By Lawson Hunter, Burlington Now radio
Do you sometimes feel that there is too much negativity flowing around the world? Wars, famine, floods or drought or forest fires? Are people not willing to accept other points of view or beliefs? Why is there so much “bad news” in the media? Can we not just show a little kindness?
I’m sure those thoughts have crossed your mind — more than once. Well, there is someone who also thought those things, and she decided to do something about it.
Meet the local author and former accountant, who lives on a farm in the region with her husband, their two children and, in her words, “many wonderful animals.”
Yep, you guessed it, Anitha Rao-Robinson has a soft spot in her heart for animals, all kinds of animals, and she’s not the only one. Anitha is a children’s book author and she has also written a trilogy of young adult books. A Family for Faru (the children’s picture book) is about a young boy who adopts an orphan rhinoceros and journeys across the African savanna to find the rhino a new family.
Told you she loves animals. The idea came to Anitha after her daughter volunteered at a rhino orphanage in South Africa. The book is published by Pajama Press and illustrated by Karen Patkau.
But Anitha felt there was more that she could do than just write about the things she cared about. Rao-Robinson wanted to combine her ability to tell a story with her love of animals and concern for the environment. Voila, that passion became a podcast: Kindness Is Everything.
The podcast is available on Apple, Spotify and most of the usual places, and through her website, www.anitharobinson.com. It has been active for more than a year and has just celebrated its 50th episode.
Guests are usually young people focused on helping animals and the planet through a determination that often amazes Anitha for both their levels of passion and commitment, often beyond what adults seem to be doing. Emily from Redford, Ontario, has travelled to India, Egypt, Greece, and other countries to volunteer with local animal rescues. Milton residents Will and Jada held a fundraiser to raise money for Sick Kids Hospital. Twelve-year-old Cash, one of Time magazine’s Kids of the Year, is protecting sea animals by removing fishing lines and plastic from the ocean. Eleven-year-old Ella protects oceans and sharks. Angela from Bird Safe Guelph shares tips on preventing birds from colliding with buildings. And the list goes on.
“It’s about empowering youth to do more, whatever their interest is,” says Rao-Robinson. Anitha explains that she scans social media to find her guests, and there’s no shortage of topics. “If everyone did just a little bit and pushed through that feeling that these are impossible tasks,” Anitha suggests, “then the big problems become solvable.” Rao-Robinson is inspired by her young guests, both local and from other parts of the world, so much so that she often asks of her guests, “What charitable cause would you recommend someone support?” and then makes a donation herself.
It’s more than a slogan to Rao-Robinson. Kindness is everything, if you think about it. The younger generation is showing us the way. All we need to do is turn off the bad news, support these young “champions” and share their passion for a better future.
