Times are challenging. It is not uncommon to hear folks express their dismay, disappointment and discouragement. But there are ways to feel more uplifted and engaged with life. We can help inspire the world a little at a time by being our true self and living on purpose each in our own way.

Taking the first step does not have to be as big as we imagine. We know that poverty and homelessness is a growing problem. When walking downtown I often pass a woman with very limited resources who is looking quite cold and sitting on a step on the main street.  I pass by her frequently without acknowledging her but with some reflection, I can’t even imagine what it would be like to have people walk by me without acknowledging my presence, day in and day out. I realized that I did not connect because i was being overly cautious. But why I would be afraid? She is a human being. It was daytime in an area with several people around. Besides everything else she was dealing with, she likely has very low self-esteem and does not feel valued by others who simply walk by.  (Sigh!!) So I made a point of looking at her and saying hello, greeting her with a smile. She smiled back. I am going to do this more often and even talk more with her sometime. It wasn’t so hard. 

The first step is likely the most difficult though in retrospect it was easy. I would love to hear how you are communicating with the vulnerable and how you feel about it. Lets sh

Till next time

Marie Knapp