I want to stop the war in Syria, the bombings in Afghanistan, Turkey, France, and wherever they are occurring. I want to help little girls and boys grow up strong and capable and kind. I want honest, ethical people to run our country, states, and towns. I want health care available to all who need it. I want poverty to disappear. I want a clean, thriving environment. I want to change the world for the better! But can I?
True wisdom is gained over time and endures as the centuries pass. Picture a monk nearly a thousand years ago, praying in the darkened sanctuary of a church for enlightenment. What he learned and shared then remains as valuable now as it did then:
“When I was a young man, I wanted to change the world.
“I found it was difficult to change the world, so I tried to change my nation.
“When I found I couldn’t change nation, I began to focus on my town. I couldn’t change the town and as an older man, I tried to change my family.
“Now, as an old man, I realize the only thing I can change is myself, and suddenly I realize that if long ago I had changed myself, I could have made an impact on my family. My family and I could have made an impact on our town. Their impact could have changed the nation and I could indeed have changed the world.”
So, can you change the world? Yes, but only if you have the wisdom to start with yourself. For me, that has meant writing two books and magazine articles, as well as doing presentations and holding focused conversations with women. In the process, I keep changing myself. In reading and hearing feedback, I’m also inspiring and guiding other women to make the changes they need and desire for their lives. The circle grows.