To Make A Difference

You have the power to make a difference. 

I love these words from the late Dr. Jane Goodall. 

She strongly believed that there is always hope ... but only if we take action. She encouraged everyone to take that first step, no matter how small. Each of us holds the power to make a difference. 

Don't eat meat one day a week. Turn the light off when you leave a room. Walk or ride a bicycle for short trips. Take reusable bags when you go to the grocery store. Recycle everything you can. Think about the consequences of the choices you make.

When I die, I want to know i did something to change this world for the better. I read this quote in a book about people who rescue dogs from southern states. The author of this quote transports unwanted dogs from southern states to pre-approved homes in the Northeast, working with a variety of rescue groups. I read that his efforts have saved the lives of some 30,000 dogs. Now that is the way to make a difference!

I know that I have made a difference to my daughter, whom I adopted from Russia when she was 11 years old. I have made difference to the 15 dogs I have adopted over the years. I have made a difference to the people who received the food I and so many others have donated.

What I have done over the years -- adeoptions, donations of food and money, and my time --are but a drop in the bucket compared with what is needed. It often seems overwhelming and a real uphill battle. But our donations, our kindness, do make a difference. And yes, we don't have to be rich or famous to make a difference in another's life.

I have admired Jane Goodall for decades, and I can think of no better way to honor her than to follow her example.