Reflection Part 2

A week and a multitude of thoughts later, clarity on the efficacy of SRKF’s Pandamonium is still up in the air. I have no doubts about the need for a project like the Pandamonium, especially when it comes to the martial arts, but I still have work to do when it comes to getting my students and community as passionate about it as I am.

Wildfires and the slumping economy definitely have an effect on people’s priorities but, in most cases, those things are more excuses for poor engagement than reasons. So much mediocrity in the world is a result of apathy and indifference.

I believe in the power of engagement and I believe in the potential of a single act. Laziness makes apathy more attractive than action. By its very nature, inaction guarantees that nothing will change and therefore reinforces the helplessness so many feel when it comes to facing important issues. Yet three daily acts of engagement by a single person can create lasting, meaningful change.

The Pandamonium is not fulfilling its potential. The project is not a 24 hour event but rather a daily commitment to kindness, empathy, and compassion. Our annual event should be a celebration of accomplishment and a reaffirmation of our commitment to our community.

“Apathy is a sort of living oblivion.” - Horace Greeley (1811 - 1872)