Planting Seeds with
Other Beings
For
some of us, the “how we do what we do” is more important than “what we do”. It matters not how you earn a
living, as long as you make life better for others. Most times we do not even
know what the results of our actions are or will be. We must plant seeds along
the way and hope that the ripple effect is endless.
Tell
your stories, spread kindness and understanding to those who need it most. As the saying goes, be kind to the unkind, for
they are the ones who need it the most. What if you showed a person or an
animal that they have worth? You might be the first
and only person to demonstrate that to them. More importantly, what if they believe you?
One
of the most effective recruiting and grooming tools used by the unscrupulous is
to play on one's feelings of
worthlessness. Gangs, organizations, and predators
know that we all want to feel like a part of something and that we matter. One
person who refuses to give up can change not only that life but start the
ripple of change.
I
had a conversation with someone who had a
very difficult childhood. He was the kid that people give up on and let the
system chew up and spit out into "hard"
time as an adult. Instead, someone refuses
to give up. Against the wishes of the ones who gave up, he was allowed to take
part in a mentoring program in prison. The seed was planted. Later, after
listening to him speak a fellow inmate told him that he felt like he was
listening to his own story. Another seed planted. After that, he helped start a program that picked up where the other left
off.
He
now runs a not for profit business to guide troubled youths. He is an advocate
for youth rights and is vigilant to assure that
they do not fall into the gaping holes in our broken judicial system. All of these lives have a real chance to flourish
because of the first seed.
If
you do but one thing before you leave this earth, I would ask you to plant a
seed of kindness and believe in oneself. Peace, until next time.
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