How Can I Make A Difference? A Drop In The Ocean!
WHO AM I?
I am but a drop in the ocean. I am but a single man. I am one of seven billion inhabitants on this planet, a mere fleck of dust in a sandstorm of epic proportions.
I am a son, a father, an uncle and a husband. I am a friend, an ally, a foe and a stranger. Wound me and I will bleed; hurt me and I will cry. I work, I play, I stand proud and I move forward.
If I disappeared tomorrow how many would miss me? How many would even know that I existed? If I were to appear before Saint Peter tomorrow, would he recognize me, or need to check his stats sheet to find the significance of my time on Earth?
From my friend Linda
- Hurricane Sandy Victims Need Our Help
Hurricane Sandy has destroyed millions of families, businesses, and entire cities. People need our help. Will you meet my challenge and use the power of your voice to raise awareness and to provide a helping hand?
WHO ARE YOU?
You are but a drop in the ocean. You are a single man, or woman. You are one of seven billion inhabitants on this planet, a mere fleck of dust in a sandstorm of epic proportions.
You are a son, a daughter, wife or husband. You are a grandson, grandfather, ally and foe, and yes, indeed, a stranger. Will you bleed if wounded? Will you cry if hurt? Of course you will, as we all do, and through it all you will move forward….always forward….because that is what we do.
If you disappeared tomorrow how many would miss you? How many would even know that you existed? And how would that meeting go with you and Saint Pete? Are you on the top of his list, a pillar of humanity, or would you appear in the appendix with the also-rans?
Sha weighs in on this subject
- Hurricane Awareness - Why Is Mother Nature So Pissed Off?
When Mother Nature wreaks havoc we need to come to the aid who have been in her path. Offer a hand, a home, a blanket, a meal; offer to help mend their home. If you are not within physical proximity to help, send help via donations, clothing, buildin
WHO ARE THEY?
They are but drops in the ocean. They are men and women, solitary figures indistinguishable from one another as viewed over the span of Earth’s existence.
They are all of those, the fathers, sons, daughters and wives; they are the executives, the slaves, the bankers and the peons. Slice and dice them, and regardless of their social standing, they will bleed, and no matter the shield that protects their psyche, if you hurt them they will cry.
Who would miss them, the Republicans, Democrats, corporate execs and millworkers? Who would miss the contract farmers and the sheepherders, the Porsche salesmen and the social workers? In a world of seven billion, what difference does one man or woman make?
WHAT ARE WE?
We are bone and tissue, nerves and organs, all wrapped up in differing sizes, shapes, and appearances. We are the caveman and the nuclear physicist, the pioneer and the gunslinger, the sociopath and the priest, all wandering the landscape in search of…..what?
We claim superiority over all that is before us, but how can that be true when common animals have more common sense? How can we be superior when we lose sight, so easily, of that which is most important? How can we be superior when we are guided by the basest of emotions and urges?
In a world of seven billion, what difference could one man or woman possibly make?
THE QUEST
That, then, is the question I place before you! What difference can one man or woman possibly make? It is a valid question my friends, and you might be shocked by the number of people who believe that one person makes little difference in this world.
Seriously, is not a goat herder in Afghanistan insignificant? He certainly cannot change the world? For that matter, a villager in Sudan has no shot at making a difference, correct? How about that mother of five in Detroit? She once was married, her husband had a great job with Ford Motor Company, but then the layoffs hit, followed by the divorce, and problems with the kids and lack of food and foreclosure and what in the hell difference does it make whether she lives or dies?
The pretty people in the nightclubs dance to a frenetic beat, stuff white gold up their nostrils, and fight off panic in any way possible, while thirty feet to the south of that dance floor the homeless battle pigeons and crows for scraps blowing in the wind.
What possible difference can any of them make in this lifetime?
Storms named Katrina and Sandy deliver a dose of reality as the populace seeks high ground, and the inevitable price gouging and looting prove once again that all is not well in our kingdom here on Earth. If we cannot come together for the common good during catastrophe, what difference can we possibly make on any calm, peaceful day?
And yet that is our quest!
ONE AT A TIME
Marian Wright Edelman
“We must not, in trying to think about how we can make a big difference, ignore the small daily differences we can make which, over time, add up to big differences that we often cannot foresee.”
Read the above quote again!
Most of us make a profound difference each and every day; we just don’t realize it.
A mother loves her son and raises him to be a fine citizen and human being. A social worker goes out of her way to make sure a family receives benefits they so desperately need. A teacher goes the extra mile for her students and a nurse stays late to supply compassion and comfort.
A clerk takes the time to know his customers and a young teen helps an old woman carry her packages from the store.
Too much time is spent thinking about the Martin Luther Kings and the Nelson Mandelas of the world; we compare ourselves to those accomplishments and we pale in comparison…..or do we?
One single act of kindness spreads forth into the world until it appears to be a tidal wave of kindness. One single act of compassion spreads forth into the world, and gives birth to more compassion, until compassion and empathy rule supreme in a once dark land.
We are all capable of making a positive difference in this world, but I will take that a step further and say that we are all responsible for making a difference. We cannot, in good conscience, stand on the sidelines waiting for the reincarnation of Martin Luther King. We cannot bemoan the fact that our leaders do not lead, if we are unwilling to dive headfirst into the process and become a positive vision of change. We cannot turn our heads in disgust when viewing inhumane acts, and declare them unacceptable, if we will not make a stand against such acts.
Yes, we are but one drop of water in an ocean of seven billion drops, but even one drop makes a ripple, and who is to say which of those ripples will be the one needed to make this world a better place? And imagine, if you will, if one drop combines with another, and another, until a strong force of ripples overcomes the currents, overcomes the natural barriers, overcomes every obstacle before it, and changes life as we know it.
Imagine! One drop of water! Imagine!
p.s. this article is dedicated to the survivors of Hurricane Sandy, and it is directly related to my friend Linda, who suggested that all writers band together and write an article about helping those in need.
How can you help? Imagine, and it will be so! Huge community movements have been started by one person who felt the need to help others. Do whatever you can, but do something. We learned from Katrina that oftentimes Federal and State help takes a long time to arrive. Take up collections, send contributions, start a writing campaign as Linda did…..just do something! These are our countrymen (and women) and they need our help!
2012 William D. Holland (aka billybuc)
