Honoring Humanity In Everyday Life | About

Imagine for a Moment

A dream in the clouds.

What would the world look like if we truly valued human life?

Peace. Arms are laid down. Harmony and reconciliation spread between brothers. Human life is too valuable to bear combat against. The casualties of war are too costly to even consider.

Dignity. The poor are lifted up. Their talents are unleashed into the world. They receive the dignity so deeply deserved by their humanity. And we are better for it.

Hope. In the face of pain and suffering, not all is lost. Belief in a future greater than the present pushes and encourages. So we build and press on.

Love. Brother to brother, sister to sister, acts of generosity flower. Rivers deep with gifts of humanity flow between us all.

Joy. Laughter fills the earth. Its sound replaces the noise of busy lives. Life fills all things.

Perhaps this dream is but imagination. Maybe it is too unreasonable. So why bother?

But then again, ending legalized slavery in the United States was unreasonable. Overcoming years of oppression and structured apartheid in South Africa was unreasonable. Extending love to hundreds of poor children in India was unreasonable. Toppling a dictator who had ruled for decades was unreasonable.

Being reasonable is overrated.

For what if what we imagined happened? Wouldn’t it be worth it? Even if the dream came only partly true, I believe the answer would still be yes.

So how do we make that dream a reality?

Define your world.

Do we dream of transforming the entire Earth? Yes. But for now, that is beyond our power. What we have instead is a small sphere of influence. Within that world, the dream becomes more possible.

Look for the little things that bring honor to those in your reach. Small acts of generosity, a smile, and a word of encouragement all celebrate the lives of others. Just because your world is small doesn’t mean you can’t make a difference in it. As Theodore Roosevelt said, “Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.”

Expand that world.

You can also do things to expand your sphere of influence. That could involve meeting new people, deepening existing relationships, or reaching out to more people using the Internet, books, or conferences.

This website is one example of this. While there are many people in my life that I seek to value and help, I’m able to reach even more people through my writing here.

Do it with others.

Your sphere has a limit. You also have limited ability to expand that sphere. That’s where others come in.

With the help of other people you can wield influence far beyond what you could do alone. In a group, the actions of individuals don’t add. They multiply.

What about you? What ways do you use your sphere of influence to bring about the world you imagine?

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A dream in the clouds. I made this photo in South Africa.