Be like water.
“You must be shapeless, formless, like water. When you pour water in a cup, it becomes the cup. When you pour water in a bottle, it becomes the bottle. When you pour water in a teapot, it becomes the teapot. Water can drip and it can crash. Become like water my friend.” – Bruce Lee
Today is November 4th. By now it was my intention to have 1,600 new organ donors registered in Ontario through participation in my Donor Mosaic Art Project.
I have not reached that goal. It’s a black and white as in “yes, I did” or “no, I didn’t”, and I didn’t. I had conversations with strangers, I spoke to my friends, I asked people to share my project goals in their communities, I shared my intentions on social media, I spoke at events and I had a good number of people register to save someone else’s life through organ donation. For possible recipients who may get to have a second shot at life like me, that effort will mean the world. Great, fantastic…right? No, I didn’t reach my goal.
I was stopped at times. I didn’t take advantage of every opportunity to initiate conversations about my project. Sometimes, when I did, my choice of words didn’t convey the message and the goal as well as I intended. I met people who were not interested in participating in my project and I certainly felt dejected from time to time. I was also hospitalized for a month during the time allotted for the project which left me less motivated to take on the heaviness of the task.
When Bruce Lee said to be like water, I believe he was advising us to be flexible. He was pointing us in the direction of fluidity over hard lines because it is through adaptability that we are able to fulfill our commitments in ways we may not have foreseen.
With this in mind, I've taken the date off of my project and re-defined the goal as having 1,600 new organ donors registered. As soon as possible. I have scheduled collaborations and discussions that will almost certainly assist me with strengthening my approach. I am already booked for speaking engagements that will raise the profile and awareness of the cause. Putting personal identity aside in this, I am committed to making the difference that needs to be made, so for the duration of this project - and beyond - I will be like water.
