Will you leave the World a better place?

[Dive Source]

Last night while the board was being upgraded, I watched a TV program that was particularily poignent that made me stop and think:

What am I doing to make the world a better place?

If and when I am judged, I would like to know that I did more with my life than just take from it or simply observe what was happening around me.

There are many ways to make the world a better place from the absolutely simplest such as helping someone (without being asked) to doing volunteer work and raising funds for charity.

What are you doing and what would you like to see done? Every year we hear about worthy causes, perhaps the members here can use this thread to add a few ideas of their own as well as ways that they get involved and help the planet be a better place than when they arrived on it.

:lilangel: Happy holidays...

 

[cobaltbabe]

Good question and one that I have been thinking alot about lately. I was thinking of taking a few months off and going to a third world country to try to help where I can. Day to day, I try to open doors and do little things like buy the next person in line a coffee or whatever is on their order. Just giving a friend who is having a bad day a hug works good too. Helping my neighbors shovel their driveway. Everyone has to do what feels good to them. I wish you all the best during the holidays.

 

[NJDiveGirl]

I thought of this before - am I changing the world? I sure hope so!!! Even if its just a little bit. I commute to work r/t 3 hours a day so I cant volunteer - but I donate to the local Foodbank and animal shelters - I do what I can to help - I just hope its enough!

 

[Tractor Tom]

...I think that mantaining our farmland is important. Too much of the farmland in our country is being converted to neighborhoods full of 'mini-mansions' placed too close together. Once land is lost to development, it cannot be recovered (no one tears down a neighborhood of houses to set up a farm...). I'm continuing to farm the little place we live on, and vow not to sell to someone who is not interested in maintaining it as a working farm. I recycle, and am concerned about the environment. I live quietly and don't bother the neighbors too much with my sillyness. Am I leaving the world a better place? At some levels, YES. I am working to maintain the farmland, I am concerned about the ecology of the area and live like I am concerned.

 

[Dive Source]

The best thing I have ever done was to start thinking more about what I do every day and how it affects those around me, hopefully my biggest accomplishment in life will be raising my kids to recognize this.

Making the world a better place, may be little things like picking up trash at a dive site or bigger endevours like organizing a full blown shore clean up -But any effort makes a difference.

The old adage of "Many hands make light work" is an idea with tremendous power and people should never think that one person cannot make a difference. Consider this tale which you may have heard before

A small boy lived by the ocean.

He loved the creatures of the sea, especially the starfish, and spent much of his time exploring the seashore.

One day he learned there would be a minus tide that would leave the starfish stranded on the sand. The day of the tide he went down to the beach and began picking up stranded starfish and tossing them back into the sea. An elderly man who lived next door came down to the beach to see what he was doing.

"I'm saving the starfish," the boy proudly declared. When the neighbor saw all the stranded starfish, he shook his head and said, "I'm sorry to disappoint you young man, but if you look down the beach one way,there are stranded starfish as far as the eye can see. And if you look down the beach the other way, it's the same. One little boy like you isn't going to make much of a difference."

The boy thought about this for a moment. Then he reached his small hand down to the sand, picked up a starfish, tossed it out into the ocean and said,

"I sure made a difference for that one."

Do you have an inspirational tale or idea to improve the big blue marble. Why not share it here, lord knows there are only so many times people can debate DIR etc...?

Happy holidays :santasmil

 

[scubasean]

What am I doing to make the world a better place?

I'm making sure my kids are better than I....The world is bound to be better as a result.

 

[JRScuba]

Not to many people give your question much thought. On my travels during the day I try and help those that are in need of help. What ever their problem is, I try and resolve it for them. Sometimes I'm offered money for taking time to assist them, I refuse to take anything for lending a helping hand. What I say to them is: if you should see someone in need, stop and try to help them. It is called "PASS IT ON". Also if you have not seen it, there is a movie out called exactly that " Pass It On". So, as we get into the holiday season and into the NEW YEAR if you come across someone in need, help them with their problem and tell them to " PASS IT ON".

Who knows maybe someday you or one of your loved ones will need a Helping Hand.

The Buddy System, It has a nice ring to it.

Joe

 

[CBulla]

I just try my best to do good to others.. When I'm in a bad mood I don't share it, when I'm in a good mood I pass on the infectious smile and cheer. My son at 10 months is learning this from my wife and I and thats how I am making my mark for the better on the world.

 

[Bob3]

Overall my most "distinguished" accomplishment is the raising of a couple of great kids. That will overshadow anything I've done of will ever do.
I have a couple side projects going on right now, gearing up for a benefit auction for http://www.suboceansafety.org
I'm also taking "donations" of u/w camera housings (and parts) for a marine biologist in SE Asia who has been searching for an "affordable" u/w video system. The guy makes about $600/year, so plunking down 3-4 years salary isn't an option.
Anybody wanna help out?

 

[jepuskar]

People who have changed the world: Adolf Hitler, Osama Bin Laden, Saddam Hussein, Napoleon Bonparte...sometime change is NOT a good thing.