You can make a difference
Contributing writer
Saturday, Oct. 25, has been designated "Make a Difference Day." Let's all think of ways each of us can improve our little corner of the world.
If you have a few million dollars with which to build a hospital, endow scholarships or build a shelter for the homeless, that's great. You will know you have made a big difference in many lives, and you'll get to bask in a bit of glory as well. Most of us, however, will have to rest content with having an impact on only a few lives, perhaps only one. But that's OK. If every person lights one candle, we can illuminate the world.
Do you know someone whose life is severely limited by age or disability, either living in a nursing home or rarely leaving the house? A friendly visit can mean a lot to such a person. If you have flowers in your backyard, you might take a bouquet along. If the shut-in is not on a restricted diet, take a plate of goodies. Perhaps the most important gifts you can take, however, are a smile, a hug, and your undivided attention for a half hour or so. If you are like me, you don't make such visits nearly often enough. Setting aside this day can be an incentive.
I used to know a man who took a daily fitness walk. He always carried a bag along and picked up any litter he saw on his route. While that took very little effort, he was making his neighborhood a cleaner place for everyone to enjoy. Stooping to pick up litter might even have given him a bonus in the exercise department.
A few days ago a friend told me an inspiring story of a young man she knew. Injured in an accident at the age of 19, he was paralyzed from the neck down. He confessed that at first he wondered what purpose there was to living in that condition. Finally, he thought, "If I'm not able to do anything else, I can pray." He has become a real prayer warrior bringing other people's needs before the Lord. Can you doubt he is making a difference?
Every neighborhood has children who are starved for attention and love. Spending a little time tossing a ball back and forth or reading a book to a child will brighten your day at least as much as the child's, and you will be making a difference.
All of us have something to give others, whether it is time, talent of money. If you have an elderly neighbor, you may be able to fetch his mail, mow her yard or run some errands. You may be able to volunteer at a nursing home to play the piano, call for bingo, play scrabble with the residents or read aloud. One of these efforts may evolve into a regular volunteer job. Making a difference obviously does not have to be confined to one day a year.
In the unlikely event you have neither time, money, or talent, it is possible to make a positive impact on someone's life in a matter of seconds. Having recently been through a pretty rugged patch myself, I learned that a warm smile, a few encouraging words or a hug can mean more than those bestowing these gifts could ever imagine.
At the risk of sounding like a football coach at half time, go out there Saturday and change the world — one random act of kindness at a time.
