and if each of us does that one thing...
January 19, 2008 The National Day of Service
"I am only one
But still, I am one
I cannot do everything
But still, I can do something
And because I cannot do everything, I will not refuse to do the something I can do." Edward Everett Hale
Today is the National Day of Service - a day to act - a day to do the something that each of us can do. Many of us are newly involved under the auspices of USAservice.org, many of us are carrying through on long personal traditions of service, and many of us are wondering how to become involved - how to do that something that we can, that we must do.
Changing the world is not something we can leave to someone else and we cannot put it off until tomorrow. If we want change - if we want to make a difference - we must commit ourselves to action and we must commit ourselves now. We may sometimes work at cross purposes, we may not always agree on goals or methods, but with good will and an intent to understand each other we can change the world and make it a place worth leaving to our children and grandchildren.
Today - even if you cannot participate in the National Day of Service - make a commitment to do the something you can do - donate to a food pantry, plan a community garden, read a story to a child, make a contribution to your cause, volunteer at a homless shelter, adopt a homeless pet, turn off that extra light that's burning in your home, warm the heart of a stranger with a smile. Make a commitment to do that thing you can do every day - it doesn't need to be the same thing everyday and it doesn't need to be an earth shaking event - but if each us of does that something we can do, we will change the world.
Today - do that thing you can do.
If you live in the Lake, Northern Cook, or McHenry County areas of Illinois, please check out a new grassroots service organization -
