We Are Their Heroes
Copyright © Jim Willis 2001, all rights reserved
If you worry that
you have not made a difference, you have, for only those who do not worry
about it have not. If you feel overwhelmed, if the weight of problems is
too heavy to bear, remember it is a shared burden and the strength of
numbers can accomplish much.
If you think society
and government are blind, it only serves to remind that we need to change
one mind at a time, one law after another. We effect change by cooperation,
not by isolation.
If you consider that
we cannot save them all, and what difference does one make?, you ought to
know the joy of the one who is saved. Mourn those we cannot save, it is a
eulogy to their being. Do not let their loss be in vain.
Be kind to yourself,
remember your needs and those of your family and friends of every species.
If you give everything, what will you have left for yourself, or for them?
Strive to be happy and healthy. You are needed.
Achieving balance in life is a lifelong struggle. We who help those who do
not have all that they need should be among the most grateful for what we
have.
Be proud of your
accomplishments, not your opinions. The quality of your efforts is more
important than the quantity. Forgive your own deficiencies - sometimes
your caring is sufficient. Everyone can do something, it is up to you to
do the thing you can. A kind word and a gentle touch can change a life.
If anger wells up
within you, because people are the problem, remember your humanity and
that people are also the solution. Concentrate on specific needs, pay
attention to the individual - they make up the whole. See beyond the
unlovable, the unattractive, the impure and the wounded - see that their
spirit is as deserving as the rest. Help them heal. Their eyes are windows
to their soul and the mirror of your sincerity.
All species, all
beings, share this Earth in a chain of life. Care more about what makes us
alike than what separates us. Policies, rules and regulations are not
infallible. Apply them judiciously, interpret them wisely. No decision
based purely on money is ever the right one.
Listen to your
heart. Sometimes we have to do that which we are most afraid of. Be true
to yourself and your beliefs. Family may abandon you, friends may
disappoint you, strangers will ridicule you. People shun what they do not
understand. Help them to understand - kindly, softly, gently.
Those who do not
respect all life are to be pitied. Often the wrongdoer is as in need of
help as his victims. Forgive, then teach by example. Educate yourself or
you cannot hope to teach others. No action based in hatred is ever right
and anger drowns out wisdom.
Yours may be a voice
crying in the wilderness, make it a voice to be respected. Listen more
than you talk, be courteous and reliable. Learn to ask for help. Never
waiver from the truth. Know that it takes a lot of strength to cry. And
with every defeat, we learn.
All Creation
celebrates that which is in its own best interest. The Children are our
hope - nurture them. Nature is our legacy - protect it. The Animals are
our brethren - learn from them.
Your rewards will
not be material, but they will be meaningful, and the courage of your
convictions can survive anything. We are small boats cast adrift on a
cruel sea, but someday the tide will turn toward a safe harbor. No matter
how dark the storm clouds, or deep the pain of heartbreak - never forget:
We are their
heroes.
Link to the website: Pieces
of My Heart
