What's the Point?

I hear that question a lot, mostly from the doom-and-gloom crowd, who believe that one person acting alone can't make a difference, especially when confronting huge issues. Well, I guess from their perspective, it's true, because in order to make changes, you have to DO SOMETHING. I understand that there is a certain security in not rocking the boat, even when the boat is sinking. After all, until you actually feel the water soaking into your shoes, you can pretend that everything is okay and that it's only a few agitators trying to make trouble that keep insisting that the boat is sinking.
Personally, I look at the things that have had an impact on my life and my thinking and realize that almost all of it came about because of a single individual or event--a random comment that struck a chord (or a nerve), a chance discovery of a book or a film, some trivial moment or series of coincidences that came to have great significance later in my life. I've taken a few wrong turns in the journey that has been my life, but somehow or another I have always managed to find the way back to the right path. Almost always, it has been through the intervention of those people, books and events that I mentioned. Only rarely has it been because of anything our "leaders" have done or said.
I think the mistake so many people make is looking to "official" channels--government, political organizations, etc.--to make changes. While I believe that it is important, even necessary, to make sure that our leaders listen to and obey our collective voices, the only way to real and meaningful changes in the world is to make changes in ourselves. We've become more and more like children in this country, expecting Big Brother to look out for us and to solve all our problems. But Big Brother really isn't interested in solving our problems. We need to grow up and start working to solve our problems ourselves.
As far as individuals being able to make real changes, all you have to do is look at the impact that we have on those we see every day--a simple smile, a touch, a kind or encouraging word; paying forward acts of compassion shown to us; treating our children with love and respect, so that they learn to show love and respect--these are just a few of the things that we, as regular ordinary people, can do to make the world a better place. Sure, these things may not seem very important in the grand scheme of things, but if enough people were actually practising the ideals they claim to hold dear, we could reach a critical mass that would have profound and far-reaching consequences. People talk about "what comes around, goes around," but never realize that the opposite is also true. I hear people talking about how unfair life is and how nothing good ever happens to them--but when was the last time they ever DID anything good so that it COULD come back to them?
If we really want the world to be a better place, it's up to each of us to make it one, and since it has to start somewhere, why not let it start with us? Do something nice for someone, just because you can, then sit back and watch the chain reaction (like in the commercial, remember). Then think about the difference it could make if we all started doing such small things on a daily basis. Then, what a wonderful world it could be..............