“You’re the reason society is messed up!” “You made me so angry that I lost control.” “I can’t help myself when people dress the way they do.”

You’ve heard things like this. The Blame Game. Blast someone else, for whatever reason, to excuse your bad behavior or for ‘society’s ‘ collapse into madness. Failing to open up to our own failings, our own mistakes is a cowardly but all too human trend. Seeking a simple solution to complex problems is an easy out. We need to stop that.

But we also need to do something else. We need to be the reason for good. We need to both recognize when others have been a positive influence on us and carry that forward to influence others. It doesn’t take a lot. Have you ever noticed reflective smiles? You smile at someone and they most often will smile back. And vice-versa. We often think that we have to do something big to make a difference, but the truth is, it is the little things that add up to a lot. Just taking notice of others struggling and offering help.

We also sometimes think we have to fix others, to eliminate their problems to make a difference. And there are times when solutions and answers are needed. But there are many more times that all they need is to know someone cares, someone will listen, someone sees them.