were in Birmingham on tour. I remember seeing them then with a friend who got all emotional over the song "My Eyes" which was written when Fran knew he was going to be a Dad for the first time. He said they'd been away because they'd been raising their kids- it was neither an apology nor a plea for support. It was stated as fact. He then went on to say that his kids were the best song he could ever write. It was a little emotional coming from a Scotsman, I have to say! It was great, though. It impacted. As did the whole gig. It was fun. We had a great time.

Impact is disastrous when it isn't controlled. But impact is also creative and empowering. We thrive off the impact we have on each other. I'm so grateful for those who impact my life daily, weekly, monthly, yearly. Especially for those who are examples to me from a distance: we forget to thank people for their influence sometimes when it's quiet and not intended for us. Those parents at the hospital were being observed just doing their thing, playing with their kids and being the great parents they are; but it was significant to me.

I'm glad I had a friend to recommend a book that has made me think about all these little impacts!!!