Speak Up!

Funny, isn't it - how many of us will see or hear something that's not right, but instead of doing something about it... we turn a blind eye. Because it's easier to not get involved. It can be as small as not picking up the piece of garbage we see on the trail, or as big as ignoring the sound of a car alarm going off (seriously - how many of you have ever looked to see if someone was breaking in? Or did you just get agitated that it was going off, and hope that someone turns it off quickly?)


I still remember this point being driven home for me. I was watching the "Kids in the Hall" in university, and Bruce McCollough did a scene that was titled "An Open Letter to the Person Who Stole Bruce's Front Tire". Clearly, at some point that day, someone had stolen the front tire off of his bike - but left the rest of his bike. To paraphrase, he went into a somewhat incredulous rant - asking why, exactly, the thief stole the front tire but left the rest of the bike. What good was the front tire alone?


However, the poignant segment came later in the show. Bruce finished the first piece, and left the stage - only to come back and deliver a segment called "An Open Letter to the People Who WATCHED Someone Steal Bruce's Front Tire". Again, to paraphrase - Bruce put the question to all the people on the midday Toronto street that saw someone taking only the front tire off a bike... and then leave the bike. "What - did you think he was coming back for the rest of it later?"


Point is, we've all been guilty of turning the blind eye at one point or another in our lives - but maybe it's time to stop. Going forward, I offer you a challenge - I challenge you to start noticing all those little things. And if something's not right - fix it.

Pick the garbage up off the trail.

Look and see if a car's being broken into when you hear an alarm.

And if you see someone taking only the front tire of a bike - maybe check to make sure it's actually their bike.

~Guy