How we affect each other: the ripples of our actions and words

[Shine]

Last night I watched "Inconvenient Truth" with our 13 yr old son. He had wanted to rent it, which happily surprised me b/c I didn't think he'd be interested. I'd seen it before, but watched it again with him. It's such a powerful movie, for many different reasons.

Aside from all the valuable information about global warming, however, one of the most interesting things for me to consider was the bit about how Gore had been so heavily influenced in college by his professor who had been tracking the rising temperatures, since the 50's. Essentially, that one professor helped to chart the course of Gore's life work. Gore was inspired to take action and learn more about the subject because he understood the importance. He's since gone on to become a major educational force in the world, in part because of the influence of that one teacher. How might things be different today if Gore hadn't taken that man's class?

It's fascinating to consider the effects of one person and the difference one person can make on the world. Yes, we're all connected and the ways in which our lives intersect and weave together is inspiring and yet it also gives me pause, because it makes me think about how important it is to bring that awareness of our connection with each other into our day-to-day relationships. For me, anyway, there's an unspoken call to act and speak more responsibly, knowing that in my own small way I am helping to make the world a better place.

We are here to lift each other up and remember our common humanity. What ripples do YOU send out? :hi:

edit: spelling. (thanks, RoBear! :D)

[taterguy]

1. The message that cars are vastly overrated for transportation

By using a bicycle for 90% of my trips

[Shine]

5. Wow, 90%.....good on ya, taterguy!

:yourock:

[taterguy]

23. The truth is I'm lazy

I set up my life so I live close to the stuff I need. Therefore I don't need to work very hard just so I'll have money to spend on a car.

It helps that I live in a temperate state and that I'm not fussy about my appearence.

[malta blue]

2. That is wonderful Shine.

I hope that my little one learns to treat everyone with kindness, at least practice what I preach - even though I sometimes fall short of my intentions.

:hi:

[Shine]

6. You're a good mom, malta

:hug: Parenting our little ones well is the most important job on the planet, in my book. You're doing fine b/c your good intentions are there. :thumbsup:

[malta blue]

16. Thanks Shine!

[malta blue]

17. Dupe - delete

[w8liftinglady]

3. My latest LTTE actually received praise from the Christians in my neighborhood

http://www.thedailylight.com/articles/2007/03/18/dailylight/opinion/letters_to_the_editor/letter3.txt
I had a couple of my usual critics e-mail me thanking me for that...
and,by the way-I watched "An Inconvenient Truth w" with my 16 year-old..and it definitely strengthened our bond.

[Shine]

7. YES!!!! What a fantastic letter, w8liftinglady!

:applause: I love hearing about moments like those. Heartwarming and uplifting. Perfect. :hug:

Thanks for speaking out. :thumbsup:

[w8liftinglady]

12. Thanks shine-and thanks for this post..we need to hear good things,too

[skygazer]

9. Beautiful letter

And beautiful moment, well described. Thanks for sharing.

[GenDem]

13. Great letter -- very moving.

We must look after the least among us.

I have been hearing rumblings in the news that Christians are also starting to move toward a more environmentally friendly agenda.

[w8liftinglady]

35. thank you

[GoneOffShore]

4. By buying almost all of our food

from local farmers. Buying fresh and buying local and buying organic.
And telling people why - It's better for the farmer, it's better for your health.

[Shine]

10. Good for you!

:thumbsup: We're lucky to have lots of farmers' markets in our area, too.

[skygazer]

8. Excellent point and one that's often overlooked

So many people get discouraged about the state of the world and feel helpless because they wonder, "what can one person do?"

Well, as you've so eloquently pointed out, one person can make a huge difference, even if they don't realize they're doing it.

Several years ago, I made friends with a woman who shopped in my store. She'd been recently divorced and hadn't worked in many years and she was frightened about stepping out in the workforce again. We talked a lot and hearing my story of how I chucked everything and came to California alone and with nothing gave her courage and she ended up with a job at the Post Office.

She came in the store one day and gave me a beautiful little necklace, a purple stone shaped like a heart. Twenty years before, she'd inspired another woman who gave it to her. Now she's given it to me.

I wear it every day as a reminder. And I'll pass it on to someone who inspires me.

[hfojvt]

18. what can one person do? reminded me of this essay

"Since my novel Ishmael appeared in 1992, I've received well over five thousand letters from readers---many of them young people. When they write to me, they don't say, "Why have I been taught that individually I'm helpless?" This teaching is revealed in a more subtle way. They say to me, "Since I'm not a world leader and don't control a multi-national corporation or a big NGO, I'm looking for a career that will enable me to make a difference. I'm thinking of going into environmental engineering or something like that. Can you make a suggestion?" Now, until you think about it, this might sound like someone who's on the right track here. But listen to what he's really saying. Environmental engineers can make a difference---but not electrical engineers. Environmental engineers can make a difference---but not optometrists. Environmental engineers can make a difference---but not English teachers. Environmental engineers can make a difference---but not bus drivers. Environmental engineers can make a difference---but not homemakers."

http://www.ishmael.com/Education/Writings/littletrain.shtml

I think of ripples though, because I had the hobby of throwing snow in a river. The snowplow would leave large chunks of ice and I would toss one over a bridge to see if I could break the ice of the frozen river, or just to see it make a big splash. I thought of how our lives are like that though. A splash and some ripples, but the river of history rolls on pretty much undisturbed. Maybe it depends on how many people 'catch the wave'.

[Shine]

28. Thanks for your post, hfojvt

I liked the image of you throwing snow chunks into the river. :D Sounds like fun.

