How to Change The World

How do you change the world? How do you become the name people name libraries and airports after. The name that people worldwide recognize as the one who changed it all, the one who saved us. Who picked up the pieces of a broken world and solved the puzzle. Well, like anything in life, you have to start small. People always think that changing the world starts with one big act of kindness, and that is not true. It starts with the small things, that mean to world to individuals and not communities and nations. Rather than change the world, focus on changing lives. On your way to school or work, put a smile on your face, say hello to everyone you see and rather than expecting a response, be pleasantly surprised when you get one. Help people, take a minute out of your day to help the mom with three kids trying to get all her groceries in her car and keep her kids from running into traffic. Instead of telling you what to do, let me tell a real life story. I will leave you today with this story, you can decide what it means and how it can affect your life. It was a weekend, and I was shopping for some food for my dog at the store and I saw this old lady shopping for cat food. I was not having a great day and did not even really want to go out of my house. I don't even remember why but I was just so pissed that day. But when I saw her, I saw a look on her face. She was lonely and took enjoyment out of the little things in life. So when she went to pickup a heavy bag of cat food, I walked over and picked it up for her, and introduced myself. Offered to help her get more things and spent some time talking to her. I spoke to her for two hours. We did not move. Her face went from lonely and dull to smiling and happy, while I stood, smiled, and listened, she told me all about her life, about her experiences and about the way the world worked. After the long lovely talk I walked her to her car and helped her put everything in it. She smiled and looked at me for what felt like minutes, and then she hugged me. She said that I made her so happy, just listening, and that I put a sun on her rainy day. She said that she had never met someone so kind and said that I was something really special. She said two things at the end I will never forget, the first was that having people listen to her stories gave her life meaning and were the only reason that she found a will and a way to keep living life in her old age. But more than that, as she got into her car she said something else, she said "Remember son, not everyone accomplishes great things in life, some people just do not have the time or energy, and some just are satisfied living a normal life. Do not be one of those, do what you just did, talk to people, learn and listen, and most importantly, have a great time on god's great Earth" I never saw her again, and I still go to that pet store, hoping maybe one day we will cross paths again. Up until now no one has every heard that story, no one will every thank me for talking to her, I will not become a hero because of it. Because I did not do it for fame, for glory, for recognition, I did it because the feeling I had when I walked away from her car was something I will never forget. It was the feeling of truly being a good person, and having changed someone else's life.