Making The World A Better Place!

Back in my working days I had two sayings that I uttered on most mornings to my wife and kids. One was "I'm off to make the world a better place!" and the other was "I'm going to work to make money for cookies!". In my last post I talked about my interesting career in law enforcement. When uttering the "I'm off to make the world a better place", I headed into the office to help stop some crime, bring justice for the victims and possibly bring restitution to those victims. Just my little part in making the world a better place. In all of our careers, and then in retirement, we can make the world a better place. Even if it is a very small improvement in our own small environment or a large improvement to the world in general.   

When I think now about making the world a better place, I think I am doing so every time I put something in the recycle bin or I plant a flower or tree. These are very tiny things but things that do, in fact, improve the world a tiny bit. We all can make the world a better place with physical acts such as these or even greater acts involving helping others, righting wrongs, volunteering, etc. In my own environment, I make our local world a better place by repairing something in the house, painting a part of the house that needs a touch up, getting rid of unused things and also any cleaning of the home or yard. I believe we make the world a better place with a simple smile or compliment given to someone. I believe we make the world a better place by raising responsible children and grandchildren. 

Sometimes I will voice "I'm making the world a better place" after I wash and clean my car or I take out the trash. These are probably not great examples of making the world a better place. I feel I don't have the talent, skill and money to make large scale improvements to the world. When I think of great improvements in the world, I think of the Gates Foundation that has saved countless lives through immunizations and health care in the poorest parts of our world. I think of the non-profits that drill water wells and provide drinking straws that filter water to those that don't have clean drinking water. I think of preachers spreading the gospel in secluded and dangerous areas. And, I think of those organizations that feed millions of the hungry around the world.

I have not made major inroads to making the world a better place. I have not started a non-profit to help those in need in some way. I have not invented or discovered anything that will change the world. I just march along through life making small contributions to this world of ours. 

Do I make the world a better place by putting bird seed out for the birds in my back yard? Do I make the world a better place by helping my family with a variety of chores and tasks? I think the world is a tiny bit better when I do those things.

Have you done anything major in your life to make the world a better place? What do you do on a regular basis that you would consider making the world a little better? What large and small efforts do you think about when you think about making the world a better place?