Western Courier

Issue date: 1/19/05 Section: Opinion

Media Credit: Ashley Hauk

It really does only take one person. It only takes one person to change the fate of the world. Whether it is for better or worse, one person can make all the difference. One person can offer hope for someone else. And sometimes all it takes is the hope that things can be better for real change to occur.

The thing about being an individual on a mission to make a difference is that simple interactions have a rippling effect. Each time someone is helped, the hope is passed on.

Case in point, Martin Luther King Jr. He inspired a nation, and changed the way people understood human rights. Instead of separate but equal, it became solely equal.

Granted, he did not do it alone. There were many people in the background fighting on his side and taking a stand. They fought the seemingly impossible fight and won. Each individual was important in that fight, and each one made an impression on the world. Each person continued the ripple of hope inspired by King.

More recently, thousands of people have gone to help victims of the tsunamis. With over 100,000 people dead, the help is imperative. And each time someone helps another, the ripple of hope continues.

Each of us makes thousands of choices each day, and those in turn affect other people, either in a good or a bad way.

So with the new year ahead of you, decide to change the world in a good way. This doesn't require you run for office, or start an organization. Just start with the simple things, like holding open the door or writing a compliment note about the cashier at the store.

Remember how much of a difference it makes in your own life when people are helpful to you. Remember how much better your day is when someone helps you with a heavy load - be it books or emotional distress - and pass that help along to someone else. Remember the many people who have come before you to offer hope, and pass it on.

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