Something to do: love.

 

Fear paralyzes us.
We feel inconsequential to affect the world.
We get overwhelmed.
We freeze.

 
I am familiar with this too.

 
But, I know something: You and I can change the world.

 
Let us be delighted on Thursday knowing that we have done that which we knew we were capable – we have changed the world.
 

The Butterfly Effect

From Wikipedia:

In chaos theory, the butterfly effect is the sensitive dependence on initial conditions in which a small change in one state of a deterministic nonlinear system can result in large differences in a later state.

In other words:

A very small change in initial conditions had created a significantly different outcome.

A single butterfly’s wings flapping in the Sahara desert has an influence on the went in the arctic.

Hundreds of butterflies has an even greater effect, but the point is that the singular small action changes the world.

You and I

I am doing my part as I am certain you are doing yours. And, the state of the world right now requires us to double down and do more. So, let us pepper the world in a myriad of small, little, unsexy ways of being more loving, compassionate, caring, long-suffering, kind, humble, gentle, virtuous?

• Clean up the enviornment in which you live

Beyond picking up literal trash, you can:

• Curb yourself from saying a few snarky remarks
• Go out of your way to be kind, three times today
• Practice patience – and be proud of yourself if you stayed patient for 1.6 seconds when in the past you could only keep yourself from erupting for 1.5 seconds
• Stop complaining with your words or your expressions, or at least cut down the number of times you do either
• Express gratitude aloud or in a journal
• Lovingly call-out someone who is dehumanizing towards their perceived enemies so they can learn to stop fueling hatred
• Connect with people and express to them hope – for hope, like love, is something we all yearn for and require

Choose for yourself what you are going to do. Commit to it. Say aloud right now and send me an email what it is you can today to help repair this world by Thursday.

You and I can change the world.

We can change it by Thursday if enough of us beleive that we can.

We can.

Yes, yes, we can.
 
 

Yes.

Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.
Margaret Mead

You’ve seen that quote before, I’m certain of it.

I want you to take a moment to take it in.

• You can change the world.
• You are needed for the world to change.

To put it in less positive language, the world will not improve unless you and I commit to it happening.

Today, tommorrow, and Wednesday commit — if only as an experiment — to up the amount of compassion you can put into the world and lessen the amount of hatred.

Would you please?

Really?!

Listen, I feel a bit delusional here.

I’m writing this and I’m thinking:

• Really? You believe this?
• You, Brian, are going to write an article that will actually pursuade people to take small actions?
• Yes, yes, I very much hope so.

{Insert name here}, I’m very serious.

I will continue to do what I can.
But, I need your help.

The world needs your help.

Sure, you might feel a little awkward or delusional as well.

But, do it anyway.

The world will be a better place on Thursday because of all of our butterfly wing contribution of love and compassion.

This poem

These are the words of my dear friend Hafiz:

Fear Is The Cheapest Room In The House

Fear is the cheapest room in the house
I would like to see you living
In better conditions,
for your mother and my mother
Were friends.

I know the Innkeeper
In this part of the universe.
Get some rest tonight,
Come to my verse tomorrow.
We’ll go speak to the Friend together.

I should not make any promises right now,
But I know if you
Pray
Somewhere in this world-
Something good will happen.

God wants to see
More love and playfulness in your eyes
For that is your greatest witness to Him.

Your soul and my soul
Once sat together in the Beloved’s womb
Playing footsie.
Your heart and my heart
are very, very old
Friends.

Why not?

Today, tomorrow, and Wednesday, let’s add more love into this world.

 
What do we have to lose by flooding the world with a myriad of small, little, unsexy ways of being more loving, compassionate, caring, long-suffering, kind, humble, gentle, virtuous? We have so much to lose. And so much to gain.

 
Let us see that the world is a better place by Thursday.

Do it. (Reprise.)

Please do your part to help repair this world.

Stop with vitriol. Stop with hate. You cannot spew hatred at your enemies and be surprised that they do not want to change. You can not beat a person into loving you. Instead, let us bear witness to the power of love, the power of hope, the power of humanity to rise above our fear.

I received a gift in the mail – it was a most beautiful quote by Shari Elf: “Where are we going if we’re not going to love?”