Changes

“Be the change you want to see in the world” ~ Mahatma Gandhi

A few days ago one of my children threw an empty soda can in the trash. When I asked him why he hadn’t thrown it into the recycling bin we keep in the garage, his answer was: “I had no shoes on. It was easier to just throw it in the regular trash; one can is not going to make much of a difference.”

Perhaps one can doesn’t make a difference, but 6,763,557,000 might.

As of May 31, 2009, the Earth's population is estimated by the United States Census Bureau to be 6,763,557,000 - What if each of those people threw one single can in the trash? In one day they would fill several warehouses with materials we can otherwise recycle and put back into production.

Many times we feel that what we can do individually is not enough, and we assume that any effort we put forth will be quickly drowned by the opposing force. It is not necessarily so. Each person, each action, each thought and word has power over the whole, and can easily create a ripple effect which can lead to greater things. Marathons start with a first tentative step; great books and speeches start with the one word.

Each of us is individually responsible for the collective wellbeing, and unless we are ready to do our part to reverse the damage around us, we lose the right to complain about the outcome.

A friend sent me the link to a video which I would like to share with you. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K6msKrqmN3w&feature=player_embedded It is very powerful and concise but it certainly drives the point home better than many videos or lectures I’ve seen in the past.

Change is possible, but not until we accept that it must start with ourselves.