What Can I Do?

Every day we turn on the TV, we are bombarded by the ills of the world: crime, war, poverty, hunger, natural distasters, and the list goes on endlessly. It is truly overwhelming. And many times, after this onslaught of negativity, we’re left with the question of, What can I do? How can I make a difference?
 Here’s a thought: you don’t have to donate money or start a charity to help the world’s cause. You can simply begin to care. This sounds almost too simple, but the impact that it can have on an ailing world is tremendous. It can literally save the world.

A thought of inspired love is more powerful than any amount of money in the world. It’s just that very few of us equate a thought with true change. A loving thought, I repeat, is electrifying.

You may ask, Isn’t this convenient and cheap? Never. You see, the ancestor of every action is a thought. With enough thoughts and enough love, you will eventually be moved into action--significant action--and possibly not even know it. This blog, which helps many of my friends and strangers alike cope with real life-issues, began as just a caring, loving, nourishing thought. Believe it or not, this world is a little better for it.

And this is in no way meant to be presumptuous. I would’ve just as well done it anonymously, except that my unique voice and experience add credence to my message. When Bob Dylan first exploded onto the 60s counter-culture scene, he was very careful to deflect personal questions about himself. The place inside him from which his music emerged had nothing to do with Bob Dylan the man. It was something deeper and more mystical. So is my message. You can remove the name and face, and it’ll still remain wholly transcendent and universal.

Love moves mountains and knocks down walls. When we genuinely care for people around the world, when we can watch the news with love and not judgment, we strengthen the chains of God’s love and gradually begin to erode the hatred and madness that vie for our attention. This applies to anything and anyone. When I see a homeless or physically disabled person, I quietly send a prayer his or her way. When I see a grove half-cut to pave the way for an overpass, I send a powerful vibe of love in its direction. These examples demonstrate an interesting but true variation on the phrase, Charity begins at home.

I personally try to avoid the news because I don’t need to know about all the horror that’s going on. Or, as Dylan himself sang, “You don’t need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows.” Suffice it to say that a lot of messed-up stuff is going on. Watching the news can only blunt the buoyant optimism that is already your birthright. Stay positive at all costs. Don’t let the propaganda of fear victimize you. Be aware, but don’t be overwhelmed by the world’s ills. The best thing you can do from where you are is send your love and care.