You Can Change the World

One person can change the world for the better. Actually, one person does change the world in this way, quite regularly, in fact :) I believe when people think of change, they usually think of big changes, massive sweeping change that shoots through the heart of society and leaves it reeling from the sudden impact. The truth is, change like this does occur, but not as Hollywood-esque fairy tales would have you believe. Change, real change, takes time and is not the product of one brave or revolutionary action alone, but of many small actions that build up enough power to bring about a major change. After all, the African American Civil Rights movement, for example, was not something that happened in a day, but rather drew its power from the fact that it evolved and strengthened over more than a decade.

But I'm not just talking about major societal change here. What's just as important is the change that we bring about in our own lives and in those of people we know, even just those we come across in our daily reality. Ok, say you're walking down the street and you see someone who looks like they could use a hug. You smile at them and say hi (like you mean it) and try to be as cheerful as possible. [note: if you don't know them, it might be best not to actually *hug* them, even if they request a hug, as I did this once and it didn't exactly work out as planned. So please use discretion and learn from my mistakes :] But I digress. The thing is, one nice gesture, even just one kind word could put that person in a better mood. And people in better moods are happier people, kinder people, more likely to do good for others. And once you start a chain reaction of good, this is how you can bring about major change. You never know whose day you might turn around, just by being nice, and as good tends to beget more good, that one day will end with a lot more happiness in the world. So don't tell me that one person can't change the world. You can and you will, every time you choose to put a little more good into it. Starting now :)