There people out there, some of whom might be reading this, that think that what they do in this world doesn’t matter in the least. Some of them have a bleak, pessimistic view of the world as a whole, thinking no matter what they do, in the long run, everything will stay a crap sack. Some of them have a more personal, painful view. They see themselves as having nothing important to give, nothing they can do change the world around them.
You’re wrong, though.
Every time you throw a pebble into the pond you change it. You might not see the ripples on the surface anymore, but the pebble is still there, at the bottom of the pond, forever. Even when the waves are gone, the change has been made, by you.
It is an honorable belief that we all effect change, create value for ourselves just by living in this world. Our existence itself is precious, and should be regarded as such. Our lives are a gift, whether you believe the come from some divine being or simply from your parents having a little too much pinot, that you are here is a miracle. There are many reasons you shouldn’t be.
What I think I’m saying is that if you sit there, worried that what you do doesn’t matter, or that it isn’t enough, or that you’re not as good as someone else, then you’re selfish. You’re more worried about your own ego being hurt than you are about how much you actually mean to the world.
I don’t care if you’re religious or not, even with no great mystery beyond simple statistical anomalies that lead to an evolutionary chain ending in humans, there is a reason you are here. Maybe it isn’t some great divine, metaphysical reason, but there is a reason.
That reason could be as small as propagating your genetic sequence, I doubt that, but it’s possible. That reason could be as big as discovering the cure for South American Zombism, which is a significant contribution indeed. Either way, you have a reason, and in the grand scheme of things, both of them are equally important to the survival of humanity.
Well, except curing the zombie thing, I just made it up.
There is no reason to worry. No reason to ever give up on trying.
Go out into the world, exposed and open. Do what you feel is right.
I assure you, if everyone lived by what they believed was right, there would be a lot more than empty promises about hope and change in America.
Just remember:
You matter, so make your life count.