I remember being a little kid, on one particular day, I wanted to play Hide and Seek with the seemingly “bigger” kids.  They let me play, but it meant I had to be IT…they left me with one instruction, they told me to count for one minute.  I remember that I didn’t know how to do that but I didn’t want to tell them…they were the big kids.  So I decided to count to ten a bunch of times.  This was enough.  I was reminded of this the other day, when I came across this:

“One tree can start a forest, 
One bird can herald spring, 
One smile can begin a friendship, 
One hand can lift a soul, 
One star can guide a ship at sea, 
One word can frame the goal, 
One sunbeam can light a room, 
One candle can wipe out darkness, 
One laugh can conquer gloom, 
One hope can raise our spirits, 
One touch can show you care, 
One voice can wake up everybody, 
One life can make the difference. 
Be that one.”
-Author Unkown

Likewise, if we want the world to change, we need to be doing something toward changing it.  We need to create a new paradigm in our thinking, because the old paradigm, that One can’t make a difference, is proving not to be true.  So what does this mean?  This must mean that what does work, is the paradigm of belief, that One Does make a difference.  That’s one act of kindness, one fair choice, one conscious decision, one turn of a page, one word whispered….all of them count.  Put a beaker outside your window, and at next rainfall, watch the drops land one by one inside that beaker….what happens?  Take the time to watch it; seeing it in front of you means, you can no longer lie to yourself about the power of One making a difference.  Then water your plant with it. 

You might do one thing, and you might be the only one doing that one thing….but repeatedly doing that one thing, and you will have made a difference even within one month….for good or for bad, you decide.  But that one decision has to be yours. You are the only one who can come up with it because that’s the only way you’ll follow through with it.  But try this, and you will never again doubt the power of One.  This One is what it takes to change the world.  You by yourself, with this one thing, is what it takes to change the world.  Don’t believe it? Try it, for one month and see where that one takes you. 

If each person who’s reading this makes that one decision to do that one thing, that’s a collective, making one change all at once….that changes the world.  That creates enough momentum to move mountains. That creates enough inner fulfillment to stop violence. That creates enough empowerment, through effective decision making, to stop lying.  If you want the world to change, you need to be the One to do it.  You don’t need to run around with loudspeakers and banners…simply turn off that one light in the empty room, turn off the running tap, turn off the needlessly idling car, eat one supper without your phone… you need to make one decision around one thing and do it for one month. This is the only way to create change in the world. 

Yelling at the TV from your lazyboy, waving your remote control in the air while you do it, is no longer acceptable.  Speeding past a slow driver while you spotlight your middle finger at him, is no longer an option.  No one is destroying our comfort for us.  It’s not “the government” or “those people in that religion” or “those people in that race” or “that sex” or “those migrants”….WE’RE the people behind and within, those neat little clusters. WE are the Ones, not THEM.  WE create change by recognizing our value within the group, and we use our value to either participate or ride along.  We’re at the point where riding along is no longer in the cards. We’re at a point where we need to grow up enough emotionally, that we face what needs to be done responsibly.  We show up.  Showing up is our duty as a human being.  If we’re not showing up, then we’re riding a fantasy and have no place complaining….about anything.  If you don’t like what you have to offer, if you don’t like yourself….it’s up to you to challenge that belief, so you can contribute productively to the shared responsibility of balancing out this world.  It’s just one decision…how much power does that take….depends on how you see it.  But none of us have any right to just tag along for the ride anymore. Buckle up folks and let's get ‘er done.