| I hate saying that. It feels so very wrong. It's not | | | | But I don't have it to give, not yet anyway.What if I |
| that I wouldn't like to help them. It's not that I am | | | | do a little bit for each and every one? They say, |
| not appalled at what is happening over there. I have | | | | "Every little bit counts!" You know if all I was giving |
| been wrestling with my guilty feelings lately. What | | | | was my money, then I'd say yes. Donate money to |
| have I done to make the world a better place? I | | | | all of those causes. But, that's not what I'm talking |
| started by taking inventory of the areas that I'd love | | | | about. I'm talking about actually rolling up my sleeves |
| to 'fix'. My to-do list looks like this:Free TibetHeal the | | | | and getting to work helping make the world a better |
| hole in the ozone layerCure CancerSave the | | | | place. I personally cannot fly all over the planet adding |
| endangered speciesOverhaul the public school | | | | just a touch of my energy here and there. To truly |
| systemRaise my own kidsDefend the gays and | | | | create the huge changes needed to fix those |
| lesbiansTeach people how to be happySolve world | | | | problems, I would have to really give my undivided |
| hungerFind loving homes for the orphansSave the | | | | attention and focus. One hundred people giving a |
| rainforestRid the planet of pollutionImplement a clean | | | | moment of their time is not as effective and |
| economical fuel systemDesign a quality inexpensive | | | | powerful as just two or three people giving it all of |
| health care systemEnd divorces and broken | | | | their time and focus. If I am going to make a |
| homesClean out the political systemCreate world | | | | difference, then I will have to narrow the list |
| peaceFind Atlantis and solve the mystery of the | | | | down.One by one, I had to scratch off the list those |
| pyramidsScientifically prove somebody's religion is | | | | things that I personally could not do. That's not to |
| truePsychologically heal the inmates who want itEnd | | | | say that I won't someday be able to help finance |
| all superficial fakenessSave the childrenStop | | | | them. For now, I have to look at what I can actually |
| racismBring an end to lethargyStop terrorismSave the | | | | roll my sleeves up and do with my own two hands. |
| coral reefsChange America's focus from being | | | | What are my talents best used for? What is my |
| 'politically correct' to becoming 'spiritually correct' and | | | | job? I picked from the list those things that were |
| I'm not talking about religionIt all gets a bit | | | | truly deeply mine. They are all areas that I also |
| overwhelming. How can I ever accomplish all of these | | | | happen to feel a personal calling to be involved in. |
| things in my lifetime? Even if I delegate certain areas | | | | Everything else, I have to let go and trust that |
| to my kids, and make them take a blood oath that | | | | someone else will recognize that they have the |
| they will force my grandkids to carry on with the | | | | talents and resources to become part of the |
| work on this list until it is finished, I cannot possible | | | | solutions. I have to trust that whoever is meant to |
| hope to solve all of the world's problems. Then I got | | | | take on those jobs will feel a calling deep in their soul |
| to thinking about getting up on my soapbox and | | | | and that they'll heed that calling.Another hard part for |
| preaching to everyone that they need to come help | | | | me is not knowing the divine plan. When bad things |
| me. There is just so much that needs done and you | | | | happen, we can sort of take comfort in knowing |
| and I both know that my list is not even complete. I | | | | that there must be some divine reason. Somehow |
| would be lucky if I can do one of those things really | | | | the challenges and dramas of life always lead to |
| well during my lifetime.I had to sit and really think | | | | enlightenment, joy, new self esteem, or some other |
| about my own resources, the natural gifts I was | | | | cosmic gift. Some things are meant to be. Some |
| born with, and what amount of time I want to | | | | things are not meant to be. So, when I take that |
| commit to doing good deeds. I had to analyze the list | | | | deep breath and trust that someone else is going to |
| and what it would really take to accomplish each of | | | | pick up that particular problem and give their life to |
| those things. What I came to realize is that there are | | | | solving it, I have to also make peace with the idea |
| some that I am called to do, some that I just want | | | | that it may not happen the way I would like to see it |
| to do, and still others that I secretly wish someone | | | | happen, or along the timeline that I'd like to see it |
| else would do. That's not a bad thing, it is what it is. I | | | | happen. Who will free Tibet while I'm busy working |
| may really want to cure cancer and other diseases, | | | | on fixing these other things? Will they be saved in a |
| but I know that deep down I don't have any | | | | timely manner? Will our government dive in to save |
| resources, skills, training, or education to apply to the | | | | them the way that they felt called to save other |
| problem. It's really not my job. All I can do is to | | | | people? I can only pray that someone else picks up |
| support those who are meant to do that work. If I | | | | the baton because I cannot. Is it your job? Will you |
| had the money, I'd dump a fortune into their pockets | | | | free Tibet? |
| to make sure they had all of the tools they needed. | | | | |