We are all familiar with the character that swoops in to save the world from being destroyed, or catch a person falling from a sky scrapper midair. We love the dramatic lead up to the crisis and the will-it-won’t-it scenario. If the hero doesn’t save the day, we could all be doomed!
While loving the comic book hero… and the skintight suit and flowing cape, it is easy to think that heroes are either make believe, or only this realm only can hold a few chosen ones.
When Did You Last Save The Day?
But in our own way we are all Superheroes. The mum who drove home to pick up the homework or left sports kit. The grandma who stepped in to care for a sick child while the parents went to work. The friend who dropped everything to pick you up at the airport, or a neighbour who watered the plants.
They may not always seem huge, but it is often the little things in life that make the biggest difference. A sympathetic ear, a touch on the shoulder to show you care, or a warm smile to make someone feel welcomed or at ease. We all need a little help and support at some time in our lives.
Sometimes Listening Is All That’s Needed
Being a Superhero is not all about holding back enormous waves, or saving a city from an earthquake, sometimes it is just about listening. At times the world can seem a very fast paced and scary place. Finding someone to turn to in a time of crisis, sadness or loneliness may feel like looking for a needle in a haystack.
Giving people a warm, nonjudgmental space where they can feel free to talk honestly and confidentially can be all that is needed. Providing a little oasis to take a breath, consider options and make plans is often the best gift you can give.
Help in Your Community
Communities are only as good – or as happy – as the people who live in them. It doesn’t have to take a huge amount of time or commitment to make a real difference. Reading with kids at the local school or library. Cooking or serving food at the community shelter. Helping the local theatre group, painting backdrops, mending costumes or selling tickets. Litter picking, beach cleaning, planting bulbs, all go a huge way to making your community the kind of place you like to live in.
There is always a need for volunteers and the opportunities to make a difference are endless. Visiting people in hospital or care homes, dog walking at the local rescue centre, answering the telephone at crisis centres, fund raising for a local charity, are all incredibly worthwhile and most are desperate for additional help.
The Butterfly Effect
Making small, positive changes can benefit not only those local to you, but the world in general. The Butterfly Effect suggests that the ripple from the butterfly flapping its wings can have much grander implications. The cumulative effects are said to ripple around the world and can become part of a tornado. Imagine your kindness flapping its wings and building a world full of compassion and kindness.
Whenever I meet someone new, I always like to think that, when they walk away, they were happy they stopped to speak to me. As a solo traveller I have met so many wonderful people, some who have honestly changed my life for the better.
It All Adds Up
So next time you are questioning how much difference you make in this world, think about the small everyday things you do. Stopping for someone to cross the road, holding the door open, carrying a neighbour’s shopping or giving a friend a lift. It might not seem that much to you, but trust me, it all adds up.
Please Join the Conversation:
Are you a Superhero? What do you do to make the world a better place? Who would get your Superhero gold medal?
