Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.

- Arthur Ashe (via my sister, Andrea)

We all want a better world – it mans different things to each of us, but we all share that goal to some degree or another.

We are bombarded with news about social issues, environmental issues, political issues, pain, suffering, hunger, and a thousand other things.  It can be quite overwhelming, and it is easy to throw up our hand and say there is nothing we can do that will make any real impact in the “grand scheme”.

Start where you are - You may be right, there may not be anything you can do directly about the situation in Kerplakistan but you can do something about issues in your community.  Look around you – I guarantee there is a need you can meet right in front of you, right now.  Are you concerned about hunger?  Find a local food bank you can help.  Are you troubled by at risk youth?  Find a kid to mentor.  Worried about homelessness? I bet Habitat for Humanity has a local chapter.  Look for local avenues to address the global concerns you have - Start where you are.

Use what you have - Not all of us are millionaires, yet.  You may not personally be able to completely fund your favorite charity, or be able to quit your job and go build housing for endangered womp rats full time.  But you can find a way to serve if you truly desire to make a difference.

If you can afford to make donations and fund grants, by all means do so.  But if you are like me, you are focused on trying not to run out of money before you run out of month.  However, you have talents, you have expertise, and you do have some time (As @garyvee says ” Stop watching @*$%ing Lost”).  Use the talents, time,  and (when possible) money you do have at your disposal to make a difference.  No time and no money?  Then do whatever you can to raise awareness of the particular issue you are passionate about.  You can make a difference - Use what you have.

Do what you can – This one will hit the hardest I think, it did for me.  Stop sitting around lamenting the state of the world, get off your butt, and do something.  You can make a difference, however small, no matter what the issue is.  We each have opportunities to make a difference every day, and we need to stop ignoring them, stop procrastinating, and do something today.  You need to be honest with yourself and really figure out what you can do and then simply do it - Do what you can.

Start where you are:

• Look around your immediate community for needs you can help address
• Where you are includes the internet – you can make a global impression from your living room

Use what you have:

• Find a way to apply the talents you have to help where you can
• Make time to make a difference

Do what you can:

• Decide what is within your power to do and do it
• Start today, small action can have great impact

This post is the start of what I hope will be a series where I do some exposition on meaningful quotes that come (or are brought) to my attention.  Please comment and let me know what you think of this post, as well as the concept for the series.