In the beginning

In the beginning this blog was about making a difference.  The reason I started writing it was because I want to make a difference.  I want to change the world.  I figured if I looked for various ways to share with you, some of it would rub off on me along the way.  The more hometown heroes I encounter and write about here, the more ideas I get for things I can do to truly benefit others and make a difference in this world of ours.  In the beginning I had a handful of ideas - now I have tons of ideas, and I get more and more every day.

 

I have been so very fortunate to hear about many amazing people who are doing wonderful things and really are making a big difference for the better.  I've even met some of these people and it warms my heart to see the generosity of spirit that exists all over our country.  We all too often hear of the bad things that are happening, but there is also a lot of good.  It's a great joy to tell you these various stories here every morning.  I hope that you enjoy reading my words here.  Do feel free to write your thoughts in the comments section below and feel free to share this with your friends too.

 

In the beginning I thought I might write this occasionally or perhaps for a year or so.  I had no idea that I would spend so much time on it and that I would be telling you stories here day after day and year after year.  I intend to continue too because there are so many stories to be told.  Do you know of someone who is making a huge difference in our world?  Tell me all about it and I'll happily share the story here.

 

In the beginning, Mom was still alive, I still lived in San Francisco, and there was no such thing as COVID-19 or a president named Trump.  Things change, and not always for the better.  In seventeen years of writing this, have things gotten better?  You decide.  I am convinced that together though we can make some good changes in 2026 just ahead.

One

Back in the 70s, Three Dog Night sang that "one is the loneliest number."  It doesn't have to be though.  One can multiply very quickly.  One can make a huge difference.

I have heard people say "what can I do"?  Plenty.  If you think that your single vote doesn't matter, you are mistaken.  If you think that your volunteer shift at the library isn't that important think about what doesn't get done when you aren't there.  We all have special skills, and we all can make a difference.  That's what this blog is all about.  

When we see bad things happening, we can speak up and say that we want good.  We want positivity.  Change for the batter begins with each of us.  We really can make a difference.

One person is seldom really alone. It might begin that way, but quickly you might be joined by others who also want to make a difference. Changing the world for the better is the daily regular occupation for people who dare to get involved. You can be that person.

 

I owe it all to Mom

Today would have been my mother's 99th birthday.  Even though it fell five days before Christmas, we tried to make a big deal of it and celebrate it as a separate occasion.  Mom always enjoyed making a big deal out of other people's birthdays, instead of folks doing things for her.

I remember back when I was a teenager, I decided to make her a birthday cake.  Using a mix and following the instructions, I thought making green cake and red frosting (traditional Christmas colors) would be appropriate.  The little food coloring I put in first didn't seem to make much difference, so I added more, and then some more.  I had no idea that this extra liquid would cause problems with the baking.  The cake never looked done, so I tried to fix things by using a lot of icing.  Oh, and I didn't wait for the cake to cool - nobody told me.  It was awful!  REALLY bad.  Mom didn't think so though.  She talked about that cake for years and years.

She and Nana taught me about kindness - not actual lessons, but just by the way they lived.  They both became heroes of mine.  I've probably mentioned Mom here more than any other person, and that is certainly appropriate.  Although this blog is NOT about me, it is about making a difference, and Mom certainly did that.  Any good things that I might do I can easily claim that I owe it all to Mom.

She passed away in 2013, but I still miss her.  I know I always will. So many times, I have wanted to call her up and share some little thing.  Do me a favor folks, if your mom is still alive, call her up today, even if just to say hello.  If your mom has already passed on, call someone else and let them know what you mean to them.  Let's keeping spreading the love!

No man is an island

For some reason, when I awoke this morning, I could hear Joan Baez in my mind singing

♫No man is an island,
No man stands alone,
Each man's joy is joy to me,
Each man's grief is my own.

We need one another,
So I will defend,
Each man as my brother,
Each man as my friend.♫

The message of course is a timeless one.  We need each other.  Simple, huh? 

In the Book of Ecclesiastes it says "Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labor. For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe unto him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up."

How many of us feel alone though? Is it the fault of the others in our world, or could we be doing something differently?  There have always been folks who live alone and can't easily get out to be with others.

There is a story of a little boy who is having a tough time trying to lift a very heavy rock. His dad comes along and seeing him trying, and failing, to lift the rock, asks him, “Are you using all of your strength?” The little boy looks at him rather impatiently, and says, “of course I am!” “No, you are not,” replies the father, “I am right here waiting, and you haven’t asked me to help you.”

