Everyone Can Do Something

What a difference a day can make….Tuesday, September 15 was a typical, semi-normal day.  I worked and remember sending an important email at 4:50 p.m. without any worry about that storm brewing in the gulf. Then Wednesday, September, 16 Hurricane Sally arrived in the gulf coast regions of Florida and Alabama and took us by surprise and devastated many of us. 

Like my community and the neighboring communities, I’m still in shock over it. I’m still processing it and I don’t know why…I’ve been through another devastating hurricane – Hurricane Katrina in Louisiana in August 2005.

As I face each new moment, hour and day since Sept. 16, I’ve been remembering the experiences of that first hurricane, thinking about how it was then, who I was then versus how my life is different now. 

Yet there is one thing that I remember very well then that stands true now too, even in a different time and place… It’s a quote I have heard before, but I don’t know who to attribute the quote to unfortunately…

“Nobody can do everything. But everyone can do something.” 

Let me repeat that again because it’s so important and so true…
Nobody can do everything.
But everyone can do something.

That statement is giving me solace right now. That statement is giving me hope.

Because it’s true. No matter what age, stage in life you’re in – no matter how small or tall you are, you can do something.

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Let me give you 10 examples — 10 small, easy examples.

The first five are just what our family has done so far. The other five are things I’m hoping and planning to do next.

1. Make cards for people to brighten their day. (My 8-year-old did this for my coworkers.)

2. Donate items to others in need from your own inventory that you don’t need. (My 12-year-old did this. She went through her closet and drawers to find clothing, toys and comfort items that we can give to those in need). 

3. Make a meal or treat for someone else. (We made cookies for our neighbor and assembled treats for a celebration that is temporarily delayed because of this storm and recovery efforts). 

4. Share resources and news that will be helpful to others. (As I’ve seen and heard news for gas options, food giveaways, supply offerings, etc., I’ve been sending it to people I know who can use that information and take action on it.)

5. Be a good neighbor. Help out where you can. (My husband helped our neighbor repair a fence even though it wasn’t our fence. It was the right thing to do!) 

6. Let someone go ahead of you in a line. (There are going to be more lines everywhere right now. Let someone go before you.)

7. Give a meal or pay for a meal for an essential worker or first responder who is really making a difference right now – power linemen, roof repair persons, caregivers, truck drivers, food preparation personnel and so many others I can’t name them all!) 

8. Do laundry for another person who needs it. 

9. Share stories from the community (yours/ours) with others – share the stories that will inform, educate and uplift others or cause them to take action that is meaningful to you.

10. Share hope, healing, kindness and love. You can’t have too much of each of those things.

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So you see, I’m right. Whoever said that quote is right. 

We can all do something, even something small. Even one of these things that are on this list. 

You can make your own list. But do something. Do something good and nice for someone else.

Be part of the solution. Be a good human. Be the one, small good thing  that happened to  somebody else’s day.