What I CAN do

Luanne had a "thought worth thinking" on her blog the other day that captures the essence of something that's been bumping around in my head all week, it was too perfect not to blog about it. Here's the quote:

"At some point in my life I decided, rightly or wrongly, that there are many situations in this life that I can't do much about: acts of terrorism, feelings of nationalistic prejudice, cold war, etc. So what I should do is concentrate on the situations that my energy can effect." -Jim Henson-

Last Tuesday morning, I witnessed a horrific car accident on my way to work. One car flew into the air, flipped over and landed on it's roof. Another literally exploded, and it was clear to me that no was going to walk away from that car alive. It was on the opposite side of the road and I was not in danger (other than cars on my side braking quickly and swerving in disbelief), but I saw the entire thing and I can't get it out of my head.


When I got to work, I did an internet search on our local news channel website to get information. I almost never watch/read the local news, because I find it just too upsetting. The media seems to thrive on tragedy, not triumph, and it depresses me. (Yes, it's us, the consumers of the media that continue to facilitate this, but I still don't like the "whatever sells newspaper or gets website hits" approach.)


On this particular morning, the main headline on the local news site was about an undercover police detective who was found shot to death in his unmarked car in an alleyway. A gang member is under suspicion for the murder. A terrible car accident (the one I witnessed) killed one driver and injured others. And of course, in national news, Britney's car was impounded.


When I read things like this, it's easy to feel scared and helpless. (OK, maybe not so much about Britney, but I'll make my point about her in a minute.) It's easy to feel like so much in this world is out of my control... so much tragedy, so much violence, so much to worry about. But then I realized, it doesn't do anyone a bit of good to focus on all the things I can't control in this world. The only way to live is to focus on what I can do, no matter how "small" it may seem in the grand scheme of things. So, this entry is dedicated to things I CAN do, things I WILL do, to take responsibility for making this world a better place.


Why was that officer shot? I don't know. The eternal (naive?) optimist, I believe not in bad people, but in people who do bad things. But why? Why do some people do bad things (like shooting a police detective) and some people clearly know this behavior is ludicrous? I think it boils down to one thing: Poverty. Yes, poverty. I think that if everyone in this country had a decent standard of living... enough food to eat, enough clothes to wear, enough income that kids could go to school and get an education (and therefore a job and an income of their own) instead of dropping out... that there would be a lot less crime in this world. Can I erase allpoverty? Of course not. But here's what I can do:

• When I see someone who is down on their luck, I can try to help them -- with an encouraging word, a few dollars, something to eat.
• I can donate unused books to a local school or library -- give more kids the chance to learn to read.
• I can put money in the bell ringer's bucket, or donate to a food drive or other charitable cause.
• I can donate time to an organization such as Junior Achievement.
• I can donate unneeded clothes or household goods to Goodwill or a woman's shelter, or other organizations that will make sure they get into the hands of people who need them.

Why did that car accident happen? I cringe to think about how easily it could have happened to me, or someone I know. Eleven months ago, it was me, with my baby in the back seat. Fortunately, the accident was not nearly as severe, but I still can't say "why" it happened. Can I prevent all car accidents? Of course not. But here's what I can do:

• I can do my part to prevent road rage -- allow that driver who wants to cut in at the last second to do so, while refraining from using my horn or saluting with a finger.
• I can choose not to use my cell phone while driving and if I must do so, always use my hands free.
• I can stop reaching into the back seat to pick up a dropped sippy cup or book. My child will not suffer from dehydration if they have to wait 10 minutes to get their milk back.
• I can drive at a reasonable speed, remembering that no meeting is as important as my life, or the lives around me.
• I can stop and wait when the arrow is yellow, not try to be the third car that sneaks in the left before it turns red.

And yes, Brittey. No, I can most certainly not change Britney Spears. Wouldn't know where to begin. But here's what I can do:

• I can refrain from buying publications that amount to nothing more than celebrity gossip.
• I can refrain from clicking on links to "news" stories about celebrities and their troubles. Website hits = higher ad revenues = more desire to write these stories.
• I can turn on the History Channel instead of Extra! while making dinner. There's just no need for me to see pictures of half-naked, drugged up celebrities. Who benefits from that, other than the pockets of the people who own those "news" sites and shows? Certainly not Britney's kids.

Yes, maybe these are little things, a drop in the bucket. But what if we all decided that we CAN make a difference, and all did just these few small things? And what if we got our friends to do them, too, and their friends, and their friends? Imagine a world with no more poverty, no more horrific accidents, no more celebrity-obsessed tabloids in the checkout lines? I like that idea...