When I was walking on the beach this morning I noticed several pieces of trash.  I walked to my regular spot where I turn around and head back when it dawned one.  How many people walk by noticing trash in the street, in a park, by a lake, by an ocean, etc. and don’t do anything.  I thought, why not me? and why not now? 

So on my way back, I looked for anything that needed to be taken to a trash can.  Very quickly I started noticing lots of cigarette butts.  Each time I bent over to pick one up I woud think, how is this really helping?  I continued this for a good 20 minutes and had at least 50 of them in my hand when I had a thought.  That thought was how can I really make a difference?  There was no way I could pick up all the cigarette butts up and it seemed the more I looked for them, the more I saw.  I continued for another 10 minutes and made 3 trips to the trash cans to drop off my collection.  I thought about what I was doing and it dawned on me, yes, I can and did make a difference, at least for this beach on this day. 

It is kind of like the kindness challenge on my idontstink.com website.  It all starts with one kind act at a time.  If you try to fix the whole beach, the whole city, the whole country, the whole world, you probably will not get very far.  Start changing the world you see by doing one kind act today.  Then if the urge exists, do more kind acts for yourself and others.  That is how you make a difference.  As Gandhi put is so clearly, “We must be the change we wish to see in the world.” 

Peace, love and gratitude,

Bill