I have always believed that we are all here for a reason. I am fond of saying that if we didn’t need other people, there would only be one of us here.  The goal of life is to find the reason, indeed, the purpose for which each of us was conceived in the first place.  If a person does that, then I feel that one can make a positive difference in this world.

The challenge is in finding, and doing something that is the best use of one’s talents for the good of society.  It doesn’t have to be anything big, but it must be sincere to really make a positive contribution.  It is a servant mentality, an agape form of love, that finds and fulfills this purpose.

I remember a time when I was trying to find a volunteer opportunity in the community.  I saw an article in the paper about a woman who did so much positive work in our area, that I decided to call her.  I asked if we could meet for lunch.  She agreed and I began by talking about the newspaper article and how I admired the things she was doing.  I told her about some of my abilities.  I was looking for ways to do work in the community.  She simply said, “You want to make a difference.”  Bingo.  That was it.

It was then that I realized an extremely important concept.  Making a difference is a way of being in the outside world.  It is always satisfying in any capacity that one might find oneself. It means that if one has the attitude to be a positive force in this world, the way in which one does it is inconsequential.  

As my life progressed, I understood this simple precept much more fully.  I tried to take jobs that would lend themselves to  service in some way.  I wasn’t always able to find a job that used my abilities fully, but in each position, I tried to incorporate my talents.

Since I am a performer at heart, I wanted to “perform” my duties even in the jobs that didn’t include the things I do best.  I found that it didn’t matter, because the most important thing was the intention behind each task I was assigned to do.  It is the desire to make a difference that matters.  The job we are doing is merely the means with which we serve our fellow human beings.  

So, I have come to this conclusion.  Wherever human beings are placed in any time or situation, whether at work or play, making a difference is possible in every day that is lived.  We may as well make the most of it.  After all, today is the only day we have.  Let’s make a difference.