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The gifted teacher Chicko Okazaki
relates that when she was a child her mother would say,
"I'm looking for a kigatsuku girl to help me with the
dishes." Pretty soon she learned to see what
was needed and then help without being asked.
Traveling widely today doing public service, she might
pick up trash in a public bathroom, which she feels
privileged to use, explaining that helping is everybody's
job.
How might we make the world a better place? There
are many ways. When someone asked Mother Teresa how
he might help her, she simply said, "Come and
see." We can simply observe what needs to be
done, and do it as best we can. This might mean
providing physical help (such as cleaning or giving a
ride) or giving a smile, a listening ear, or
encouragement. Simple expressions of help can be
given to family, friends, coworkers, or strangers.
Or, if we have the means, we might donate time or money to
a worthwhile cause (such as a soup kitchen, Mothers
Against Drunk Driving, Habitat for Humanity, or a
political campaign). Further, you can think of your
job as a way to contribute. For example, one janitor
might view his job as simply cleaning and getting rid of
trash. Another might view it as creating an
environment that helps educators teach and a generation of
children to learn.
Another way to make the world better is to beautify or
improve our environment for the sake of others. This
could involve artistic expression (such as painting or
poetry), inventing, sprucing up your home or workplace, or
picking up litter on your walking path.
Additionally, you can think about what it would be like to
be in another person's shoes and see how your behaviors
affect that person. Plante reminds us that the hotel
housekeeper cleans up other people's messes and might be
ignored by the guests. Perhaps she would appreciate
receiving a simple greeting from the guests she cleans
for. A salesclerk might be tired after a long day of
dealing with demanding customers. An empathic smile
or word of thanks for her service might go a long way.
S.C. Hayes reminds us that we all carry burdens--perhaps
memories, partially healed wounds, worries, self-doubts,
or fears. Rather than trying to ignore, deny, or
hide these, you can think of them as passengers on the bus
that you are driving through life. You
compassionately acknowledge that they are aboard, but you
needn't listen to every demand that you stop, take a
detour, or let them drive. In this way we can move
ahead purposefully in life, even with these
imperfections. Remember that you are driving, not
being driven. Choose a pace that is
comfortable. You can't do everything, and you can't
do it all at once. But you can experience the
security and satisfaction of doing what you can do.
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