We change the world in ways that are sometimes unexpected. Almost 10 years ago, I had a clear lesson about this that left me knowing that, even when I cannot see the results, I change the world. It wasn’t about kindness, but it really drove the idea home strongly enough to know that it certainly applies to kindness even more so.
I was doing eco-volunteer work that involved picking up the trash in and around a small parcel of public land full of endangered species. Located on a busy corner, at first, there was a lot of trash. Fast food wrappers, empty soda bottles and cups, and a frightening number of losing scratch-off lottery tickets appeared, and then disappeared, as my husband and I made our weekly visit.
But the worst section was an isolated parking area that was, by the trash left, clearly frequented by a sex worker with a crack habit. Baggies, vials, broken pipes, XXX DVD packages, prophylactics and tampons often littered this private, deeply wooded patch of asphalt, even though it was fortunate enough to actually have a trashcan routinely emptied by the county.
After a while though, things started to change. The dirty corner stayed a lot cleaner. People waved and honked when they saw us working, instead of eyeing us suspiciously. But best of all was the change in the prostitute. She started putting her trash in the trash can. All the time.
As far as I know, we never met. If we did, it was as one of those anonymous people who honked and waved, and I have no idea who she is, even if she knows who I am. But she changed the way she lived because of the way I live. That’s an often overlooked power of leadership: the ability to change the way others live, not by telling them how to change, but by showing them a better way and letting them realize that they, too, can be a better person just by doing little things.
If it is possible to make a more environmentally aware person of an addicted sex worker without even meeting her, then there must be thousands of ways we can each change the world without knowing it. We may not be able to see the results directly, but when I get discouraged, I remember this, and continue doing little things that seem like they are too small to matter, hoping for bigger change.
What we do does matter, in ways we won’t ever know. Be kind. Be generous. Do the small things that seem like they don’t matter. They do. They change the world. That’s powerful Magick.
The Reluctant Polytheist 