Making A Difference

MAKING A DIFFERENCE

By Bill Cottringer

     Even if you are just an average person like me, trying to survive the problems in life, and saddled with discouragement, pessimism, or indifference, you have something undeniable inside you that wants to crash through your wall of quiet desperation. That "something" is the overwhelming and undeniable desire to feel like you are making a difference.

     Fortunately, for the "average most of us," the word success is taking on a whole new meaning these days.  The newer definition allows more of us to access our pot of gold at the end of the rainbow—having a reasonable sense of contentment, satisfaction and fulfillment from knowing that we are making a difference, no matter how much of a celebrity we are not. 

     The days where success was synonymous with the "rich and famous" with their opulent wealth, great looks, dominating power, creative genius and widespread  influence, is quickly being replaced with softer "proofs" such as meaning, purpose, passion and love for what you do.

     This is great news for the large group of us who can finally admit to ourselves that we have neither the exceptional talents or the athletic-like motivation to join the rich and famous. But make no mistake about it, the difference you can make, not being apart of the exclusive group, is just as big, important and valuable, whatever you are doing.

     I recently spent some time with two ordinary guys—Le Roy and Mitchell Dean-- doing some extraordinary things. They take time away from their regular jobs, lives and hobbies, responsibly catching and tagging birds of prey, to play a valuable part in tracking and enabling these impressive creature's migration habits and welfare.

     I had the life-changing experience of being up on their high Idaho mountaintop combining my passion of photography and writing, and their passion with the raptors, love of life, and wholesome campfire conversations. The following two poems were written in between my great experiences with these two ordinary guys doing extraordinary things.  An unforgettable couple of  days with two unforgettable guys.

SUCCESS

Success isn't what you get;

It's what you do to get it.

If you're not feeling successful,

Stop, look and listen—

Is your purpose soulful?

Is your passion heartfelt?

Is your action thoughtful?

If not, you're not successful.

Failure does have a cure though—

Act with these three things:

Purpose, passion and thought.

Of course this is after the test,

When the lesson is learned,

But it's never too late.

MAKING A DIFFERENCE

Don't need to be rich and famous,

With wealth, power and influence,

Just to make a difference;

Just need a worthy purpose,

With meaning, passion and thought,

To make a difference that counts.

Appreciate what you're doing,

And you'll be the prisoner,

Gazing out his window bars,

Missing the mud, but seeing stars.