Small Deeds

From Robert Ahola on Facebook … “Great acts are made up of small deeds.” … Lao Tzu. Robert goes on to say … “Much respect, admiration and honor goes to the Japanese people for the impeccable way they have handled their catastrophic natural disaster. Their integrity, dignity and humanity is a model for the world.”

It has been almost three months since the earthquake and tsunami in Japan, and there is no doubt that life continues to be very difficult for the people there. As we have seen, their response has been amazing and inspiring, the very essence of faith and dedication. The disasters' impact will last forever, as will their example of just how each person can make even the direst of circumstances an opportunity to do the right thing, with dignity.

Small deeds, person by person, make all the difference. We exist moment to moment in lives filled with opportunities for "small deeds" ... usually nothing dramatic, but countless chances to affect those around us in small ways and large. And to affect ourselves, in the moment and as our enduring memory. We turn away from those moments at our peril, because there are so many others waiting and even hungry for our impact.

I pray that it is not disaster that impels us to positive deeds that ripple outward, but instead our inborn spirit and humanity ... every small deed may not lead to great acts, but we can never tell which combination of small deeds will be remembered as our legacy.