The Force for Good

Being able to maintain a positive attitude is vital, as is the ability to act on it andpersist. Rather than simply talking about creating change, we’ve got tojust do it.

The Reverend Bill Crews runs a range of humanitarian projects in Sydney, Australia, from soup kitchens to homeless shelters and free health clinics, or even providing reading tutors for underprivileged schoolchildren.

When the Dalai Lama visited, even he put on an apron over his monk’s robes and joined Bill Crews while serving food. And that’s what each and every one of us needs to do: get involved. It doesn’t matter who you are, where you are or what means you have; we all have the potential to take action.

The Dalai Lama firmly believes that the power to create change lies far more in the hands of individuals, than in the hands of organizations, governments or dictators. No matter how comprehensive a set of top-down changes may be, you simply can’t force people to be compassionate. So don’t wait for society to change — change yourself, and provide an example for others.

So how can you start? It depends on you. As the Dalai Lama says: “Everyone can find a context where they make a difference. The human community is nothing but individuals combined.”