Working to Change the World

I grew up knowing that I could change the world, that one person could make a difference.

It was a time of tremendous potential. I believed people who told me that we were making progress, we were solving problems, the future would be better. The key was understanding and using the right instruments of change in the right ways. When we had the knowledge we needed, we would change the world.

I went to school for a long time. I appreciate the power of education, of knowledge. We learned as much as we could, and set out to change the world. Some of us chose law as our instrument, or science, or business. Some of us chose government, or agriculture, or religion.

It is a challenge to make a positive difference in the world. Problems are deeply embedded in us. Some people resist change. Some difficulties are so overwhelming that we become discouraged or disillusioned. It takes time to make meaningful changes, and we can get distracted.

Some of us decide to quit.

Some of us come to see that the changes we want to make cannot be accomplished with sweeping, dramatic action. Few of the changes we try to make in the top branches make it all the way down to the roots.

Some of us realize that changing the world is not an event; it is a way of life. It is rare that any of us can point to a specific date or action and say, “That is where we changed the world.”

The challenge for us is to continue working to change the world every day. Each day is a new opportunity.

We live in a time of tremendous potential.

What part of the world do you hope to change?

How will you change the world today?

[Image by perpetualplum]