Michael Jackson, Change..and 30 Days of Gratitude

Day 8

Two days after the fact, and the noise is slowly beginning to subside. Over-enthusiastic people whose candidates won, Chicken Littles whose candidates lost. Madness.

So now what? We all go back to sitting around waiting for politicians to fix things?

Today I am thankful for the ability to affect change in my home, my church, my town, my nation.

How about you?

You want change? So do I. But I am not content to sit around and wait.

Is that what you want?

Waiting for politicians to change has failed us miserably. Yet, we continue to do it, don't we?

And it must stop. Now.

We have the power to change our world. In fact, we are the only ones who have the power.

For that, I am very grateful.

I'm going to make a change for once in my life

It's gonna feel real good

Gonna make a difference, gonna make it right

We complain about jobs going to China. What if we stopped shopping at places like Wal-mart that sell primarily Chinese goods? What if we take the time to seek out products made in the United States?

We make a difference every time we buy Made in America.

We complain about the state of our towns. What if we make more of an effort to patronize local businesses - you know, the ones that are owned by your neighbor... the businesses that pay taxes locally, the neighbors who spend their money in the same grocery stores and gas stations you do...the neighbors who send their children to local schools and sit behind you at church?

We can make huge differences in our local economy, one purchase, one meal at a time.

We rage about government assistance programs. Is there any way we can affect change in this area? Well, we could continue to make and/or repeat nasty remarks about "those people" being lazy and good-for-nothing and unproductive members of society. We could continue to assume we know why they need help. We self-righteously declare that we would never be in a similar situation.

But what if we started a grass roots movement in our towns to understand, to determine the best way to help? I hear people say we should simply stop all government assistance and let churches and social groups pick up the slack. What if we were so successful at helping people climb out the hole that assistance become unnecessary for many families?  We can do that - one coat, one meal, one GED, one job at a time.

As I turned up the collar on my favorite winter

This wind is blowin' my mind

I see the kids in the street with not enough to eat

Who am I to be blind, pretending not to see their need?

We rage even more rabidly about services like Planned Parenthood. We throw nasty labels at women, assuming we know exactly how they feel, what their circumstances are.

What if we reached out, held out our hands instead of holding nasty signs? There are pregnancy resource centers in many towns. Most of them are privately funded. Have you ever donated money or time?  

Signs will never change anyone's mind. Legislation will never change anyone's mind. Love can change minds, one young woman at a time.

A willow deeply scarred, somebody's broken heart

And a washed out dream

They follow the pattern of the wind ya see

'Cause they got no place to be that's why I'm starting with me


You might be thinking these ideas are simplistic. I'm sure they are.

You might be saying, "Who is this hippie who thinks each of us can change a small part of the world?"

Maybe you are right.

But what if we can make changes?

What if turning our great nation around is up to us- not politicians, not corporations, not Wall Street but US?

Gratefully I say:

I'm starting with the man in the mirror...I'm asking him to change his ways

And no message could have been any clearer

If you wanna make the world a better place

Take a look at yourself and then make that change  

November - 30 Days of Gratitude. Will you join me?

We will talk again tomorrow...

BP