The northwest is a pretty dynamic community made up of all
types of folks. We’ve got something for
everyone and everyone seems to fit in…for the most part. But we’ve got a little something extra, a
secret weapon if you will and while everyone knows this weapon, they don’t
fully understand its power until they are standing right smack in the middle of
all it’s glory, getting showered with an immeasurable energy.
This energy gives you hope and inspiration, it ignites your
faith in humanity, it helps you understand that there is a higher purpose for
all of us and demonstrates first hand that anything is possible.
I’m talking about inner Howardness. What does it mean to be a Howard? How does one achieve Howardness? It’s futile to ask a Howard as their Howardness
is something that comes from within them, it’s simply their natural course of
action, it comes with such ease that to conjure it they only have to think
it. For the rest of us, to do a
Howardful act takes careful thought and consideration and you will likely fail
many times before achieving true inner Howardness.
I count myself extremely lucky to know several Howards and
have studied their methods thoroughly for a number of years in hopes that I
will one day bring Howardness to the rest of the world. How does one identify a Howardly act? Here are a few simple indicators:
1.) Is
it selfless?
2.) Does
it involve a serious commitment of time?
3.) Would
you refuse or not require money to do it despite the fact that it likely cost
you money?
4.) Does
it make people feel good?
5.) Does
it make people question your intentions simply because it’s so amazing that
it’s hard to believe it’s real?
6.) Does
it attract media attention even though you’ve tried to thwart it?
7.) Does
it create a better community?
8.) Does
it teach important lessons?
9.) Does
it inspire others to do things of a similar nature?
Some specific examples of random acts of Howardness include:
·
Pie Day – Bake dozens of pies and hand our free
slices every other year on main street in Smithers. For no other reason than to do something fun
and selfless for the community you call home.
·
Swim the Skeena – Dedicate 2 years of your life
(and risking it) to training, educating, swimming, touring and speaking about
the watershed while uniting and inspiring communities along the way. Have a beautiful film created that airs on
major television networks and gets translated into Japanese.
·
Teach kids to Ski – take a bunch of youth who
can’t afford or just simply don’t have the opportunity to go skiing and pay for
them to do it out of your own pocket simply because you think it’s a good
idea. You will do this weekly all winter
but it’s not just the skiing part, you pick them up, drop them off and be their
chaperone.
·
Be Beautiful – while others look upon you and
wonder how it’s possible to be so handsome or beautiful, you teach them that
it’s possible to be beautiful on the outside AND the inside all at the same
time.
·
Be present – you will always find a Howard at
community functions, waving a banner or supporting something worthwhile regardless
of how many things they have taking up all their time. You will also find them immediately at your
side at the drop of hat should you ever need emotional, financial, political or
physical support.
·
Do things well – If you’re going to do
something, you might as well put your entire heart into it, there’s no use
doing something half-assed.
·
Be Thoughtful – Remember things that people say
or feel so that when the time comes, you remember those things and shock those
people with how special you’ve made them feel by remembering random things like
their favourite food (and you make it for them), their favourite movie or
music, etc.
I am grateful to live in a community that has not 1 but 3
Howards. Every community needs a Howard
or someone who has achieved Howardness. Just how is it that we’re so lucky here
in the north?
Some people leave this world and leave their mark…when a
Howard leaves this world – they leave a legacy.
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