Back in 2001, I pitched a book idea. The book was entitled I’m No Mother Teresa: Social Activism for Nonactivists. The book never happened, but you can read the first four chapters by starting with this post and moving forward.
The rest of the chapters, only one of which was written, were to contain ideas in different categories (food, shelter, health, education, etc.) of things the average person could do to make a difference in the world.
And so I began collecting ideas as they appeared in magazines and newspapers. As the book proposal made its way through editors in-boxes only to die in marketing meetings (5 times, I think), I kept collecting ideas. Folders upon folders of ideas.
Some of those ideas have made their way into this I’m No Superstar blog over the last nine years. More still will, I imagine. But it’s time to clean the folders out, clear out the paper copies of the proposal and its aftermath, so that I can move forward in new ways.
It’s still a little sad to know that dream never came (nor will come) into being. But there are good books out now that provide similar information. And more importantly, the Internet itself provides easy access to any idea you might want on how to make a difference, whether you want to give time or money or influence or a signature on a petition.
And that’s a good thing.
It still matters to me that we all do something with what we have been given. I still don’t want to be guilted into being someone I’m not, to be passionate about something for which I have no passion. I want to know my God-given purpose, and I want you to know yours too.
That’s why I try to supply ideas on this blog that might help you discover your passion. At first I worried I would seem like a hypocrite if I blogged about an area of social justice where I’m doing absolutely nothing. Like prisoner rehabilitation, for instance. And I’m never going to have a composting toilet either.
But those things might be your things, and so I cover them and trust you’ll realize I am not doing many of these, or even most of them. I simply want to be faithful to do what God has given me a passion for and the gifts to do.
It’s time to get rid of the paper files (after all, I too can find ideas on the Internet). But it’s not time to stop asking what can I do to make a difference. I hope you’re asking yourself that too.
Thanks for this post Carol. I think that it is always good to present ideas that might spark an interest in someone who is looking for his/her passion. I’m 64, and I’m still seeking a new passion in life. I appreciate your posts, as yu always make me think. I hope that you’ll be at St.David’s one day writing conference in April!
Audrey, I do appreciate your encouragement. It’s funny; I started through the file folder thinking I would be tossing things quickly, but the first two led to two future blog posts. It’s going slowly, but fun to find good ideas to pass along. I’m glad it makes people think. I won’t be at St. David’s but I hope it’s a great time.