We all have our stories to tell about our life and the person who we once were, but the one thing many people seem to forget, is that in any moment in time you alone, can make the conscious choice to change how your story will end. Life is what you make of it, and it may not be the life you wanted for yourself. But like Richard Bach says. “Every person, all the events of your life are there because you have drawn them there. What you choose to do with them is up to you.” What does this mean? I guess that depends on your individual interpretation, after all no two people are alike and will interpret something in the same way.
I believe that everything in our lives happens for a reason, the good and the bad. You are probably asking yourself or me “Why the hell would anything bad happen for a good reason?” I used to ask myself a lot when I felt like my world was falling apart all around me and on really dark days I still may wonder why. We are all here living this life for a purpose, many of us have become lost on our path but it is these little detours that life gives us that bring our greatest gifts. If you think about it, if everything always happened as you expected it and life was completely predictable, what kind of life would you really be living? Would you go on simply existing without any purpose? Whether you believe in God or some other higher power in the universe you must believe that your life has more purpose than to just simply exist and spend your life going to school, work, and eventually grow old and die. We the entire human race are here for a reason and it’s time we wake the hell up and find out what that is!
In the past few years we have seen horrible tragedies reported around the world. We have seen mother nature’s wrath as she destroyed entire cities. We have seen wars happening in distant countries and many like to think. “It’s not my problem” We have seen tragedies in our schools hurting what we hold most dear, our children, our future! This is the world we have created and it is up to us as a human race to change it! There is so much hatred in the world and it needs to stop. We are all human, if you cut us we will bleed and the blood will be red. Just because we have a different skin color or a different spiritual belief does not make any of us better than the other. Our values. Our beliefs, our differences are what make this world we live in such an amazing place!
Recently I have seen an explosion of “Random Acts of Kindness” pages all over the internet and it has begun to restore my faith in humanity. The biggest one recently began after the horrible tragedy that took the lives of many young children. Unlike other tragic events this one has done something that others have not. It was not only people of the United States who mourn their loss but the entire world. People everywhere are performing random acts of kindness in memory of the lives lost that day. It has started a pay it forward movement. Some acts are simple such as visiting a local nursing home and visiting with someone who has no family left to things where a woman went into a local co-op and asked if they knew of a family struggling to pay their bill. Then she paid off the family’s electric bill. There was even a story out of Canada I believe where it all started with someone paying for the coffee for the person behind them in line and it went on for 6 hours before it stopped. If these acts continue just think how much better this world we live in will be for future generations!
So while many people are making New Year’s resolutions I have decided to do something a little different this year. I have always enjoyed random acts of kindness but never really talk about what I do or for whom. This year I have decided that not only will I start a journal to remember these things I am going to do it as a family with my boys. Then on days where one of them is feeling frustrated or down I will go back through the book and remind them of all of the wonderful things they have done. What is different from what I already am doing? Just the simple fact that I am making a conscious effort to share it with my children and I will explain to them why it is so good to help one another and to make the world a better place one day at a time!
So the next time you are presented with an opportunity I challenge you to ask yourself, “If not me, then who?” We cannot expect to do the same as we have always done and hope that the world will suddenly become a better place. We need to be brave and follow the path least traveled, it is there where we will make a difference in the world. It may feel strange because you are doing something possibly outside your comfort zone but you never know whose life you may touch with your random act of kindness. It may cause ripples that affect someone a world away.
So like I said in the beginning, today is the beginning of a new year and the pages of your book are blank. What story do you want to tell?
To all of my friend and family who have always been there to support me Thank you! I would not be the woman I am today without such wonderful and inspiring people in my life and without such wonderful parents who have always supported me. I love you all!
© Stephanie Goodman