When I was a kid, I used to have poster on my wall that had a picture of a big ripple effect from rock being thrown into a lake. The quote at the bottom said:

"I'd hate to live my life without ever having disturbed anyone." :rofl:

[Shine]

19. What a great story, skygazer.

you've got such a good heart and she saw it in you, like I do, too. :hug:

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

11. Wise words

thank you for the reminder.

[Shine]

21. Thank you, friend.

:hug:

[RoBear]

14. Great post.

Should be "affect" though, not "effect."

[Shine]

20. Thanks! Good call on the spelling error. Ooops, my bad.

I'll fix it. :D That one always gets me. Duh.

[GenDem]

15. Very insightful, Shine. K & R

Off to the greatest page with you.

[mdmc]

22. shine on!

Thanks for the reminder... peace and low stress

[Shine]

27. mdmc!

good to see ya, bud! :pals:

[mdmc]

37. I check in when I can

peace and low stress

[Morgana LaFey]

24. Perfect strangers have changed my life

I love observing how people impact one another. The one thing I know for sure about this subject is that:

YOU NEVER KNOW THE EFFECT YOU'RE HAVING ON SOMEONE ELSE.

I know that because, as I said, perfect stranges have changed my life by the off-hand comment, or heartfelt remark in passing. They had NO idea the impact they had on me.

[Shine]

26. YES!!!!

I totally agree, Morgana. We never know how we might impact somebody.

I am reminded of a great scene, in the movie "Ray", where he is about to play a "whites only" venue in 1962 Georgia. There are a bunch of Afican-Americans protesting outside and one of them, a young college student, steps out of the crowd and speaks to Ray directly, imploring him to reconsider his choice to play. Based on the kid's influence, he decides right there and then to REFUSE to play and gets back on the bus and leaves.

The state of Georgia bans him "for life" for refusing to play and that one act ends up being a pivotal moment in the Civil Rights movement. It was a VERY big deal at the time to have a musician of his caliber refuse to play. Later on, the Georgia state Legislature issues a formal apology to Ray Charles for its 1962 ban; his "Georgia on My Mind" is named as the state's official song.

Interesting, eh? I think it's a great story.

:hi:

[Morgana LaFey]

32. Great story and I love the milk story downthread too

thanks for a beautiful thread

[Kajsa]

25. Beautiful, Shine!

I especially love your last sentence!

Yes, when we stop to think how our words and actions affect others,
maybe--just maybe, we will be more kind and compassionate.

Thank you!

:pals: :thumbsup:

[kitty1]

29. The attached story that was E-mailed to me recently touches....

on this sentiment in a most profound way.


GLASS OF MILK

One day, a poor boy who was selling goods from door to door to pay his way through school, found he had only one thin dime left, and he was hungry.
He decided he would ask for a meal at the next house. However, he lost his nerve when a lovely young woman opened the door.
Instead of a meal he asked for a drink of water! . She thought he looked hungry so brought him a large glass of milk. He drank it so slowly, and then asked, How much do I owe you?"
You don't owe me anything," she replied. "Mother has taught us never to accept pay for a kindness."
He said .. "Then I thank you from my heart."
As Howard Kelly left that house, he not only felt stronger physically, but his faith in God and man was strong also. He had been ready to give up and quit.
Many year's later that same young woman became critically ill. The local doctors were baffled. They finally sent her to the big city, where they called in specialists to study her rare disease.
Dr. Howard Kelly was called in for the consultation. When he heard the name of the town she came from, a strange light filled his eyes.
Immediately he rose and went down the hall of the hospital to her room. Dressed in his doctor's gown he went in to see her. He recognized her at once.
He went back to the consultation room determined to do his best to save her life. From that day he gave special attention to her case.
After a long struggle, the battle was won.
Dr. Kelly requested the business office to pass the final bill to him for approval. He looked at it, then wrote something on the edge and the bill was sent to her room. She feared to open it, for she was sure it would take the rest of her life to pay for it all. Finally she looked, and something caught her attention on the side of the bill. She read these words ...
"Paid in full with one glass of milk"

(Signed) Dr. Howard Kelly.

[Shine]

31. Beautiful story, kitty1

Yes, indeed. What goes around, comes around....

:hi:

[AZBlue]

30. "What ripples do YOU send out?"

What a fantastic post!!!!!! Thank you so much!

It's a topic I've been thinking a lot about lately - what kind of attitude I have, what kind of energy I put out and what kind of "legacy" I'll leave behind. I've always wanted to make sure my life left the world a little better than I found it and that I helped others along the way - and if not now, WHEN?!

[Tsiyu]

33. Thanks, I needed this today

Someone really showed their true colors today and I was left wondering, "Now WHY did I want to help this person?"

Greed killed my offer to help, and I won't be spending any more of my hours or $$ helping this person. Not only is she greedy, but she's really shortsighted by pushing away the people who really just want to help her. (She has MS.)

It struck me how tough it is to build community with some people. They are always worried about what's "mine." They can't see that "many hands make light work." Her project is going to fail because she doesn't have the knowledge or the ability to complete it by herself. With help, it could be a smashing success.

I already have "that project" going steady where I am, and I already have "mine" paid for with my own hard work, so I am certainly no threat, yet she decided to assert herself in an ugly way through someone else (she didn't even have the courage to bring up her silly concerns with me.) I donated much time and $$$ last year to the same volunteer effort without so much as a thank you from this woman, so I guess I should have known....

Another friend and I just rolled our eyes and I walked away from this project, but it really made me sad for some reason.

So I am going to focus on the people who are true GOOD people in my life. Someone affected me in a negative way, but I'm going to go help someone else tonight and perhaps be a bit more careful where I put my energies next

time. :hi:

[merh]

34. ((((( the ripple effect )))))

http://journals.democraticunderground.com/merh/1



:hi:

[heatstreak]

36. kick