I recently finished
reading a monster of a book titled Shantaram. It’s a fictional recollection of an escaped convict’s experiences as he
attempts to build an anonymous life for himself in India. Through the entire 900+ pages, he struggles
to redefine his identity. Prison and the
events that prelude his arrest severed his human relationships. When he arrives in India all he has is his
own self. He cannot identify through
love, country, or achievement. Through
the novel he overcomes this isolation by realizing that the power to live,
experience, and love comes from within. Everything
you do as you breathe and exist on this planet impacts other lives and
situations and has the capacity to define who you are. Your choices make you.
Recently, I've been
reflecting on the idea of development work sponsored by the international community. I believe in it, but sometimes I wonder about
the effectiveness of outsiders attempting to influence change. Every moment of our lives have the potential
to either create positive or negative consequences, and quite honestly, we don’t
know where the ball will drop. Even the
best intentions and proven techniques can be successfully implemented in one
community, but fail miserably in another.
Life’s kinetic variables can change the smallest details and overturn the
precious equilibrium we identify as normalcy.
With that in mind, how do
you work as a development worker? You realize
that your presence is equivalent to a scientific variable and live with a freedom
that invites influence and idea. Or, at
least that’s what I’m attempting right now as this year comes to a close and a
new one begins. November might be too
early for end of the year reflections, but my Peace Corps boat ended up in a
storm this week and I’m trying not to drown.
