Making a Difference
in Your Community
By:
Linda Weaver Clarke
"I shall pass through this world but once. If, therefore, there
be any kindness I can show, or any good thing I can do, let me do it
now; Let me not defer or neglect it, for I shall not pass this way
again.” –Grellet
Is it possible to make the community that we live in just a
little better place? What can we do to make a difference? As Grellet
said, is there any kindness we can show or any good thing we can do
to help our community? Each of us has something to share, whether it
is our talents or love for the youth and elderly of our community.
During summer vacation or school months, the youth and elderly
need our help. We can help by volunteering in the Boy Scout program,
baseball teams, and youth activities. Our youth will not stray if we
spend time with them, help them, and love them. How about the
elderly? Not only do they need care and affection, but perhaps our
youth would learn more respect for them if they helped an elderly
couple with their lawn or clean their windows? We also have many
nursing homes in which the elderly need to see the smiling faces of
our youth.
When my children were young, I made a point to take them to the
nursing homes at Christmas time and we would sing familiar songs to
them. Their eyes would light up and they would tap their toes to the
rhythm, and some would even sing along with us. Afterwards, it was
inevitable that at least one sweet woman would ask our littlest one
to sit upon her lap. She would hug my little daughter and talk to
her. The joy that filled this woman’s countenance was overwhelming
and made our visit worthwhile. Years later, my daughters told me
that they remembered those days and were glad they had done this.
Author Michael Ramsdell said, “We are all on this journey of life
together, each given certain gifts to make this world a better place
and to help make one another’s burdens a little lighter along the
way.”
Once our community got the youth together and cleaned the yard of
a widow. Everyone seemed in good spirits as they laughed and joked
while doing their duties. Not only did this woman appreciate it, but
also the youth came away with a good feeling of accomplishment and
caring for another person.
George Eliot said, “What do we live for, if it is not to make
life less different for each other.” Can we make a difference in the
lives of others? Each one of us can definitely make a difference by
showing unselfish love to the elderly and helping our youth.
Meade McGuire wrote:
“Where shall I serve today?” I said.
And my love flowed warm and free.
Then He pointed out a little spot and said,
“There, tend that for me.”
I said, “Oh no, not that.
Why no one would ever see,
No matter how well my work was done.
Not that little spot for me.”
And the words He spoke, they were not stern,
He answered me tenderly,
“Little one, search that heart of thine.
Art thou serving them or me?
Nazareth was just a little spot
And so was Galilee.”
Copyright 2007. Written by Linda Weaver Clarke,
author of Melinda and the Wild West, a Semi-finalist for the
“Reviewers Choice Award 2007.” To contact the author, go to
http://www.lindaweaverclarke.com
Linda Weaver Clarke received her Bachelor of Arts Degree at
Southern Utah University in 2002. She writes articles for several
newspapers and teaches a Writing Workshop, encouraging others to
turn their family history into a variety of interesting stories. She
is also an Aid for the ESL program, helping the Spanish-speaking
children in grade school. She has written a historical/fiction love
story, Melinda and the Wild West, published by American Book
Publishing. This book was a Semi-finalist for the Reader Views
“Reviewers Choice Award 2007.” This novel is the first of five in a
family saga. Linda is happily married and is the mother of six
daughters and has four grandchildren.