Masterful Mindsets – A Drop In The Ocean
“We ourselves feel that what we are doing is just a drop in the ocean. But the ocean would be less because of that missing drop.” ~ Mother Teresa
Question:
Do you often feel like nothing you do really matters? Do you feel like you’re fighting a losing battle – one step forward and two steps back? Have you lost all hope in your future, the future of those around you and the future of the world?
Action Challenge:
Don’t lose heart! What you are doing does matter! Every single action, no matter how big or small, matters. It may be hard to see at first, but with consistent action, you will see change.
My family and I just returned from vacation where we spent a week basking in the sun and playing in the ocean. And interestingly enough, this quote came to me just before we left so I made it a point to pay close attention, really meditating on it while I was there by the ocean. Pondering the question, “Does one small drop really matter?” The answer that came to me was a resounding “yes”. And not only that, but if you ever watch the ocean at the shore line, you realize that it comes in and out, continuously. It never stops. And it is that constant, untiring action that creates the soft sand of beautiful beaches.
If everyone thought that what they did, didn’t matter and stopped, then it would be much more than one small drop. It would add up to this vast world of existence we live in. But I get it, that all seems too big to really fathom. So let me bring it home with a real world example for you…
I was speaking with a friend recently who works for Hospice (If you aren’t familiar with hospice care, they provide specialized services for those who are terminally ill.) She said she’d just gotten back from a “Make a Wish“ trip for a young client, a 5 year old child, who was not doing well. As we talked, my heart broke for that child and his family. It also ached for her as she talked about how hard her job is with most clients, but nothing compared to how difficult having a child as a client was. I walked away feeling a mix of emotions. Sadness was of course one, but also gratitude for people like her. People like her who feel like what they are doing is only a small drop in an ocean of sorrow that I’m sure the family of that child feels they are swimming in. But without her, there’d be one less drop to support them, to keep them from drowning in sorrow and help them stay afloat.
You may be thinking , “Well, I don’t have a job like that.” But, I’m here to tell you, no matter what you do for a living, it’s what you do with your life and who you are being in it, that really matter.
My challenge to you – do something to contribute your drop in the vast ocean of life. And keep doing it! It really does matter. In this world where hate and violence seem to be more prevalent than peace and love… do something to change that, even if it is just in your little corner of the world. Be kind, be caring, be a drop in the ocean of life. You do matter!
***I want to hear from you… share your thoughts about this week’s topic below.