I Am Only One, But I Am One.

I am forever indebted to a teacher I had in middle and high school, who was exceptional at making history interesting and inspiring greatness. When you were a student in one of her classes, she almost always insisted that you memorize Everett Hale's most notable quote:

I am only one, but I am one. I cannot do everything, but I can do something. And because I cannot do everything, I will not refuse to do the something that I can do. What I can do, I should do. And what I should do, by the grace of God, I will do.

This quote has stuck with me over the last almost 15 years, brought back to mind by various situations and circumstances. Recently, it played over in my head on a day when I felt like I just wanted to change the world for the better. Of course, when such thoughts enter one's mind, the reactionary thought process tends to be, "But I am only one person. What good can I really do?"

Well, I am here to tell you that you can make a difference (and such is the purpose of this blog) . Everyone has a sphere of influence - people that only they have access to, ones only they can effect for better or for worse. Each one of us has thousands of interactions daily. With each one, we have the power to make it grander in some way, do nothing extraordinary and keep it simply for what it is - a mere interaction,  or to bring negativity into it. It all boils down to the choices we make in those split seconds that often go by without even thinking, let alone a second thought!

Sure, in the end, "I am only one...but I am one," and as such I will only be able to do so much. But I do not want to miss out on those opportunities I am given to make a difference - no matter how small. I hope in the banter to follow that I will inspire you as well to make the most of the opportunities given to you.

Here goes....hopefully, something!