Walking through Target the other day, I ran into a lady who could not reach the soda fountain because of her wheel chair. No one seemed to offer help which she clearly needed so I walked over asked and proceeded to get coffee for her.
Before I ventured over, I watched as people passed by and realized I believe in small things making a larger difference. It is the little things we do for each other that seem to have the greatest impact. I think it is hard to realize that if we step out of our box to help someone we might actually enjoy doing so.
I believe in volunteering to help the needy, physically impaired as well as helping ourselves. It takes a lot to sign up to help feed the homeless knowing that they come from a different kind of life, yet still are the same as you and me. I don’t think we can create world peace in a day but small steps like helping someone get a coffee or volunteering a few hours of your time make the difference the world needs.
Happiness comes in small packages like helping others. No matter what walk of life we come from, we can all help brighten someone’s day from smiling or sharing a meal with a person you don’t know. There is a bible verse Matthew 5:13 saying, “You are the salt of the earth.” It was this summer on a mission trip in West Virginia that I realized each person is small in the world like a grain of salt but together we make a big difference.
On our mission trip, we worked for a lady who has cerebral palsy and will eventually be unable to walk. We built a wheelchair ramp for her to her backyard so that she can visit her dogs out there. All week she watched us from inside her house and would offer advice, see us laughing and sweating. We actually got a laugh out of her one day too. It was in that moment that I realized we made a difference not just by building a ramp but by being there and building a relationship with her in just five short days.
Seeing that small difference made me realize why I volunteer. I am not one to really enjoy hot weather or construction but I do enjoy going back each year to help. The mission trip never seems to be about building houses as much as building relationships. Each year I see how we affect people in small ways.
I believe that a smile, a laugh, a meal or a friendly hello is something small that makes a difference in people’s lives. We can all be the salt that changes the Earth.