Making A Difference: One Life At A Time

Ralph Waldo Emerson said,"The purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful,to be honourable, to be compassionate to make some difference that you have lived and lived well"

Guest Author - Clara Brown

For about five years, I was a very active member of the Kiwanis.  I volunteered on various committees, chaired a couple of Boards within my club and took numerous outings in support of club initiatives and projects.  

Nothing else compares to the feeling of fulfillment I got every third of each month. We would visit the club's adopted Golden Aged Home to care for the residents and spend quality time with them.  The interaction with them was indescribable.  The value immeasurable.  Their faces glowed when we shampooed and groomed their hair; their grateful but feeble hands shook ours after they were fed and the emotional expressions of gratitude upon receiving goodies baskets - these were our rewards for making a difference, one life at a time.

"It's the action , not the fruit of the action that's important.  You have to do the right thing. It may not be in your power, may not be in your time that there'll be any fruit. But that doesn't mean you stop doing the right  thing.  You may never know what results come from your action. But if you do nothing, there will be no result." Mahatma Gandhi

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There is a young university student from my Home Town who one day visited me at my office. This 6-foot, well poised young man knocked slightly on my door and inquired whether I would like to purchase chocolates. My friends know that I am intolerant of chocolate but I decided to patronize this young man as he was so polite and without pressure approached me. My intention went beyond that, as my plan was to pass on the sweet delights to the chocolate lovers in the office and there are quite a few.  My purchase surprised the young man who found it difficult to hide his emotions.

After completing my purchase, the young man asked whether I had a minute to spare.  His eager eyes told a story. He wanted advice.  Basically, I found out that he was selling chocolate to raise money to complete his college education. His mother (a single parent) had suddenly fallen on extremely hard times. She was working so hard that she had a mental breakdown and could no longer work. The choice for Adam (not his real name) was to either quit college or find some other means to raise his tuition. Quitting would have had a more devastating effect on not only him but his mother, so he stayed in college.

I became one of his regular customers as well as a fierce cheerleader.  Adam, through the patronage from others within my office, the adjoining offices and me was able to purchase a motor cycle (at a discounted price, virtually a gift). Through our influence, as an insurance agency, he was able to insure his motor cycle again at a very discounted rate. Needless to say, at the end of each semester, Adam takes his "Report Card" to us to keep us up to date on his progress.  He promised all of us that he will never let us down.

Making a difference, one life at a time.

Mentoring is one of my passions. Witnessing the achievements of those I mentor gives me unspeakable joy.  Frequently I have asked others whether if they feel that they could make a difference in the world.  More often than not the response is "No."  Well, guess what? They are wrong.

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Not only can each of us make a difference but our influence could have a far greater impact on a greater number of people than we could ever imagine. Stop and think about your potential circle of influence: your employees, co-workers, bosses, vendors, customers, family, friends. Lots and lots of people. You may have already influenced dozens more without even realizing it.

The Universe supports all our efforts geared towards the advancement of humanity. As Martin Luther King said: "No work is insignificant.  All labour that uplifts humanity has dignity and importance and should be undertaken painstaking excellence."

So RISE and RESOLVE to "Make a difference, one life at a time"

Visit our Facebook page or leave a comment here, share some ideas how we, as ordinary citizens of the world, might make a difference.