Believe it or not, you are making a difference, leaving your "mark",...

[Just Me]

,...on all those whom YOU TOUCH, whether by conversation or contribution or opposition.

You leave your mark. Your "mark" carries more weight than you may be willig to acknowledge. Yes? :bounce:

We should ALL take responsibility of the "mark" we leave on life. Yes? :bounce:

[Digit]

1. Yes, at least I do.

I try to affect people in a positive manner.
I get dismayed when others get ahead by dirty dealings, but I figure there is a bigger scorekeeper than I.
Even people who do me wrong, I really try not to think badly about them. I tend to believe it will boomerang.
Now, as for this administration, I believe they are evil, and I have a duty to speak out. Just as if I knew of someone molesting a child, you have a duty to speak out. Well, this administration is hurting our country, it's people and other countries as well.
It is the right thing to do and you know it in your heart.

[Just Me]

24. Being a positive influence, contributing to the needs of others,...

,... is a noble and moral deed. Doing so without expectation of reward,...is an act of immense compassion,...an act of love towards others,...an act of strength and courage and character.

[Telly Savalas]

2. One can think of it as a sort of social chaos theory.

It's said that a butterfly flapping its wings in Africa can trigger a set of events that results in a major storm system on another continent. Similarly, something like smiling at someone on the bus can have a positive impact on how they're feeling which in turn causes them to positively touch others, initiating a chain of events which could potentially have a huge impact on somebody's life at some point. If our society has a sensitive dependence on initial conditions, then we'd do well to make those initial conditions positive ones.

Cheers.

[lostnfound]

7. That's exactly how I think of it!

Our culture surely does seem to be on the edge between chaos & order..so it's the perfect time to make a difference. One never knows what the tiniest change can make in the final outcome.

God is great, and I mean that in the most respectful way.

[SpaceCatMeetsMars]

14. It's so true. I can think of several times when someone's comments

have impacted me in a large way and I bet most other people can too.

One tiny, tiny example was -- once I was getting on a bus and I was all depressed and hating February. This sweet little old lady said to me, real offhand as we were getting on the bus, "My late husband used to say you could see signs of spring even in February." For some reason, I have never gotten so depressed about winter since then, mostly because it was a small example of somebody who modeled a positive attitude for me.

[mtnsnake]

3. Recommended. This is so important

If every one of us takes the time to engage calmly in discussion, even with people with opposing views, it occasionally sinks in...even though it might not seem like it at the time. Not all the time, but some of the time and sometimes it takes a long time but it happens.

For example, I've gotten into all kinds of spirited discussions with some of my more conservative "friends", and while at the time I didn't think I was making much headway, I'll be darned but a couple of them have all but admitted to coming around a little bit. If you stick to your guns, some of it gets through and eventually sinks in, even if they don't admit it at first. There's nothing like telling the truth over and over to convince someone.

What's just as important is leaving a mark on people who are in the middle of the road. They're the ones who can be influenced easily one way or the other, and why not make it our way.

You're right. We can all make a difference just by leaving a mark.

[NVMojo]

4. this is so true cuz when the other start to wake up from their daze ...

when betrayal sets in, they always look for someone who is standing firm on the truth ...

[bleever]

5. True. nt

[thecai]

6. Like The Ripple Effect

...it spreads out further and further...

[Daphne08]

8. I am slowly but surely engaging in the

liberalization of my husband. :D

Yes, I agree that we can all make a difference even if it is only one person at a time.

[Celebration]

9. Ralph Abraham quote

"As the waves pass the rock, their shape is changed. There is a hologram of the rock within the wave that comes forward and crashes on the beach, then there's a reflected wave back."

Cause and effect. Cause and effect. Cause and effect.

[mopinko]

10. wear a button

sorry for the self promotion, but those things really are little bitty media, and have started many, many conversations. so, don't leave home without one. i don't care if it's mine or someone else's.

[vanboggie]

21. Love the elephant in the sheet eom

[mopinko]

22. thanks

i very proud of that one.

[Inland]

11. Personally, I leave a greasy stain.

Just saying.

[G_j]

12. just think, Johnny Appelseed :) n/t

[lonestarnot]

13. I leave scorch marks!

Had to edit because I don't want to be misinterpretted... scorches from my torches! Pitchforks leaving holes!

[savannahana]

15. like Elzeard Bouffier, "The Man Who Planted Trees"

as told by Jean Giono.

see:

http://abob.libs.uga.edu/bobk/trees.html

http://www.cdra.org.za/creativity/The%20Man%20Who%20Planted%20Trees%20-%20Jean%20Giono.htm

"After the midday meal he resumed his planting. I suppose I must have been fairly insistent in my questioning, for he answered me. For three years he had been planting trees in this wilderness. He had planted one hundred thousand. Of the hundred thousand, twenty thousand had expected to lose half, to rodents or to the unpredictable designs of Providence. There remained ten thousand oak trees to grow where nothing had grown before."

http://www.universal-tao.com/article/man.html

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or like what's happening here, on DU >>>

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x3561640

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Thanks for a great thread, Just Me! :thumbsup: :hi:

[BlueIris]

16. Ah, yes. I wish more people understood this concept.

I mean, it took me forever to get it, too. For God's sake, you don't "just" exist--and you're responsible for the mark you leave in the world because you are part of the world. Actually, since I've finally, finally started to see real change result from my daily barrage of letters, angry phone calls and appearances at appropriate volunteer events, even if I am only "raising awareness," well, I feel like it's worth it.

[savannahana]

17. nominated &

:kick:

[daleo]

18. You contribute to the collective unconscious all the time.

That is how I prefer to think of it. So, ranting about conservative duplicity is never a waste of time.

[OnionPatch]

19. The Powers that Be know this

That's why you always hear "Don't talk politics" at the office, to your neighbors, at parties, and so on. They don't want us to talk to each other about important things like politics. Just watch a football game and let the talking heads do that for you.

I never stop thinking how every action of mine leaves a mark. All our actions together can add up to taking our country back from the robber barons and religious extremists.

[ChaoticSilly]

20. Something I've always wanted to do

is set up a large bank account with no withdrawals allowed - ever - and leave it to a totally random stranger when I die. The only stipulation would be that they could do whatever they wanted with the interest - college tuition, starting a business, a never ending supply of beer, I don't care - but when they no longer need it (their death, they get other money somehow, whatever) they must give it to another totally random stranger.

Now if only I ever get that much money together.

[Telly Savalas]

23. Kick