What if I do a little bit for each and every one? They say, "Every little bit counts!" You know if all I was giving was my money, then I'd say yes. Donate money to all of those causes. But, that's not what I'm talking about. I'm talking about actually rolling up my sleeves and getting to work helping make world a better place. I personally cannot fly all over planet adding just a touch of my energy here and there. To truly create huge changes needed to fix those problems, I would have to really give my undivided attention and focus. One hundred people giving a moment of their time is not as effective and powerful as just two or three people giving it all of their time and focus. If I am going to make a difference, then I will have to narrow list down.

One by one, I had to scratch off list those things that I personally could not do. That's not to say that I won't someday be able to help finance them. For now, I have to look at what I can actually roll my sleeves up and do with my own two hands. What are my talents best used for? What is my job? I picked from list those things that were truly deeply mine. They are all areas that I also happen to feel a personal calling to be involved in. Everything else, I have to let go and trust that someone else will recognize that they have talents and resources to become part of solutions. I have to trust that whoever is meant to take on those jobs will feel a calling deep in their soul and that they'll heed that calling.

Another hard part for me is not knowing divine plan. When bad things happen, we can sort of take comfort in knowing that there must be some divine reason. Somehow challenges and dramas of life always lead to enlightenment, joy, new self esteem, or some other cosmic gift. Some things are meant to be. Some things are not meant to be. So, when I take that deep breath and trust that someone else is going to pick up that particular problem and give their life to solving it, I have to also make peace with idea that it may not happen way I would like to see it happen, or along timeline that I'd like to see it happen. Who will free Tibet while I'm busy working on fixing these other things? Will they be saved in a timely manner? Will our government dive in to save them way that they felt called to save other people? I can only pray that someone else picks up baton because I cannot. Is it your job? Will you free Tibet?

Copyright 2004, Skye Thomas, Tomorrow's Edge

Recall wisdom of first century Jewish scholar, Rabbi Hillel: "If I am not for myself, then who will be for me? If I am only for myself, then what am I? If not now, when?"

Perhaps in this Election Year, and in these days when earth cries out with pain, we are called to be spiritual midwives, that by our actions, we may bring our values to birth, and serve needs of a troubled and hurting world.