I've been thinking a lot lately about what it takes to make a difference..
Growing up, my mom and dad always had this saying: "Go M.a.d." Go Make a difference...
Heading off to school? "Have a good day, we love you. Go M.a.d!"
Soccer game? "Play hard, do your best, Go M.a.d."
Meeting up with friends? "Be safe, have fun, Go M.a.d."
I know there were times when they were just words that rolled off the tongue. Just as there were times when they were just words that went no further than the ears that heard them. Regardless of those times that phrase seemed to me no more than rote repetition, there were many times when that same dictum to "go forth, and make a difference" truly awoke something within me. Whenever that happened, I would tuck that old familiar phrase in the back of my mind and keep my eyes open for my opportunity to do exactly what it encouraged: be different. See when I was younger it was the easiest thing in the world. Go M.a.d? Okay, I won't be such a pill to my teacher today. Go M.a.d? Well I guess it couldn't hurt to eat lunch with that Zed kid no one ever sits with. Go M.a.d? Yeah, I suppose I would be a better teammate if I were a little less proud and a little more encouraging at practice today.
So when did making a difference become more about what I could do rather than what I could do for others? When did it become such a lofty, unobtainable ideal? Go M.a.d.. Right, well, I can't very well do that without being the starting goal keeper can I? Go M.a.d.. Sure, but I'm not nearly relevant enough until I get some more life experience under my belt first right? Go M.a.d.. Totally, just as soon as I graduate.. Just as soon as I land that perfect job.. Just as soon as I establish myself in the community..
Did you notice the difference? How does a practical charge for everyday life turn into an impractical and unreachable idea? As we get older we gain more insight into "the bigger picture." We gain more understanding of time, of distance, of size. We open up our view to include the entire world, the whole universe, the very history of human existence. We realize the sheer multitude of variables that are present in any event, the voluminous number of occurrences that must come together just so in order for history to be made. "Go M.a.d." suddenly ceases to be an acronym, and often becomes the logical conclusion of what happens when you try to affect change. How could we, one variable in the mix, possibly make a lasting difference?
By doing just that.. By responding differently than the world in any situation.. By changing the equation..
True, the equation of life consists of an infinity of variables that are completely beyond our control, but that doesn't mean they are all beyond our influence. You, however, are the only one who gets to decide what kind of person you will be day in and day out. What kind of variable you will be in the equation. Will you fall in the negative column, or the positive? You may not be able to affect the sum of all the negative variables around you, but you can make a difference in the way your particular variable affects the equation. And though you might not have much influence on 7 billion variables, you certainly have influence on those in your vicinity.
-1+(-1)+(-1)+(-1)+(-1)= -5
-1+(-1)+(+1)+(-1)+(-1)= -3
-1+(-1)+(+1)+(+1)+(-1)= -1
-1+(+1)+(+1)+(+1)+(-1)= +1
Every time you choose to respond differently than expected, than the world responds, you are making a difference.. You are changing the equation.. You are changing the world..
Though you may never witness the full weight of your actions, go m.a.d. today
Growing up, my mom and dad always had this saying: "Go M.a.d." Go Make a difference...
Heading off to school? "Have a good day, we love you. Go M.a.d!"
Soccer game? "Play hard, do your best, Go M.a.d."
Meeting up with friends? "Be safe, have fun, Go M.a.d."
I know there were times when they were just words that rolled off the tongue. Just as there were times when they were just words that went no further than the ears that heard them. Regardless of those times that phrase seemed to me no more than rote repetition, there were many times when that same dictum to "go forth, and make a difference" truly awoke something within me. Whenever that happened, I would tuck that old familiar phrase in the back of my mind and keep my eyes open for my opportunity to do exactly what it encouraged: be different. See when I was younger it was the easiest thing in the world. Go M.a.d? Okay, I won't be such a pill to my teacher today. Go M.a.d? Well I guess it couldn't hurt to eat lunch with that Zed kid no one ever sits with. Go M.a.d? Yeah, I suppose I would be a better teammate if I were a little less proud and a little more encouraging at practice today.
So when did making a difference become more about what I could do rather than what I could do for others? When did it become such a lofty, unobtainable ideal? Go M.a.d.. Right, well, I can't very well do that without being the starting goal keeper can I? Go M.a.d.. Sure, but I'm not nearly relevant enough until I get some more life experience under my belt first right? Go M.a.d.. Totally, just as soon as I graduate.. Just as soon as I land that perfect job.. Just as soon as I establish myself in the community..
Did you notice the difference? How does a practical charge for everyday life turn into an impractical and unreachable idea? As we get older we gain more insight into "the bigger picture." We gain more understanding of time, of distance, of size. We open up our view to include the entire world, the whole universe, the very history of human existence. We realize the sheer multitude of variables that are present in any event, the voluminous number of occurrences that must come together just so in order for history to be made. "Go M.a.d." suddenly ceases to be an acronym, and often becomes the logical conclusion of what happens when you try to affect change. How could we, one variable in the mix, possibly make a lasting difference?
By doing just that.. By responding differently than the world in any situation.. By changing the equation..
True, the equation of life consists of an infinity of variables that are completely beyond our control, but that doesn't mean they are all beyond our influence. You, however, are the only one who gets to decide what kind of person you will be day in and day out. What kind of variable you will be in the equation. Will you fall in the negative column, or the positive? You may not be able to affect the sum of all the negative variables around you, but you can make a difference in the way your particular variable affects the equation. And though you might not have much influence on 7 billion variables, you certainly have influence on those in your vicinity.
-1+(-1)+(-1)+(-1)+(-1)= -5
-1+(-1)+(+1)+(-1)+(-1)= -3
-1+(-1)+(+1)+(+1)+(-1)= -1
-1+(+1)+(+1)+(+1)+(-1)= +1
Every time you choose to respond differently than expected, than the world responds, you are making a difference.. You are changing the equation.. You are changing the world..
Though you may never witness the full weight of your actions, go m.a.d. today
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