What do plastic surgeons have in common with urban planners?

I'll tell you in a minute. But first I have to backtrack for a second and share a little tid bit of information: about two years ago if you had asked me whether I was interested in politics I would have said, "yes...sure...absolutely!" The truth? While I enjoy studying politics (i.e. the academic bit, the theory), in reality, the only part of the newspaper that I actually read (and not even on a regular basis) is the Life Section. (thank goodness for the life section!)

So why did I lie? I feel like we are such a generation of do-gooders, go-getters, and change makers, that we all want to be seen as extraordinary, super aware, socially conscious, caring citizens. We want to be everything all at once - environmentalists, social activists, political advocates, international volunteers. Anything that challenges the screw ups the generations before us did. And if we don't? We're not good citizens?

This is nonsense. As I've come to realize, I suffered from a complete and utter case of the "making a difference complex". I put so much pressure on myself to seem remotely interested and involved at every level of "doing good", that I missed the whole point.

And what is the point? The point is...the world is like the human body...to heal, it requires so many different forms of therapy and types of treatment. But each one has its place. I will use the analogy of my own body for a moment. About 7 years ago I had a pretty bad ski fall, I twisted my neck, got whiplash and busted my shoulder. As standard procedure would dictate, I went to see a physio for a few months. Fine, problem solved. No, not really. Years later, I still found my neck to be an issue. I then started seeing a chiropractor, who adjusted the vertebrae, structurally getting everything back in alignment. Still not good enough. I then went to a massage therapist, she massages the hell out of my shoulders and neck trying to loosen everything up. Meh, some progress, but only enough to get those pesky muscles that were gripping at my vertebrae to let go temporarily. Then I see an osteopath and wow, does she get deep. She's working on the connective tissue level and telling me it all has to do with my heavy liver (huh? exactly)...basically my liver is acting as an anchor to my neck and pulling at it constantly via the minute tissue all through the right side of my body. Interesting. Finally, I go to yoga. Yoga works on balancing out my emotional body, opening my heart for example and making me realize that when I have emotional stress, my neck gives out. So how to prevent that? Practice more yoga, examine my feelings.

So, to make a long story short, I have needed help from almost every possible practioner i could get my hands on, and have worked on the cellular level to the very superficial level.

So...what does a plastic surgeon have in common with an eco-urban planner? Well, I would say that everyone out there trying to "make a difference" can be likened to some kind of body healer or medical practitioner, with everyone's focus and scale of practice being different.

For example, political types, lawyers, and policy makers are like chiropractors. They look at the building blocks of the body, aka the structure in society. They can change the rules, make new legislation, and systematic changes that aim to keep our social body in check. The plastic surgeon works on making us look good on the outside, just as devoted green urban planners try to revitalize the city with rooftop gardens, waterfront face lifts, and community art projects. What about the grass roots activists? People working directly with others at the ground level - alleviating poverty, building homes in earthquake stricken areas, witnessing tragic conditions everyday? They are the physiotherapists, crucial for mobilizing the large joints of our social body. They help to push and shift and strengthen our world on a more macro level. Without them, our muscles would seize up. And then of course there are those educators, innovators, motivators, coaches, and individuals trying to make change via altering the mindset of our society. The spiritual leaders and the philosophical teachers that are gently rocking the fascia of our world. This is the least intrusive social therapy I know of, akin to osteopathy or yin yoga, it is nonviolent and stretches out the most minute parts of our social body that we like to grip on to because that's what feels normal. But these tissues are also the hardest to move. Our mindsets and belief systems are the hardest to change. It takes patience and gentle prodding to make people over-turn their values.

So, where has my political-inferiority complex gone? Well now I see, that rather than being ashamed by the fact that I don't know as much as some of my friends about the current political system, the Copenhagen summit, or Canadian laws, and I'm not jumping at the chance to travel to Namibia to hand out condoms and birth control to young girls...I still have a place as a concerned, caring and engaged citizen. We can't be everything at once...so I'll stick to what I know - and that's definitely not cracking bones!