I Want You to Know - You Matter, and I Care

Some of the books I’ve read lately have been heavy and deep. I found one that was deep but buoyant and I can’t get it off my mind.

Here in the Real World by Sara Pennypacker is beautiful. The 13-year-old protagonist is trying to figure out how he fits into the world and finds a pamphlet that says “Live a Purpose Driven Life”. He ponders on this for a while while being accused by his new friend of living in 'magic fairness land'.

Then he realizes this:

[Ware] did want the world to be more fair. It wasn't fair that more people didn't want the world to be fair.

..

"You're right that I don't think that you should just take it when bad things happen, but I don't want things to be magically what they are not. I want them to be what they could be and somebody has to want that, or nothing bad will ever get better."

While in grad school what feels like a million years ago, I wrote in the front of a composition notebook (which I still have) “I want to make a difference, not money.” Right now, I feel like I’m doing a great job of not making money, but am still working on making a difference.

I’m trying to remember that making a difference can happen on many levels. I don’t have to be globally recognized to make a difference. I can make a difference one-on-one in quiet, small ways. And that matters.

But that also doesn’t mean I have to stop trying to make a broader difference.

With these ideas swirling in my mind, I listened to the music from a show called We Live in Cairo again today. The lyrics from Genealogy of Revolution touches on this idea that one person having an idea and acting on it can make a difference.

I was one person
Who had an idea
Who made it words
And someone heard
Someone heard

Someone heard and took my words
Someone heard and took my words
And made them theirs
And made them theirs

...

I told my sister we could fail
Come anyway
Come anyway

Go to the square
Go to the square
You'll know the words when you are there
And know that millions come from thousands
Know that thousands come from hundreds
Know that hundreds come from two
Which comes from one person
Who had an idea
Who made it words
And someone heard
Someone heard

I think my biggest desire currently is to help people know they matter and that I care. And I want to help create a society where everything we do, the laws we have, the way our cities are set up, the way we hire people - all of it - shows the truth that human being matter by the way people are treated, and by how we collectively respond if someone or something violates that truth.

But perhaps more than many other things, this desire of mine can be beautifully executed one-on-one with every person I come in contact with.

So if you're reading this, know that you matter, and I care. And if you know me personally, hold me accountable for showing that truth in all my interactions.