Glimmers

I think there is this lie that many of us grew up telling ourselves. Perhaps it came from our parents, the community we grew up in, or simply the need to comfort ourselves when we are scared.

This idea that bad things don’t happen to good people.

I think many of us try hard to be a “good person” for a lot of reasons.

But the older I get, for the most part, I don’t think there are good people and bad people. There are simply people. People who make good choices and not so good choices too. And most of us are doing the best we know how to do. Many of us are fighting battles others cannot see.

I don’t think there are any number of good acts that can protect us from hardship. The hard stuff comes for all of us. Sadly, some of us seemingly more than others.

But this doesn’t mean we stop trying our best to be our best. It doesn’t mean we stop doing what we believe is right. It doesn’t mean we stop trying to be as good as we can to others.

It is simply a reframing of WHY we do it.

Because it feels good to be a productive and positive presence in our work, in our communities, and in our families. When we see that doing something for the greater good made a difference, it reminds us that our behavior matters and subsequently that we matter. It mattered that we showed up today. It matters that we are still here today. It matters if we try again tomorrow.

This belief that tomorrow can be better than today, and we are the ones who can make it so is the definition of hope.

Belief in action.

This doesn’t mean bad things won’t happen because we are working to be better. But what it does mean is that it’s not all bad, and there are parts we can positively influence. So let’s do that.

Write that kind note because it will positively impact how the other person sees their potential. Go out of your way to be kind and patient with store clerks and service industry professionals because that just might give them hope in the human spirit and a much needed reminder that there are still people who care.

Put your shopping cart back.

Read that one again.

Don’t put it back because you think the universe will give you any kind of reward for doing so but because it feels nice to take care of communal spaces. A small reminder that we are in this together.

Do good.

And expect nothing in return.

I recently read a quote that said, “Think global. Move local.”

Maybe this is how we positively impact larger scale change. One little corner of the world at a time.

We all have shadowy parts of ourselves. But there are glimmers in us too.

And when we combine all of our glimmers just imagine how bright that will be.