Making a difference in someone’s life really isn’t hard. When we set out to make a difference, or to help someone, it can be in a big way or a small way. Both matter.
Making a difference could be writing a check for something that others are doing, like to the Scouts (who are having a luncheon on April 22 at noon in the Methodist Enrichment Center … all are invited) or Main Street Guymon (of course I mentioned that one). Or you might write a check and help the Lions Club with one of their projects. For 75 years the Lions Club has owned and operated the train at the park. There are costs and they do appreciate donations to help them with their many community projects (PO Box 101, Guymon if you want to donate).
Or you might be the person that takes food to someone who has lost a loved one or who has been sick, or just to be nice.
Or you might be the Sunday School teacher who makes the kids look forward to Sunday’s all week long.
You could be a volunteer coach for a youth team.
You could be someone that cleans the whole alley on your block (this IS community clean-up month) or mows lawns for some elderly folk.
Today there were eight high school kids that came in with Summer Behne, their Business Club sponsor. That team is spending some time fixing up some parks in town. On a Saturday.
There are many ways to make a difference. One of the best ways is to smile at people. Share a little happiness with everyone you meet. This is a concept that happy people learn. It is nearly impossible to be happy when the only person you are concerned about is yourself.
“The purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful, to be honorable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well.” ~Ralph Waldo Emerson
“Selfless giving is the art of living.” ~Frederic Lenz
True giving is with no expectation of getting anything in return.
“It’s the action, not the fruit of the action, that’s important. You have to do the right thing. It may not be in your power, may not be in your time, that there’ll be any fruit. But that doesn’t mean you stop doing the right thing. You may never know what results come from your action. But if you do nothing, there will be no result.” ~Mahatma Gandhi
“We rise by lifting others.” ~Robert Ingersoll
In the workplace and at home, always try to help people be the best version of themselves.
“I wondered why somebody didn’t do something. Then I realized, I am somebody.” ~Unknown
There are times when someone notices that a certain area needs to be cleaned up, some litter picked up or something, and they ask me to set up a community-wide clean-up. Main Street Guymon asks the community to all pitch in and clean up in April and in September. So, even though I try to be nice, my question is, “Why weren’t you there at the last community clean-up? Why don’t you just ask two friends and spend a half hour and do that? Why does it have to be a big event with photos?” It doesn’t. When we notice something that should be done, we should just do it. This is stewardship. This is accomplishing something. It is the right thing to do.
“I am only one, but I am one. I cannot do everything, but I can do something. And I will not let what I cannot do interfere with what I can do.” ~Edward Everett Hale
Let’s do something that makes a difference this week!
See you on the bricks.