One Person

I'm not very good at doing big things. I've had opportunities to do so, probably many more than my fair share and managed to be useless at them all. What I am good at is doing small things for individual people. When I realized I didn't have the emotional wherewithal for the large things and projects in life, I made a conscious decision to pay more attention to small acts. I realized that each day there were countless opportunities to show love to others. I would be lying if I said I took advantage of more than a few, but each effort builds up my strength to do more. I decided if I can't help thousands, I can:

1) Pray for the people I don't like at the moment I don't like them.
2) Be kind to someone to whom others are inclined to be unkind.
3) Give small gifts of money, time, kind words, a listening ear, etc. Its amazing how many people just want someone to take the time to really listen to them.
4) Be indignant at injustice and try in my small way to confront it whether through conversation or letters to the editor.
5) Remember someone I haven't seen in a while and call or e-mail.
6) Praise someone, encourage someone, grieve with someone.

There are so many ways to touch an individual person.

All of this makes me sound better than I am. I'm not -- but I'm trying.

Blessings at this Christmas season.