Stop Waiting

Have you ever heard someone say they want to change the world? Or maybe you've heard someone say about another person, She's going to change the world someday! John Mayer and his friends are apparently waiting for the world to do the changing on its own. Similar things are said about the state of our country, or our school system. We need a big change. Or Change is on the way. Change is this abstract and broad term, but what do we mean when we make these statements? Is it really possible to change the world?

Gandhi, in all his peaceful brilliance challenged each of us... Be the change you wish to see in the world. I gotta say, I'm down with Gandhi. If everyone worked a little harder on making positive changes in themselves, no one would have to change the world. Let's face it, the world is enormous. No one person can change the world. We can work together to try and create change, and we can make small scale changes in aspects of life and the world that are in our control. But what we are saying when we say we'd like to change the world, is we would like to change the behavior of the people in the world. We want people to respect humanity and preserve culture. We would like people to be kind to animals and conserve our resources. We want people to become stewards of the planet and positive contributors in our communities. We want many things to change. Maybe you want none of these and a whole host of other things.

I know it is important to stand up for what you believe in, and to have a voice and be heard. However, I think these days too many people are worried about changing everyone else. They want people to think the way they do, they want people to believe what they believe, and they want you (collective you) to change.  My question to those people, is what about you? Instead of worrying so much about changing everyone and everything else, look in the mirror and then inside and ask, Is there anything I could change? 

And as for John Mayer and his friends who are misunderstood and waiting on the world to change*, get off your assess and live the words of Gandhi. Be the change you wish to see in the world, and stop waiting around for everyone to change it for you.  It starts at the individual and spreads. That's the only way the world is going to change- if people start making changes in themselves and sharing them with others. So if Gandhi was at your doorstep asking you to be the change you wish to see in the world, what would you wish to see and how will you be that change?




*I happen to love the song Waiting on the World to Change by John Mayer. However, it always bothered me when the lyrics made it sound like these lazy, sheltered kids were unsatisfied with the state of the world (which is ok) but waiting for everyone around them to change the world to make them happy (not ok). F that. Even Michael Jackson knew it started with The Man in the Mirror.