Like cars flying by on an expressway, our days pass by so quickly. Moments we thought we would never forget, can often fade in the rearview mirror as we face the trials and hazards on this road called “life”. But my dear friend, our lives our not like a train, attached to the tracks, destined to go somewhere we don’t want to go. We can “exit” our current “road”, and choose a new “highway”.  Our life is our own, we determine our destiny and we determine who we are and where we are going. We can choose to “drive” down whichever road we choose, or even, make a new one.

There is a road that will take you somewhere you have never gone. A road that will change your life and the lives of others. It is the highway called, “Love”, a road most often untraveled, but one that will lead to a beautiful future.

Love is the one thing that can heal the deepest wound, bind together a shattered heart, cause someone to not give up, heal the past or give the hope of a future. I don’t mean a romantic love, or a token, feel good “everything is going to be ok” shallow love. But the love that comes from sacrifice. The love exemplified by our Master Jesus when He washed the disciples feet and said “ I gave you an example that you also should do as I did.” Jn.13:15.

Service is the practical application of love. It is not a feeling, but a decision, to lay down your own life. “Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends” Jn.15:13.  Even just the smallest effort to touch another life, to love someone who is hurting, turns you in the right direction and from there, you will see your own problems fade and the “road” will rise to meet you.

There is no greater joy my friend, than taking the Fathers love to the world. This is the Gospel. In America alone there are 45,000 suicides a year. In 2017 there were 72,000 deaths due to drug overdose, around 200 a day! This is the tragic, broken world we live in. The mind and the heart are fragile and can be shattered in an instant. We can be the voice of reason and care that tells someone they matter and pulls them back from the edge of suicide. We can speak a word of hope that gives someone an alternative to drugs. The way we love a God that we can’t see, is by loving those that we can see. These are the two greatest commandments in which the entire law and prophets are fulfilled, love God, love others.

Don’t let any more days fly by without taking at least one small step down the highway called “Love”. Dream big. Turn your life in a new direction.  Let your mind awake and think about things you could do to reach others. Opportunities are endless to those who are selfless.

I imagine you have a talent that you could use to bring happiness to others. Maybe you can play an instrument, sing, have a sense of humor, could learn some simple card magic tricks, use a puppet or maybe you could write something that would inspire others. You could visit a home for the elderly, a home for children, become a big brother or big sister, maybe visit someone in prison, a hospital, or visit a homeless shelter. Maybe you have a lovable pet that you could take to visit someone who is alone and suffering. I have a little rabbit that I use in our performance and I have seen her melt even the hardest heart and bring smiles to so many:).

This is my rabbit, “Gracie” :). She is a unique breed of rabbit called Lions Mane, or something like that.
Super fluffy. I made a cool magic trick where  I put a balloon in a box, pop it and make her appear.

Letting a volunteer make my rabbit appear.

Your probably not rich, neither am I and so we obviously can’t give out money or always buy food or things for people. But with a little thought and a lot of heart, we can come up with ways within our means to make a difference. Often times bakeries or produce markets have product they can’t sell but that is still good. Sometimes they will donate it if you ask. Sometimes second hand stores and thrift shops will donate toys or stuffed animals if you explain you want to give them to children in need. You could consider volunteering at different places, for example to work with people with special needs. I worked with the special olympics a few times and it was such an awesome experience. You can write an email or letter explaining that you want to visit or volunteer at a certain place. For a number of reasons, you usually have to follow up by calling multiply times or emailing again but I assure you, it is worth your effort.

As you begin to realize the difference you can make to someone else, you find your purpose. To really matter, matter to someone else. If you ever want to write me, we could be in touch and I could tell you some practical things that I have learned to find opportunities.

Open your mind to new possibilities, dream big. To visit a third world country can seem like such a huge undertaking, but it is really not that big of a deal and would change your life. You could learn a little Spanish (even a few phrases), request time off work in advance, book a one week stay on AirBNB and book a cheep flight from say,  Miami to a Latin country. Once there you could visit an orphanage, a home for special kids or a shelter. The experience would be priceless and would open your mind and eyes to things you have never imagined. You could get a bank (like a little world globe:)) and set aside some money each day or after each shift (thats what I did so I could afford to go to Asia). Or like I said, start in your own backyard. Anyway, I don’t mean to get carried away here, I just want to maybe plant some new thoughts in your head and inspire you to think big, to be big because God is big and there is a big world out there that desperately needs what you could give.