Yes, it is wonderful to reach out to others.  It is wonderful to do things that will benefit those around us.  That's pretty much what we talk about here every single day.  That is one of the big lessons of this past year too.  It is important to note though that when someone does not reach out to us, it is okay for us to ask. 

In his letter to the Philippians, Saint Paul says "Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others."  How can I help you, AND how can you help me?  We are not alone.  We need each other.

If our strength were to be measured not by what we can do alone but by what we can do together, how would the world change? How might those changes reflect in our idea of caring and of being cared for?

The Boy and the Starfish

All good stories begin with "Once upon a time," right? Well here's one, that was adapted from The Star Thrower by Loren Eiseley (1907-1977). You might find it reminding you of a similar story I recently told about a dog, and the message is really the same, so read on.

Once upon a time, there was a wise man who used to go to the ocean to do his writing. He had a habit of walking on the beach before he began his work.

One day, as he was walking along the shore, he looked down the beach and saw a human figure moving like a dancer. He smiled to himself at the thought of someone who would dance to the day, and so, he walked faster to catch up.

As he got closer, he noticed that the figure was that of a little boy, and that what he was doing was not dancing at all. The young man was reaching down to the shore, picking up small objects, and throwing them into the ocean.

He came closer still and called out "Good morning! May I ask what it is that you are doing?"

The young man paused, looked up, and replied "Throwing starfish into the ocean."

"I must ask, then, why are you throwing starfish into the ocean?" said the somewhat startled wise man.

To this, the boy replied, "The sun is up and the tide is going out. If I don't throw them in, they'll die."

Upon hearing this, the wise man commented, "But, young man, do you not realize that there are miles and miles of beach and there are starfish all along every mile? You can't possibly make a difference!"

At this, the young man bent down, picked up yet another starfish, and threw it into the ocean. As it met the water, he said, "It made a difference for that one."

Indeed. It made a difference for every single starfish the boy threw into the water. The message this morning is clear, and it's one I have I shared over and over. WE can make a difference. WE can be superheroes. WE can do some pretty incredible things. If we throw our hand up in surrender and don't even try to make this a better world, of course we won't be giving back, but each of us can and should give back in our own way. If it seems overwhelming and that our contributions won't make a bit of difference, remember the story of the boy and the starfish!

joy to you and me

What brings you joy? Think about it for a moment. There are probably numerous answers to the question. Close your eyes and picture all those special times. For many, the joy comes in the giving too. So how can a feeling of great pleasure and happiness be felt by those around you? What can you do to share the joy?

I realize I am always asking this same question in one form or another. I suppose it really isn't all that important that you write down an answer. (There isn't a wrong answer after all). How lovely though it would be if we could all be spreading that warm feeling of bliss.

I know that we have political issues these days, fears of our economy, our health in the midst of flu season, the ugliness of racism, the many mass shootings, and so many other worries. That does not mean that joy goes out the window. Maybe we just need to work on it a bit more!  It's the third Sunday of Advent and the first night of Hanukah.  Christmas and New Year's are just ahead. There is reason for joy!

For me joy is splendid to be sure, but I'm one of those who is most happy when I am surrounded by happiness. When I see your delight, it in turn delights me. It's a kind of circle. There seems to be an extra amount of joy during the holidays.  Assuming that others feel the same way, we should all be spreading the joy because we therefore are all receiving it as well!

All kinds of holiday giving

During December there are more and more demands on us.  Oh my!  Look at the stores these days!  One of the big demands is for the best gifts.  We spend huge amounts of money for presents we can't afford.

 

I've written about this before, and of course my way is not the only way, but I think the whole gift thing has gotten way out of hand.  This blog of course is NOT about me, but it's about the heroes in our world who make a difference.  I see more of them this time of year and they aren't the folks going broke because they are overspending.  They are the people giving in their own special ways, sometimes without even spending any money.

 

I volunteer at a hospital that each year gives gifts to employees and their families who are just scraping by and can't afford any kind of presents.  Other hospital employees and volunteers donate to a fund and that money, along with funds from the hospital, brighten the lives of a number of people.  Some chip in a buck or two and others contribute a hundred dollars or more.  It all adds up.  Nobody goes broke, but many share in the joy.

 

This is just one example.  There are hundreds - all across the country.  People give out Hanukkah and Christmas gifts, end of year presents, and lots and lots of food items for festive meals.  There really are all kinds of holiday giving.  Are you aware of some special kinds of giving in your community?  Share it in the comments section so that we can all be inspired by the generosity of others.  I'll share some other stories here too.