So now what? How do you get involved to make a difference? How do we begin to make a dent in it? The task is enormous. The mountain is almost too tall to climb, but we can’t let the thought derail the motive.
As Americans, this is what we do. We never shy away from a challenge. We possess the knowledge, the tenacity, and the drive to get over the hump and start to heal. We all just have to want it bad enough. We must decide that complacency or indifference cannot be the answer. We must all answer the call in whatever ways we can. The negativity, the evil, the ugliness, the greed, and the selfishness are a big elephant and some may say too big to tackle. But this elephant can be eaten. It might be slow, it might be just small bites at a time, but we must start somewhere and we must start now. If we don’t start to turn the tide then we are accepting the bad. We are giving into it. We are saying it isn’t bad enough to do something about it.
But the prize is too valuable. There is too much at stake to accept nothing as the answer. The average person likely feels powerless. How possibly can one voice or one action make any difference in a task so large? How can it drown out the negativity, anger, hate, and lies? The bad in our world is relying on us to feel this way. Relying on people to feel powerless and overwhelmed enough to do nothing. Doing bad is always easier than what it takes to do good. Good takes a lot of will, energy, and perseverance. It requires constant pressure, a foot on the gas at all times to ensure we don’t lose momentum.
One person cannot move a mountain, nor can 100 or even 1000 or a million, but one person can move a rock, even a small boulder. A few people together can move large stones or big piles of small ones. Beginning somewhere and starting to shift the position is where we can all begin. We just need to pick up one stone, just one, knowing that the power is in the numbers not in the individual task. We cannot underestimate getting some positive power flowing out into the environment. One kind act, a few loving words spark a chain reaction, a catalyst of peaceful power that begins to move the needle ever so slightly. We cannot ignore the potential of change through positive actions and words, however small or minor they seem on their own. The view will become apparent at 10,000 feet. Not everyone will see it. Not everyone will even agree it is there or happening, but we know it is.
We can’t let up, we can’t let the close-up view discourage us. An army of one is just as powerful as 10,000 strong when we have a common goal and mission. And that mission is based on kindness and love for our fellow citizens. People you know and ones you don’t, the angry and mean ones need it may be more than the good ones, we’ll need to reach them all. Don’t let their approach distract you, the mission has never been so critical.
Decide today, right now, that you will consciously and proactively seek out and take every opportunity to spread kindness and love in each and every chance you can find. No act is too small, no words are too insignificant. We will start the movement with a single step and never look back except to ensure nobody gets left behind.