Make a difference
Have you ever felt like you are this tiny person in this big world? You may be a student, a young mother, someone working daily to provide for your family, or a business owner and wonder how you think or what you do contributes to humankind. I believe what we do every day contributes to society. Whether it is positive or negative is totally up to you as an individual and how you will affect the people around you.
My father always said communication and attitude are how we inspire and encourage one another. When I managed a newspaper office in Alabama I noticed that if one or two employees came in the morning talking negatively about life then it affected the staff negatively. So, I wondered what I could do to change the atmosphere in the office when that happened. I decided when the negative came into play, I would try to transform it into a positive action. It was amazing how difference it made. I understand that we all have situations that can be hard to deal with and sometimes almost unbearable. But I’ve always said being negative can only produce more negativity. When anyone alleviates the negative around them, positive results happen.
Many people have given back to society with their leadership and positive thinking. One person who I believe led and is still leading humankind is Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. He led many during the civil rights movement, and his legacy lives on today. What he did during his life affected humankind, and we honor him on the third Monday of January every year. He was born on January 15, 1929. He was a Baptist minister, a nonviolent activist, and a leader in the civil rights movement until his assassination on April 4, 1968, in Memphis. He is an American hero. One of my favorite quotes from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr is, “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.” He was a leader that inspired and encouraged others.
Another person that comes to mind is a lady that is known to be the “First Lady of Courage,” Helen Keller. I have learned a lot about Helen Keller because I was managing editor in her hometown Tuscumbia, Alabama. As a child and an adult, Keller faced many obstacles. When she was 19 months old, she became ill with a high fever leaving her deaf and blind. She was very angry at a child because she was frustrated at the fact she could not see, hear or speak. Yet, she overcame that and pushed through many other obstacles in her life that even a person with sight and the ability to hear could not imagine doing. But it all started with turning that anger around and being positive, setting a positive goal. Once she saw she could learn to communicate, it changed everything in her life. I like her quote, “Keep your face to the sunshine, and you cannot see a shadow.” Helen Keller touched many lives in the way she lived and communicated with others. Even though she lived in darkness, she brought light into her life and others.
Let’s let our light shine and love others.
“In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:16