A few days a week, I walk a few miles. I don't have
a big choice of routes and over time, the walks seem a bit boring. Even listening to music, time drags and I
notice little aches and pains, but this morning was different.
As
I started out, my mind was on all the hate rhetoric and posturing that is going
on in the world. It seems that over the past few weeks, the spotlight has been
on the dark side of humanity and the elements in our country that promote hate
and intolerance.
I
began wondering what I could do to help change things. I've been blessed to be associated with
educators who know that individuals can make a difference. We teach our students to act locally and
think globally.
Many
times, I've told the story of the little girl walking along the shoreline where
thousands of starfish had been stranded.
As she walked she would bend down, pick one up and throw it back into
the water. A man watching nearby said to
her, "Don't you realize that's not going to make much of a
difference"
Picking
up another starfish and throwing it in the water, the little girl replied,
"It made a difference to that one."
Then
it hit me! There IS something I could do.
As the next car approached, I put on a big smile and waved to the
driver. The driver waved back, and so it
went. After about a mile of walking and
waving, I found that the vast majority of people waved back. Before I knew it's
I was at my halfway point where I stopped for a cup of coffee. I realized that time had flown by and perhaps
I put a smile on the face of one or two drivers.
As
I sipped, my mind went to thinking about the little girl, the starfish, and Arlo
Guthrie and his thoughts on starting the “Alice's Restaurant
Anti-Massacree Movement”. It seems only
logical that I could combine the two and start the Walk n’ Wave: Spread Love
Not Hate Movement.
So friends, if you walk, jog, run, stroll or roll
you too can be part of the movement. As you see a car approaching, give them plenty
of time to react, put on your biggest, best smile, and wave. They may wave back. They may tell their friends about the crazy
guy or gal they saw while driving. If
enough people do it, they might realize it is a movement, and if they read this
blog or came across the Walk and Wave Facebook page, they will KNOW it is a
movement and they might join!
So, if you are tired of all the hate and
negativity in the world, why not do something about it. Walk and Wave! Spread Hope, Not Hate. Visit http://facebook.com/groups/walkandwave
and share your story and spread the love!
