Tag: #bebetter

Recently two very close friends have had some rough life obstacles. One dealt with work place drama at a large social change scale. She ended up leaving her job but took every opportunity she had her last few days to create constructive conversations about this topic where the drama sat. Her ability to handle herself composed and genuine through such a hot topic issue inspires me.

The other friend continues to inspire me through her kindness that most people would not see at skin level. She has been next to me since age 16 and I know her to be one of the most kind people I know. She recently revealed plans to me about combining her love and compassion with her amazing talents at large-scale operations. She constantly demonstrates great acts of kindness that more than not, goes unnoticed. These two women act in the realm of doing better.

I sit in a constant space of “trying to live better”. Often, I fail. A couple weeks ago I was driving on a country highway when I came upon an SUV flashing its emergency lights. As I approached it, I saw sparkles on the pavement, slowed down, passed the vehicle, saw a deer on the side of the road, and then seconds later, realized that the car had hit the deer. I was already 100 yards beyond the SUV and thought, “I should turn around.” My hesitation allowed for the next person behind me to stop and assist.

That is an opportunity where I could have been better. I am not sure that I would have turned around if the car hadn’t stopped. I like to think I would have. I’m a doer and a helper, so most likely yes, but I didn’t. That is the point. My “be better” muscle is not trained well enough to always act immediately.

We all need to be better; no matter who we are or what level of life we are living. Positive Social Change only happens when we are all better for a greater good. Any reaction of, “I already do so much!” or “What can I do?” needs to be removed from our rhetoric. We are crumbling as a species quickly and we all have to take responsibility, at any level we are capable. As my mom always said; “We all have to do things we don’t want to do!” I feel this fits in here on some scale

Do not misunderstand me. This is a change of habit, not a change of lifestyle. I do not mean lose ourselves and commit all our energy to being the best change agents we can. If you can do that, please show me how. I mean be vulnerable to those moments where it is obvious we can be better. Each one of us has the power to be better; thus, adding to the success of the whole.