I believe that the positive energy vibes we put out into the world can be passed around and make a difference. Words can make or break someone’s day. They can encourage a child to work harder in school, or unfortunately to feel defeated. The right words can make people feel that their daily struggle is worthwhile or, sadly, that they are misunderstood and unappreciated.
We are living in scary times. There are days we want to avoid watching the news unfold in Israel, here in the U.S., and around the globe. It is almost impossible to shelter oneself because of the immediacy of news available today. With up-to-the-minute news feeds, we can follow current events as they unfold. There are times that I am made aware of a terror attack in Israel before my daughter and son-in-law living in Tekoa, a city in the West Bank, have heard of the events. It can be frustrating, feeling as if we are powerless and our efforts will not even be a drop in the bucket to help make the vital changes that are so integral to our peaceful existence.
The ripple effect is an interesting phenomenon. Toss a stone into a pond and watch the water ripple outward. One little pebble can create ripples that seem to go on endlessly. Our lives are much the same. People are so caught up with the rat race of making ends meet and trying to get through the day that they often don’t realize the impact their words and actions have on someone else and on the world at large. From the moment we wake up until the moment we go to sleep, we can have an impact on the people around us. Our actions are noted. Our words may be even stronger. Small things we incorporate into our lives can have a huge impact.
In my practice, I often treat patients who have had physical or emotional trauma from a young age. I am currently treating a man in his twenties who was bullied for years in grade school. It was before our schools and educators realized the long-term effect that bullying can have on a child, before we had mandatory parental participation in school programs designed to help and avoid situations just like this one.
This individual was literally stuck in his life. He has so much aggression buried within that he simply feels unable to move forward and lift the burden he is carrying around. I am utilizing acupuncture to help release the emotions and the anxiety that has resulted. Seeing him come into my office weekly, smiling and ready to talk because it helps him acknowledge what he went through, is a ripple. It is helping this individual come to terms with his past and move on to a more successful future. It is a pebble that I have been fortunate enough to toss. I am confident that he will amount to great things and be able to toss some good pebbles of his own.
I have had the great fortune of seeing numerous patients welcome the changes that holistic medicine has helped them achieve, not just on a physical-rehabilitation level but on an emotional level as well. Many of my patients have been able to find resolution and peace within themselves, which has helped them attain proper perspective in their lives. They have cultivated these changes, and I am proud to see them get engaged, get married, and move on in healthy relationships.
This week I had a first in my practice. I was approached by a patient’s boyfriend, who wanted me to assist in a proposal. He felt strongly that his soon-to-be-fiancée would feel awkward and uncomfortable being proposed to in a public setting. We have all seen the billboards in stadiums, or the blimps in the sky, proposing marriage. But this young man had the foresight to know what the proper fit was for his girlfriend. He didn’t plan a proposal that would be a grandiose show. Instead, he took the time to painstakingly plan an intimate engagement proposal that would not be the least bit expected. He wanted to propose to the love of his life in a place where she felt secure, confident, and at ease.
He scoped out my office the week before. I was asked to ensure this would happen exactly as he had envisioned, based on the ideas he shared with me. I didn’t hesitate for even a second. I feel honored to have helped such a beautiful moment come to fruition, which will undoubtedly set the tone for their future life together–one in which they understand each other’s needs and strive to fulfill them.
Having a proposal on videotape in my office brought the most beautiful, loving feelings into my practice, which is also my personal haven. The excitement was contagious. It can still be felt days later; it is a ripple effect. I feel blessed to have been a part of it and I’m sure the positive-energy vibes will keep rippling out to all those who welcome it.
In a scary world, we can do our part. Toss your “pebbles.” Do it with your words and with your actions. Make a difference in someone’s life today.