Butterfly Wings

Last night, Kelly and I went to the Boise State campus to hear Gloria Steinem speak. She said a lot that I agreed with and a lot that resounded with me and a lot that stood out to me. Perhaps the thing she said that I have thought the most about since last night was about butterfly wings. She used the chaos theory statement that the flap of a butterfly's wings here can cause a windstorm across the world. Her point was that we do a lot every day that seems harmless or meaningless but in actuality causes problems later or elsewhere. Now, of course she tied this message into her overall statement of feminism and humanism and the greater problem at hand, but this one simple message...

I started thinking about the harmless things I do in my life. Berating other drivers from the safety of my enclosed sedan. Sighing and becoming inwardly pissed off when I have to repeat myself numerous times. Not calling people back because I think there will always be tomorrow, but knowing it's just negligence. These are little pieces of poison in my daily life. They hurt me and they hurt others, no matter how much I try to ignore or deny it.

I think that's what a lot of social groups attempt to do as their basis for the movement. Raising awareness. I think a lot of intelligent (and aware) social leaders know that they can't possibly win over an entire nation, or even most of a nation, but that if they do it right, they can make a heck of a lot of people think. Watching Ms. Steinem last night I saw a woman who was not trying to win over an audience with emotive cries for justice and power. In a rational fashion, she explained her stance nicely to all of us, telling us before she began that she didn't have any more answers than any of us because everyone has ideas and everyon can help. She spoke plainly and with a calm, straightforward manner. Like the butterfly, she shared her ideas and promoted thinking. And now my thinking spreads to others as well.

We're all butterflies of sorts.