who

Who makes a difference in your life?  What person comes to mind when you think of love and kindness?  Who is changing the world for the better? 

One of the things I write about here every day is how we ALL can make a difference, and I hope that same of the things we have said here in this blog have encouraged you.  I also sometimes write about specific people who are doing great things for our communities and our world.  Sometimes I stumble across inspiring stories or hear something in the media, and sometimes folks suggest names of people they think are making a difference.  

Today I am asking the big "who" question because I would love for you to give me some of those suggestions.  Down below there is a place for comments, and while you are always welcome to say something there, today I hope you will help me out and tell me about someone you know who is a hometown hero.  Who is making a difference in your neighborhood?  Who is making a difference in our world?  Let's hear from you!

No place for hate

There really should be no place for hate. Seriously. I prefer writing about positive things. How can we change the world? Let's do some random acts of kindness! Let's change for the better. That's what I like to write about. I really don't like saying that this is bad or that is bad, but yesterday I just had to speak out. It is so much more uplifting to say what is good and to talk about that. Love is good.

There really is a lot more to be said too, and I hope that some of you will add your own comments.  I really fail to understand why there is so much hate in the world and with it so much fighting and so much crime. How many people have been injured or even killed because of hate?  Does hate come about because we are all different from one another?  That would seem to be more of a reason to celebrate.  We should rejoice in those differences rather than fight over them

 

It seems to go through cycles.  Right now people are hating Asians in larger numbers.  Last year it seems to have been Blacks.  Neither one is new.  Oh and don't forget the hate of transgender people, Jews, Mexicans, the gay and lesbian community, and pretty much anyone who isn't just like the person doing the hating.  I don't get it.  I'm sure I never will.  It simply makes no sense at all.

 

As a youngster I remember when President Lyndon Johnson worked so hard on civil rights and I remember all of the racially negative things I heard.  It may seem hard to believe, but in some parts of this country, it's almost like we haven't changed at all since then.  I still hear people slinging pejorative terms at those who may be different from them.

 

There should be no place for hate in our society.  We shouldn't put up with it.  We have the power.  We can make it end.

Let it shine

Everywhere I look, there is something that makes me happy. Yes, even now.   What about you? Do you see happiness in the most simple things? I look out the window at the sunrise and think of Barry Manilow's uptempo pop song from back in the mid-70s. Before you know it, I'm singing.

I'm singin' to the world,
it's time we let the spirit come in
Let it come on in

Those peppy lyrics, which Manilow wrote with Adrienne Anderson, are enough to get you bouncing, even if there isn't a gorgeous sun rising on your horizon. Put them both together though and it will keep shining all day long! Why frown first thing in the morning anyway? Start the day happy and you can stay that way all day long!

Yes, and it's daybreak
If you want to believe, it can be daybreak
Ain't no time to grieve
Said it's daybreak, if you'll only believe
And let it shine, shine, shine
All around the world

Let's keep believing! Let's keep letting it shine!


words from Daybreak by Barry Manilow and Adrienne Anderson © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Universal Music Publishing Group

One thing we all have in common

There is one thing that every human being has in common. We all come from the Planet Earth. You would think we would all care more about the Earth's future then, huh?  Since 1970, Earth Day has been celebrated around the globe as an annual event on April 22, on which events are held to demonstrate support for environmental protection and for the future of the good ole Earth.

 

My goal is that EVERY day be Earth Day - that we care about our planet every single day of our lives.  That we take seriously things like carbon emissions and recycling and food shortages and global warming.  My goal is for us to all care about this place we call home and making sure it will still be able to sustain human life for our children and our grandchildren and their children and grandchildren.

 

The idea of Earth Day is certainly a good one, and I am not trying to dismiss it.  Yes, let's do things today, but let this only be a beginning.  Let us work every day to erase our earlier mistakes and let's start really taking care of our planet.  We CAN do this!  Let's make a difference!