Tag Archive for: service

Loud voices

As the flames rage, smoke billows and the embers burn, 𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐲 loud voices argue on……good morning world.

Global Pandemic, economic carnage, climate change, terrorism, disease – need I go on!

The world is in commotion.

Welcome to Planet Earth – 2020

What can I do? What can we do?

Sure, I can make certain that I follow social distancing, recycle my waste and follow the laws of the land.

And yet, this morning, like every morning, somehow I look to the future with hope for a better world, a brighter future.

There are better days ahead. We will get through this challenge. And the next , and the next and the next.

You see, I can choose to make a difference every single day.

An act of kindness.

An act of service.

An act of compassion.

There is always someone to reach out to.

Just open your eyes and look.

It is up to you and me, to make a difference, every single day, one by one.

What will you choose to do today?

What part will you play today?

What “𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭” will you play today?

Every day – I make commitments to myself, my family members, my friends, my work clients and to voluntary opportunities that I love to serve in.

For example, yesterday I had a key “𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭” to play as the facilitator in a global virtual workshop, with 129 participants. I turned up atΒ 6.00amΒ (GMT), ready to guide each participant through the experience. Shortly afterwards my heart leapt when I received this lovely comment – “I must say today’s session was one of the best ever with such a spontaneous audience and so many volunteers! Thank you as always for making it so engaging and delivering it with such high energy!”

I loved playing my “𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭” in the whole experience.

Yesterday, I was also thrilled to play my 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭 as a husband, a father, a son, a brother, a coach, a friend, a servant and a leader.

Wherever you are, whatever you choose to do with your life, may I invite you to consider this phrase quoted so frequently by David O. McKay – “What e’er thou art, act well thy 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭”.

Acting your part well simply means that wherever you are and whatever you are doing, you choose to do it to the best of your ability and to be as useful as you possibly can.

How will you choose to play your “𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭” today?

Small things

“Let’s see how far you can reach” said the optician. As it turned out, not very far! “Okay, let’s see if I can help” he continued.

I knew my eyesight had deteriorated and it had been well over 2 years since my last test. Lockdown had delayed my test even further, plus I was now spending so much more time behind a laptop screen every day, I was sure that wasn’t helping.

So the optician went to work by trying lots of different lenses, tweaking them a little here and there. It seemed complex to me, but it was obviously simple for him. Every now and again he’d asked me to read the chart again, and little by little, my sight improved, until finally he said “that’s you now with 20/20 vision.”

What a difference, as I was able to read down to the smallest of the letters on the chart.

My vision changed.

By small and simple things, great things happen.

The world has been turned upside down.

Just like the optician helped restore my 20/20 vision, what small and simple things can you do to help someone in need, at home, at work or in your community?

Slow Ahead

Are your summer holiday plans in ruin? Our hopes of a Norwegian Fjord cruise planned for July with a dear friend faded, as the global pandemic impacted holidaymakers the world over.

And what now? In the current global turmoil, holidays almost seem so trivial.

Waking up this morning to the disturbing news of further rioting in the USA over the death of George Floyd, put into context any thoughts of holidays.Β  Watching the protests and Trump’s response was tragic. Slow ahead or even half astern may be more appropriate terms to use as chaos unfolds in the land of dreams.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr said in 1962, “We are simply seeking to bring into full realization the American dream – a dream yet unfulfilled. A dream of equality, of opportunity, of privilege of property widely distributed; a dream of a land where men no longer argue that the color of a mans skin determines the content of his character, the dream of a land where every man will respect the dignity and worth of human personality.”

Currently, there are many leaders sat in the Captain’s chair. Their greatest challenge is to navigate their organisations and governments through stormy waters, into a safe harbour – slow ahead. Working together, building mutual respect, understanding and leading by serving one another is key.

Consider this question – how can I best serve others?

Bored?

Bored? Confused? Fed up? Scunnered? Fatigued? Unhappy? Floundering? Depressed? Down? Gloomy? Flagging? Weary? Sad? Flat?…..

All of the above?

Yep – its tough at the moment, for sure.

This week when it was getting tough, I learned a very powerful lesson (again). It’s a simple thing, that will overcome all these feelings….

What is this straightforward remedy?

Forget yourself and Serve.

Serving others with love, will open the door and flood your life with greater meaning, purpose and joy.

Why not give it a go today! You know you want to! I promise you won’t regret it.

Extraordinary

To be someone out of the ordinary means to be successful, unique, and outstanding.
In these extraordinary times, I feel it in my bones, that each of us – more than ever – need to be the very best we can be. It is all too easy for us to look inward and centre our thoughts on the challenges we may face in our individual situations, it can even get us down. But we must look beyond ourselves – it is vital for our families, our communities and our nation.
WHAT CAN YOU DO?
Even the smallest of simple acts of service, can make a huge difference in the life of a friend or family member.
𝐍𝐨𝐰 is the time to act. Just like the sacrifices our healthcare nurses and doctors are giving every single day, we need to forget ourselves and go to work!
For a whole week now I have been following the remarkable story of Captain Tom Moore.Β  Approaching his 100th birthday, he desired to do something extraordinary and raise Β£1000 for the NHS.Β  His idea, to complete 100 laps of his garden, with the help of his walking frame. Currently he has just passed Β£12 Million. His one simple extraordinary act, has inspired nearly 1 million people to step up and help.
So, again I ask – what can you do?
We have a world to save, a nation to strengthen, a community to help, friends, neighbours and family to bless. One by One. Lets go to work!