A Moving Train Is Not Neutral

Looking back over the past year, 2011, I am amazed at the speed at which my lifetime, my own personal train, if you will, is hurtling through space and time. When I was a child, 365 days until next Christmas seemed to be an eternity too large to comprehend, now I can measure it by number of paychecks. The speed of my personal train rivals the the Japanese JR-Maglev; however no moving train CAN be neutral as it is hurling forward. Even choosing to do nothing is actually making a choice. My goal for 2012 is to make an active choice to serve mankind more than I have been doing in my role as a human being and as a therapist. I believe that one person, moving forward, can make a difference, so I plan on slipping the old train out of neutral and stepping things up a bit in 2012. If my energy has an effect on the world, then I, right here and right now make the decision to be aware of the energy I put out into the world, and resolve to bring my best self to the plate.

Community Service

Each one of us can be the change that makes a positive difference in this world.

Choosing to participate can come in many forms, from small acts like treating others with respect or standing up for someone being bullied, to larger acts such as voting or volunteering for a cause that is important to you.

There are many things you can do to make a difference. Use the extensive lists of human rights and social justice organizations on the Be the Change website to learn more about the issues you most care about, and the ways you might get involved.

When You Investigate Organizations...
There are thousands of organizations around the world doing human rights and social justice work, and those listed on the Be the Change website offer only a small sample. Some organizations only serve to provide information, while others present the opportunity to see the ways people are choosing to participate. We are not endorsing those listed, nor advocating that you join or work with any of them. There are many ways to participate without being involved with any group or organization.

Any time you are considering joining or working with any organization, it is important to do careful research and ask key questions such as:

• What is the reputation of this organization?
• Has anyone you know worked with this organization, and if so, have they had a positive experience?
• What are some of the strategies and approaches this organization uses? Do you agree with them?
• Have you compared this organization to other organizations dealing with similar issues?
• Does the organization's website clearly state its goals and mission?
• What aspects of the organization's values and work do you agree or disagree with?
• How is this organization funded and how much of the money goes directly to programs?
• What specifically would you do for this organization? What role would you play?