Changing the World

The people that go down in the history books are the ones that had the most profound effect upon the world in which we live.

Even if I attempt to duplicate their efforts, I know the chances are rather slim for me to change the world in the same significant manner.

I can only hope to carry out a livelihood where I can have the most impact on the most amount of people as possible (with my limited abilities of course). This will be done through my profession (teaching), politics, and perhaps simply by being myself.

After all, a great monk once said:

When I was a young man, I wanted to change the world

I found it was difficult to change the world, so I tried to change my nation.

When I found I couldn’t change the nation, I began to focus on my town. I couldn’t change the town and as an older man, I tried to change my family.

Now, as an old man, I realize the only thing I can change is myself, and suddenly I realize that if long ago I had changed myself, I could have made an impact on my family.

My family and I could have made an impact on our town.

Their impact could have changed the nation and I could indeed have changed the world.

Change starts one step at at time.