13 Ways to Change the World

The hope of the new year shines out before us all like white paper in the front of our newly purchased journals. Hope expanding as far as the eye can see that this year will be different, this year the world will be a better place, this year will be "the one". The hope motivates us to eat better, live better, laugh better and love better. The power of hope is endless it motivates even the most dire of creatures to take just one more step. This year I challenge you to take one small step towards changing the world. Gather up the little pieces of hope around you, chorus them to your children, your husband and your friends. Together we can make the world a better place by starting with the little things. So this week I'm giving you the list of 13 things I'm trying to do to change the world.

1. Love the people I don't know.
I love the man who cut me off in traffic this morning. I love him because he is someone's son and God's creation and because if you can love someone almost killed you than you can love almost anyone.

2. Love the people I do know more.
I can love you without liking you very much right now. I really can. I think.

3. Find the grace or the humor in any situation.
So the girl drawing bloodwork from me this morning stabbed me 8 times to get one vial of blood. I have small veins. I started making jokes about being prepped for marinade. It made the girl next to me who was 3 shades of white laugh and they managed to find her vein without her passing out.

4. Start smiling.
I smile at everyone who walks past me. Sometimes I even say hi. It's a small way to change things but it's a smart start.

5. Take pride.
Pick it up and throw it away. Don't toss it out the window. Don't blame someone else and walk past it. Make the move. It's your planet.

6. Become involved.
A community is only as active as it's members. If you want the world to change you should probably start by being an active member.

7. Teach the children well.
Mocking birds could learn a thing or two from a three year old and so can we. The first time a child repeats what you say you become brutally aware of how you sound. I want to teach children to love well, have faith and try hard... not to swear at people who drive slow.

8. Believe.
I believe in God, the romantic kisses reflected in American cinema, the constant search for knowledge and wisdom and the healing power of friendship. Sometimes that's all that gets me through.

9. View every opportunity as a choice.
I pick what I do...granted sometimes I pick option B because option A is both a sin and a felony. But I pick. Not you. You may sway my vote but it's my vote so once I make it I have 100% buy in and I back it with everything I believe in.

10. Share your toys.
That includes your ideas, your ipod and your time. If it's yours give it away sometimes.

11. Share your memories.
Never underestimate the power of a well told story to stick in the mind of a child forever. I can tell you almost every story my grandmother ever told me. I use them as a moral meter. I tell them to others and through them history has value.

12. Give freely.
If you need it back don't give it away. A gift should contain no more expectation than that it will be recieved by someone.

13. Let your yes be a yes and your no be a no.
The bible gave us this one...well most of them...but this one....it's pretty straight forward.