Wednesday, July 23, 2008

Everything Counts

Every couple of days or so I receive an uplifting email message from someone named Steve Goodier who writes a newsletter called "Your Life Support System". I always find wisdom in those messages and I'd like to share one. Today's message is:
EVERYTHING COUNTS
Early 20th Century African-American poet Countee Cullen spent the summer of his eighth year in Baltimore, Maryland. Shortly after he arrived, he noticed a little white boy staring at him. Countee smiled, but the little boy did not smile back. Instead, he stuck out his tongue and called Countee a hurtful, racial slur.
Cullen later wrote a poem that included his recollection of the summer when he was eight. In it, he says this:
"I saw the whole of Baltimore from May until September.
Of everything that happened there that's all I can remember."
The white child likely soon forgot the episode, And he probably never was aware of the pain he inflicted on the young stranger. But the truth is ... everything counts. EVERYTHING. Everything we do and everything we say. Everything helps or hurts; everything adds to or takes away from someone else.
Educator and writer Leo Buscaglia put it like this: "The majority of us lead quiet, unheralded lives as we pass through this world. There will most likely be no ticker tape parades for us, no monuments created in our honor. But that does not lessen our possible impact, for there are scores of people waiting for someone just like us to come along; people who will appreciate our compassion, our encouragement, who will need our unique talents. Someone who will live a happier life merely because we took the time to share what we had to give. Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around. It's overwhelming to consider the continuous opportunities there are to make our love felt."
How truly amazing life can be when we know that... EVERYTHING COUNTS.

4 comments:

Donna said...

Lovely post. Thank you for the reminder.

Kady said...

Hi Donna,

I thought that message was worth sharing. Sometimes we tend to forget that even if we feel we have nothing much to contribute, we do matter and as the author of the article says, everything we do and say does count. Have a great day!....Kady

Blondie ~ Vintage Primitives said...

Hi Kady
You can drop by my blog and get an award that you really deserve.
Much affection to you
Blondie

Kady said...

Hi Blondie,

I'll sure do that, but I can't imagine why I'd be getting an award. How sweet of you. Gonna' check that out right now. Thanks.
Kady