It is 2:05 in the night as I write this blog. I am tired from a 16 hour day but I feel on top of the moon! I am lucky to have amazing role models around me who rejuvenate me with their sincerity, their purpose, their desire to help humanity and doing it all with a style that is so humble. On top of that list is Major Alexia. I just saw the HUGE impact Major Alexia and her team has had in delivering 950 pounds of books to a remote first nation reserve inspired by a simple idea at the experience your life dinner last year. I had nothing to do with the execution of this project and this is all done with the hard work of 417 Squadron of the Royal Canadian Air Force and their leader Major Alexia. Good people have the ability to take an idea, work hard and take it to a whole different level.
I am on a mission to make a difference what I do is hard. It takes a lot out of you. You have to constantly put yourself out there and many times deal with lack of action from people. You remind yourself of your purpose and it boosts you but let's be honest.. constantly seeing lack of action drains you. We all need people around us who encourage us and inspire us. That is where Major Alexia comes in!
Lastly year, we all sat down (120 change makers from around the world) for a night of relaxation and celebration before a big event we do each year (www.experienceyourlife.ca) There were members of St. John Ambulance present and they shared how they had loaded an entire ambulance full of books for library in a week. Major Alexia was there and instantly got excited about the idea of loading a helicopter full of books and bringing it to a community that will benefit from it. It was a dream with lots of obstacle in the way. Well - fast forward month and months of hard work, doing book drive on the military base and handling all the necessary logistics, she finally complete the mission and the pictures capture how these kids will never forget this moment.
I am speechless and so moved to see this impact.
I can tell you from personal experience as I was on the other side once. When you help someone with respect and dignity, the resource you give becomes a very small part of impact. You give them not just the resource but you give them HOPE! Hope that there are good people who will do good things in the world without need for recognition, expectation of return or any agenda. You give them hope that they too can fly one day and achieve their dreams. You give them hope that will help them overcome the challenges of life. You give a boy hope who survived on less that 20 dollars for years that he can start a project one day to build 100 libraries.
I am proud of you and your team Major Alexia, you inspire me to push hard. Together - we are unstoppable!