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...

Nice Deed of the Day

(Apologies in advance for the funky spacing on this post, Blogger is NOT cooperating with me today!)

This is Chip. I'll tell you about him in a few minutes...

I mentioned in my last post that I had donated a few dollars to a young man in uniform who was standing at a busy intersection collecting for a new Veteran's Assistance Center here in South Florida. Though I believe it's my duty as a human being who has been blessed with life on this planet to give back as much as I can, I admit that I also do it for selfish reasons, too... it makes me feel good! If you haven't consciously done a nice deed in a while (or even if you did one this morning), I've got some ideas for a few things you can do today, with barely a change in your normal routine, to make yourself feel good and help someone else out at the same time. I challenge you to give one of these a try. If you do, I'd love to hear about it!

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Ever been on a plane?

If you've ever signed up for a frequent flier program, there's a chance you're sitting on miles that (1) you don't use, or (2) you don't have enough of to buy a ticket. Rather than let them go to waste or use them to buy magazines you don't need, why not donate them to someone who could really use them? After all, 3,287 miles aren't going to get you anyplace... but they could make a huge difference to someone else. Click on one of these airline links for more info on their specific programs and partner charities:

American Airlines

Continental Airlines

Delta SkyWish Charities

United Airlines

US Airways Miles of Hope

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Ever have leftovers?

If your family is like mine, a full pound of pasta is too much for one meal but not enough for two. Sadly, we almost never eat leftovers. I've got 2 ideas on what to do with the unused pasta.

1. If you have a child in the house (or if you're a kid at heart), save out a handful of uncooked pasta (this works best with elbows or ziti.... spaghetti won't work). Find a piece of string and some other small holey items around the house (beads, small pieces of colored paper cut into shapes with a hole punched through the middle, etc.) and let your little one make a necklace. Wrap it in tissue paper and present it as a "just because" gift to a neighbor, friend from church or even the cashier at the grocery store. Watch both your child's and the recipient's face light up at this small act of kindness.
2. Cook the pasta like you normally would, but package up the leftovers in a disposable container. Pack it in a bag with plastic utensils and some napkins, and give it away. You might know of a homeless person who is always at a specific intersection, or you might have an elderly neighbor who doesn't always get a home cooked meal. Give someone a great dinner tonight that they might not otherwise have.

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Got kids?
My daughter (she's 4) is in love with her box of crayons. She'll draw pictures till the cows come home and I love every one she makes. The problem? She makes a LOT of them. I have stacks and stacks and stacks of pictures that I can't bear to throw away but don't know what to do with. After wallpapering half the house with her drawings, even framing the "most special" ones, I still have dozens left. A lot of them look exactly the same... this month every picture has a house, a rainbow, a tree, a lake, grass, a sunshine, 2 clouds and a bird. What am I going to do with all these pictures? I'm going to give them away. To a nursing home, maybe the VA hospital, a friend down the road who had surgery and could use a good pick-me-up. Might seem like a small thing, but who's day wouldn't be a little bit brighter when they receive a home made piece of artwork from a little girl with a big heart? Of course, I'll have her sign them all so that some day when she's famous, they can sell the pictures on eBay.

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Got 5 minutes?

Yes, you do! You really do!! Earlier I said I donated money to a man on a street corner. Though my $2 won't go very far, I've been counting... there's an average of 18 cars stopped at each intersection on my ride home at any given red light. If every car that stopped dropped just 50 cents into that bucket, that guy would collect $9 every 90 seconds. Imagine the cumulative effort of only 1 hour's work? Think of the number of veterans that could be served with the change that's just hanging out in our cupholders. It's this "cumulative effort" theory that stands behind this little guy, my new friend Chip.

Chip is from CoolPeopleCare, an organization I can't say enough wonderful things about. CoolPeopleCare is aiming to be THE online destination for anyone who wants to make a difference, and all it takes is 5 minutes a day. They're full of ideas on how to make your community and your world a better place, things that make a huge cumulative impact but you may never think of on your own. Bookmark the site, or sign up for their daily email newsletter and let them come right to you every day.

Want to learn more? Check out their site, see what they're all about, what they believe. If you like what you see, you can even order a copy of their new book for yourself, or to give to a friend. (I've already preordered five, and will give them as gifts along with some fun stickers and t-shirts).

Come on, take 5 minutes out of your day... you'll be glad that you did!

("Chip" logo used by permission from Sam at CoolPeopleCare)