Everyday Acts

It’s easy to change the world, for the better, if you want to.

I’m not talking about creating a permanent peace in the Middle East. That’s best left to statesmen. Nor am I suggesting discovering a vaccine for HIV. Perhaps a scientist in a lab somewhere will eventually do that.

You don’t have to speak truth to power and put your life on the line like Aung San Suu Kyi or Nelson Mandela. You don’t need to live in exile like the Dalai Lama or cast off worldly possessions and wash the feet of the poor in Calcutta like Mother Teresa.

But you can’t just wring your hands and moan and groan about the sad state of affairs. You can’t say, “when I have more time, I’ll volunteer” or “when I’m financially secure, I’ll make a contribution” or “when the kids are grown, I’ll get involved in my community.”

None of us gets to take a “pass” on making the world a better place. We can’t leave that to the saints and the martyrs and the heroes while we idle away our fleeting time on earth watching television and surfing the web.

We all have to do something.

And we have to do something today.

And everyday.

To make the world a better place.

And it isn’t difficult.

It can start with common courtesy and civility. A “please” and a “thank you” go a long way in improving other people’s days.

How difficult is it to pick up a piece of trash on the street and dispose of it?

We can use less water, eat less meat and just consume less in general.

A hand-written note, placed in an envelope, stamped and mailed to someone who is struggling may have more of an impact than any of us realize.

We can speak out against prejudice and injustice and stand up to bullies.

Share whatever we have in abundance – our time, money, creativity, compassion, love – with others who may be lacking these gifts.

These everyday acts, done with intentionality, by every person, every day, would do more to positively impact the world than all the saints and martyrs and heroes could accomplish in a lifetime. And it starts today with you and me.