So many people are asking this question in the wake of September 11th’s tragic attack. In one week, we have brought our blood banks to capacity, and probably nearly as many people didn’t give because there wasn’t enough technicians to take their blood. New York is getting more food and clothes than they need. People are donating to the Red Cross, but just giving money doesn’t fill this need to do something.
Here’s an idea. Make your world a better place.
Help someone in need. Volunteer your time anywhere. Teach a someone how to read, or how to use a computer, or how to love. Make a poor person’s life a little wealthier, an old person’s life a little easier or bring light into the life of someone who is ill. If just the tiniest percentage of those who gave blood last week for the first time became donors for life, we would probably never run low on blood again.
Take better care of yourself. What would you do to bring one of the victims back to life? Would you stop smoking, start exercising, eat just a little better? You can’t bring anyone back from the dead, but you can make your own life last longer, and be there for those you love.
Most importantly of all, spread love where there is now hate. Or at least try to stop spreading hate. Think before you act in anger. Did this person truly do something to you, or is it because they look or act or believe a certain way. Or worse, do you hate them solely because someone told you that you should hate them? Hating creates a vicious cycle that spreads hate, pain and terror in ever-widening circles. Hate allows you to be used as a pawn by people who seek power on a bloody road. Do you think Hitler created anti-Semitism? No, he tapped into the prejudices and hate of the German people so that he could rise to power. So seek the roots of your hate, and end it. Then no leader can use you to sow more hatred.
The only thing which can end hate is love. Wherever you can, give love, show love, embrace love. Look for something to love in each person you meet. Remember we have more in common with even complete strangers than all of the differences we see first. We all laugh, grieve, eat, grow, get sick, pay taxes, think, make mistakes, have mothers and fathers, dream, hope, dance, listen to music, feel the warmth of the sun on our face. We all get angry and sad, and happy by turns. And yes we sometimes hate. But if we can manage to love stronger than we hate, then the world will be a better place for our being there.
And if what comes out of this tragedy is an even slightly better world, then the terrorist’s who tried to break us will have failed.