writing a blog

How does the saying go? "If not you, who? If not now, when?" You don't have to be a star to share a little light.

I have been happily "blogging along" since 7 January. I chose to make my blog public, not terribly personal, because sometimes on the www I have found something that I really needed to read, and maybe occasionally I can put back a little of what I have taken. I know people check in occasionally, or regularly, and some email while others stay mostly silent. I have no way of knowing how many readers I have, or who they are. It would be nice to know, but it doesn't really matter. Wanting to know is about ego, and we have too much of that in this world already.

So, mostly, I write for me. There are hidden messages to myself in some of the entries. Sometimes, they are not so hidden! Sometimes I am driven to write something and I don't know where it has come from, so on those occasions I simply trust that someone somewhere needs to read the words that flow through my fingers. I have abandoned all thought of writing a balanced, interesting, "art-philosophy-living in Italy" type blog.

This morning I read a blog post that I want to share here. It makes you realise that we can all make a difference amidst the horror stories we read and try to ignore, ignore, that is, as long as they are not in our own back yard. There is only one person you can change, and that is yourself, but in making that change you might inspire, you might bring other changes. Backyards have neighbours, and those neighbours have neighbours...

Whatever you do, it does make a difference.

How many young students, over how many years, have had their day made better knowing that when they arrive at the classroom door over in the "Pre-fab Block" there is a smile, common sense security, and a practical optimism waiting for them? Nothing temporary or "Pre-fabricated" inside the classrooms; real life evolving and teachers with hearts of gold.

How many hearts are made lighter, because a shop assistant actually treated the customer like an individual human being? I remember one such assistant who consistently, seemingly effortlessly, sent every jaded shopper away from her check-out position feeling that they were special, leaving with a smile.

You don't forget things like that.

We do make a difference.

From the Bippiblog today I borrow Mahatma Ghandi.

"You must be the change you want to see in the world".

That says it all, really.
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