When was the last time you had a deep conversation with a stranger? I recently attended a Net Impact YEG dinner at a local Italian restaurant with about 40 or 50 people. That’s far too many to engage in a deeper conversation. So they purposefully placed five or six of us at each table for a discussion to be facilitated by a Net Impact YEG member. We were asked to share a story about what led us to be committed personally to making a difference in the world. For the next two hours I had the privilege to hear a variety of stories from a diverse group of people - all intentionally using their skills and experiences for good. Some were inspired by the example of a friend or relative while others experienced the need for a completely different outlook.
When it comes to my own story, that’s exactly what happened. And I remember it as if it were yesterday. It was 1984 and news of a growing famine in Ethiopia was being aired on national television. I watched as they showed babies on the brink of starvation; their weeping parents helpless to end the suffering. My response should have been compassion. Instead it was indifference. I changed the channel, hoping to find some lighter viewing. But over the next few days and weeks I couldn’t shake the images of Ethiopia and my response. I started asking myself, “What’s wrong with you? When you see something like that, you should feel something, shouldn’t you? Are you a cold, calloused person? You’re only 22. What’s the matter with you?” These questions led me on a journey of discovery that would have me turn away from my growing career in finance to dedicate my life to ending poverty. It’s been 40 years since that summer and I’m still at it - trying to make a difference locally, regionally and globally.
So as you think about the last time you had a deeper conversation with someone, consider asking what it was that caused them to take the first step towards making a difference in the world. Give them the space they need to share without interrupting or comparing to your own experiences until you’re asked. I guarantee it will be time well spent and you will be richer for it. Maybe it will even help you to write a new chapter in your own life.
