To save the world

One of the little classes I teach at the after school program I work at is creative writing. The first class of the session I talked about how stories can change the world. Thus, one should write to change the world. We have stories like Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, Percy Jackson, Fablehaven, the Books of Bayern, and so many more. All of these have the capability to uplift, inspire, and empower. 

Harry Potter taught me the importance of friendship and loyalty. Lord of the Rings taught me the importance of doing hard things and of looking for adventures. Star Wars taught me the importance of holding to the light and chasing your dreams. Percy Jackson taught me the importance of standing for and fighting for what you believe in, despite the odds against you. Fablehaven taught me to see the wonder all around me and to always be curious. The Books of Bayern taught me the importance of love and trust.

When I was telling my little class that stories can change the world, and that meant that they could change the world, one of the girls was skeptical. She asked, "How can I change the world with just a story?" She couldn't quite grasp the impact she could have.

I am very passionate about the idea of being able to change the world. It only takes the frailest of lights to illuminate the darkness surrounding it. This idea is essentially what is driving me to do what I am doing with my life now. 

Now, this doesn't mean that I believe that I'm going to cause this incredible change in millions of people. It means that I believe that I can impact the people within my circle. And I'm hoping that my future profession - whether as a wife, a mother, a researcher, or psychologist - can not only increase that circle but also enhance my ability to impact people. 

We live in a society where we either look too much at the big picture, thinking on too grandiose of a scale or we look too small and don't realize the power we have as individuals. 

You can change the world. You change the world one person at a time. You make an impact on one person, think of how many people THAT person comes in contact with. My parents raised 9 kids. If that was their ONLY contribution to the world, think of how many people we 9 kids have come in contact with. 4 of us went on missions. 7 are parents. All of us are in different wards, holding different callings. We all have friends. We live across 3 different states. There are so many opportunities for meeting people. Thus, my parents have changed the world, simply by raising us. Not to mention their youth, their callings, and their professions. 

To change the world, you need only help be an influence of good for one person. 

I would invite you to be aware of the people you are with. I can promise you that when you start focusing on the people you spend time with, that you will begin to see the impact you can make. When you are with someone, BE with them. Listen to them, be kind to them, love them, and support them in their times of need. When you change their world you enable them to change the worlds of the people around them as well.

Who is someone who changed your world? What they did they do? Please leave a comment. :) Also, go and tell that person what they have done for you.

If you know of someone who can benefit from this message, please share this post.