Just some early morning thoughts from me to you…
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”
Margaret Mead
What one thing in your life do you want to change?
I wonder if Louis Oosthuizen would say it would be to have won the Masters Golf Tournament yesterday. I wonder if Phil Mickelson would say it would have been to have hit a better tee shot on the par three-fourth hole yesterday at Augusta National Golf Club in the final round of the 2012 Masters Golf Tournament.
If his answer was related to golf, I’m sure Bubba Watson, the new 2012 Masters Champion, would not change much about his final round, winning the tournament on the second playoff hole after pulling off a near miraculous shot from the woods off the pine straw to within twenty feet of the hole on the tenth green.
But maybe he would change having his bride Angie there with him, along with their newly-adopted son, Caleb—instead of being at home. But actually there was good reason, because it was just two weeks ago that this couple changed that little boy’s life forever. And I’ll bet little Caleb would change nothing at the moment. Adopting that little boy was something well beyond playing in, or winning golf tournaments—adopting a little child needing parents, a home, and a future in which they would have a chance to reach their full God-given potential.
Tony and Lauren Dungy, when asked why they adopt children—they now have adopted five—respond: “Because we can.” I suspect that Bubba and Angie Watson might say something similar. There are things in life we do that are just so much more substantive and meaningful than winning, trophies, resume building, money and acquiring things of all sizes and shapes. I have a hunch that Bubba Watson is the kind-of-guy that understands that.
Okay, so you’ve had a few lines now to think about the question I asked as we began. So what is your answer to the question: What one thing in your life do you want to change?
While you’re thinking some more about that, here’s another question:
What one thing in the world do you want to see changed?
Some things which come to mind are—
- Eliminating world hunger and poverty and perhaps even genocide. But that’s three things.
- Eliminate AIDS and homelessness. Two things.
- Eliminate human (adult and children) trafficking. One thing.
Develop further adoption alternatives for children and new mothers.
Too big or too much to tackle for now? For just one person? Then what can each of us do now?
What about some things like—
- Teach a young child to read.
- Take an underprivileged child to lunch and the museum.
- Help a homeless person to find a job.
- Spend an afternoon talking with and listening to an elderly friend.
But I’m getting ahead of you. These are your questions which I have asked, to leave you to find your own answers. I won’t make any more suggestions.
So here are the questions again:
Question # 1: What one thing in your life do you want to change?
Question # 2: What one thing in the world do you want to see changed?
What are your answers?
What are you going to do about those questions? And more importantly, what are you going to do about your answers?
Let me suggest that today you answer both of those questions, and then begin to act on those answers by starting to do whatever it takes to effect the change you want to see.
If you don’t do it, who else do you think will?
Who else do you think should? Right—it has to begin with you. And with me.
In the process, I suspect it will begin to change your life, the lives of others, and who knows—maybe the world.
Just something for you and me to think about today and for the rest of our lives.
In His Name—Scott
Copyright 2012. Scott L. Whitaker. All rights reserved.
