Happy Make A Difference Day!

Happy Make a Difference Day, folks! This unofficial secular holiday has been celebrated on the fourth Saturday of October since 1992. Which was a great year for me, by the way. I was nine years old and blissfully unaware of how complicated (and cruel) life can be. That knowledge came on abruptly the next year when I hit double digits as a chubby middle schooler with thick specs. Yeah, 1993 was a real turd.

USA Weekend, the second largest national newspaper at the time, jump started this holiday by suggesting that its readers utilize the extra day in the 1992 leap year to do something positive in their communities. Apparently people really dug this idea and, well, it caught on!

Most of us have felt the ripple effect of doing a good deed. Whether it’s helping that old lady cross the street, or rescuing the cat that somehow (but really, how?) got stuck in a tree. Oh, silly kitty. Maybe your thang is volunteering at your local hospital or shelter. Or canvassing for a cause in your neighborhood.

I’ve certainly done my share of volunteering over the years. Most recently (and consistently), I would consider the chunk of time I spend participating in local live theatre a contribution to my community. I feel akin to my fellow thespian brethren when we are engaged in an endeavor that brings people of all ages together to be regaled and delighted by performing arts.

I’ve planted trees, spent time in soup kitchens, cleaned up highways, packed boxes for military troops. As I get older (and hopefully wiser), I have a desire to get more involved in local politics and issues that directly affect my orbit – and the world as a whole. I care about the well-being of others, and if I’m in a position to make someone else’s life a little better, I hope I always seize that opportunity.

Here at Yugen, we love giving back all year long. A portion of the proceeds from our Galaxy jewelry line is donated to The Planetary Society. 

No matter what you do to make the world a better place, keep on being awesome! Continue to open your hearts and minds to ways you can assist the less fortunate and the future generations. Be kind to your neighbors and our planet. Choose love and truth. Get outside of your comfort zone and try something new. Be the positive ripple, friends, any and all days of the year!

xo
B