Impact

Do you ever have one trivial thing happen in your life that leads you to evaluate everything else you do?

A few weeks ago, my mother-in-law sent me one of those chain emails where you're supposed to answer all the questions after you delete the senders answers.... things like favorite color, and favorite movie... There were two questions on this particular survey that made me think...

1. What inspires you?

2. What are you afraid of?

My answers?
1 - "People who find the time to do all the things I've always wanted to do, while they hold down a regular job, raise their kids and volunteer at some worthy cause.... "

2 - "No longer being useful"

Now, I look around me and I realize it will be quite a while before I'm no-longer useful, but I'm beginning to wonder if my sources of inspiration will ever turn into motivation to get off my butt and do the things I think I want to do. I don't know what stops me... I have all the best intentions, but they never really turn into action. The little things I do on a regular basis, and the small kindnesses in life are one thing, but so far, in my life there's nothing I've done on a grand scale where I know I've really helped someone...

At the moment I'm struck by how your position in life affects what you can do... I can't take a couple months off work to go to some country that could use my knowledge, skills and abilities to help their people, towns and societies... My car would be repossessed, my home would be foreclosed on, creditors would be hounding me and everyone else looking for me to pay my debts.... I've used this analogy in life before, but I really think a society based on the values of a Star Trek society would enable the world to be an amazing place... if I wanted to go help someone, the Federation would let me... I wouldn't have a house payment, a car payment or college loans, but I would have an obligation to the betterment of society.

Will we ever be out from under the umbrella of the commercial society that keeps our economy running? Will caring for people and communities ever be the number one priority of mankind? Is all this a bunch of optimistic drivel? Possibly, but I like to think that someday the world will have higher priorities, and there will be no dispute about religious beliefs, sexual orientation, territory or natural resources. I like to think, someday I won't be tied to my debts, and obligations and will be free to pursue the betterment of mankind... even in a small way.

So... what about you? What inspires you? What are you afraid of?