Start Making a Difference
When you find yourself thinking like this, it’s time to survey your natural qualities and gifts, then think about what you could do to make a difference using these qualities and gifts. You don’t have to create a global event; you can begin in small ways to make a difference in one individual’s life – be that human or animal – and decide you’re going to do something every week.
Perhaps you could start with a big, warm smile. Or the decision to lend a hand the next time you see someone trying to lift something heavy. You could listen for signs of distress – the battery in someone’s car is dead and you are parked in the same lot, or they need a good plumber and you know one you could recommend.
Maybe you want to do something bigger, like invite your crew to dinner, or sponsor and organize a neighborhood cookout. If you have the resources, you might offer to buy a ticket for someone who really wants to visit their sister in another city, or offer your cottage to a colleague who needs to get away for a while. If you’re a craftsman you could offer to repair the swings at the local school. If you’re a farmer, you could donate eggs to a local church breakfast or invite schoolchildren to visit for a morning. If you have a considerable amount of money, you might want to organize a repair team to go in and fix up the houses in a neighborhood, making arrangements for any teenagers who live there to help out and learn while doing.
Surprisingly, some people don’t think about making a difference because they worry others will see them as a “big-shot-wanna-be.” Let go of this and just be humble. If you worry about how others will judge you, you’ll never accomplish anything. Only you can honestly gauge your reasons for doing something. If it brings you attention, be gracious. If it brings more requests for your time and energy, be honest about what you can do, and be gracious in that honesty.
If you have the time, money, and connections to create a global event, don’t hesitate to do so. Even if it’s just a dream at this point, start talking about it. There is an old saying that goes, “In the beginning was the word…!!” As people hear you talk about your dream, you will be surprised at who responds, how the energy builds, the people and resources that suddenly come together, and before you know it, the event can be a reality.
Perhaps you are putting together a will and have a bit of money you want to do something good with. If this is the case, think both about the people who might benefit from your gift and the organizations that might be helped. We are at a time and place in this world where a great deal of help will be needed to bring people together in new ways in order to make the changes needed to resolve the growing crises of energy, food, climate changes, and numerous other issues. You could organize some of the collaborative work that is needed, find someone else who wants to do the work and support them, or leave money to an individual, group, or organization that is working hard to bring about the needed changes.
There are many creative ways to make a difference in our world and in the lives of people around you. If you have some money and time, but feel like you don’t have enough to do what you’d like or what you think is necessary, get online and find a partner or two in the same position. Together you could make a huge difference.
Sometimes joining a group of like-minded people is the spark that ignites a passion for service. It’s in the coming together, the conversations, the laughter, the problem-solving, and the feeling that we are not alone that magic happens. If you can’t find a group, start one, and use Making a Difference, Leaving a Legacy as a tool to explore what you can do – together or separately.
