Can We Be Happy For Nothing?

Some time ago I wrote a short article about Tommy. When Tommy was a young boy of about nine or 10 years of age, he would ride with his father to the local hardware store. His dad worked as a carpenter. On Saturday mornings, Tommy’s dad would take his son to shop for tools, supplies, and equipment needed for work. This was a weekly event, and Tommy looked forward to spending this time with his father.

On the way to the store, Tommy noticed certain people on the street corners. These people sat in folding chairs. Some held signs. Typically they were accompanied by a backpack and a cup of something to drink. On a particular Saturday, Tommy watched his father give one of the men on the street corner some money. Tommy said nothing about it and his father offered no explanation. Over the course of a few months, Tommy watched as other people gave money to these people as well. Eventually, Tommy asked the question.

“Why do these people sit on the street corners asking for money?” Tommy asked.

“They’re homeless,” his father replied.

“It’s sad that they don’t have a home,” Tommy said.

The following Monday, Tommy shared his story with the kids in his civics class. “It’s sad that these people don’t have a place to call home,” Tommy added. “Is there something we can do?”

Making Change

Tommy’s teacher did not respond right away. However, throughout the week, she gave Tommy’s story some thought and decided to create a project-based learning activity from the situation. As a result, Tommy, and his classmates, learned about the homeless population in their community. Further, due to Tommy’s deep empathy for these people, he facilitated a change in mindset within his local community. He met with local community, faith, and industry leaders (with the support and guidance of his parents and teachers). He also spoke at different school functions. As a result, he was able to raise money for a new homeless shelter.

Even at a young age, Tommy’s actions demonstrated social awareness. In my book, Walking the Path – A Leader’s Journey, I take an introspective look at social awareness. At a deeper level, I call this social consciousness. Social awareness, or social consciousness, is a change in thinking. People who embrace social consciousness appreciate and understand how human behaviors impact one another.

But socially conscious people don’t stop there. Understanding how our actions impact the people around us is only part of the story. Socially conscious people act on that understanding. They make the changes that need to be made. They change circumstances to make the world a better place.

Meet Alka Bohorun

Alka Bohorun Fellow Chartered Manager, CMgr FCMI embraced the pandemic in a most unique way. The COVID 19 pandemic hit all of humanity regardless of location, race, creed, or nationality. It hit us . . . and it hit us hard. For many, the pandemic took things away – jobs, relatives, friends, homes, and finances. However, one of the most important things the pandemic took from us was our sense of community. We were isolated for reasons of safety and security. The only way to connect was through a virtual platform. Although this felt awkward at first, virtual space became a common ground to connect.

More on Alka in a moment.

What to do?   

In isolation, people change. We lose a sense of self. We also lose our sense of value. This causes a myriad of mental and physical problems. According to some statistics, depression rose 25%. Anxiety and suicide also became targets on our social radar.

In her own way, Alka wanted to make things better. She wanted to make people happy. And she did just that. She created a virtual space on YouTube where people could just be silly – singing and dancing, and just being happy. And you know what? People loved it. People embraced Alka’s willingness to help others express themselves once again . . . to connect and feel alive!

Fast forward 2+ years. Alka’s awareness for the needs of others, and her ability to foster support through gift giving and sponsors, allowed her to create an international community called BH40 . . . Be Happy For Nothing.

Alka and her international team of volunteers, ambassadors, and givers have created a space where people are supported in powerful and needed ways. Where people need food, her team supplies resources. Where people need jobs, her team trains people to work. Where people need to feel connected, her team brings people together.

Change In Canada and Beyond

In a most recent conversation, Alka introduced me to part of her team, Jyoti Sarda SCMA (sister), H.E Dame Heather McWilliam (Canadian Ambassador), and Teresa Rego (local community leader in Ontario Canada). On December 4, 2022, the Canadian team hosted a mental health awareness event for young people aged 7 through 17. Hosted by HUF Gym, local athletes and artists volunteered their time and energy to bring mental health awareness to the local community. What an exciting time to be in Ontario, Canada! The video below offers some insights in what her team was going to accomplish.

Now it’s Time For Change

The power to make change happen comes from the awareness that change is needed. Beyond that, change comes from the understanding that things are not good as they are. Doing the same thing as yesterday does not create change for tomorrow. We need to do something different (or do things differently) to facilitate change. We need to encourage others to assume responsibility so that change can be long-lasting, thus sustainable.

Alka is an inspiration to many. She exemplifies the purpose and intent behind Walking the Path – A Leader’s Journey. Like ‘John’, my story’s protagonist, Alka was not satisfied with the way things were in life. She knew a change needed to be made. Unlike many, she made change happen. And she continues to make change happen. All she asks is that you help her make change a reality for the people that need it across the world.

She wants to help people Be Happy, For Nothing.

Thanks for reading.

Credit for images: www.pixabay.com