If you’re expecting some flip commentary from me, this is not the week for you.  While I would appreciate you reading this article, it would mean way more to me if you would take action on what you read. I’m thanking you in advance for making a difference.

Have you ever lived in a busier time than right now?  iPhones, email, Internet, the list goes on and on.  All the things that were invented to save us time seem to be consuming our time.  We all have only the same amount of time every day so when we finish dealing with all these time saving things, what’s left for the things that really matter?

There are people around us that could use a kind word.  There are people whose day would light up if someone asked about how they were doing and took the time to listen to their answer. Wherever you go, you see people of all ages looking at displays from smartphones or tablets, when they should be paying attention to the world around them.  I’m as guilty as the next person in my generation.  I’m nowhere near as guilty as today’s generation.  But this is not about guilt.  Guilt is something that serves no purpose because one can only feel guilt after some act has happened and at that point, guilt cannot change a thing.

In their own way, people all around you are reaching out.  Some are very open and it’s easy to offer advice or support to those folks. Others want to ask for help, but don’t know how.  When something awful happens, close family and friends blame themselves for not seeing the signs, but the truth is that the signs are not obvious and it takes some serious digging to perhaps even have a clue that there is an issue.

Guilt is a useless emotion. It’s an emotion that we use when we don’t know what else to do: “I should have done this. I should have said this (or not said that).”

Your world is full of people who want to talk to you.  It could be family, friends, even a casual acquaintance who needs a shoulder to lean on.  We all can be better listeners and be more vigilant of people that we’re concerned for.

If you want to make a difference in this world, reach out to someone.  Earn his or her trust and respect and be there for them when they need you.  Think about the times that you felt guilty about something and how you would do things differently if you had the chance.  Do that different thing that will make a difference going forward.

When we go to the guilt place, we can’t grow.  We can’t learn and we can’t make a difference.  If we don’t go there, but rather learn from what happened and vow to do things differently going forward, we can change the world.  We can change the world one person at a time and that’s how it works.

I would like to ask you each and every one who reads this to think about someone who you feel could use your support. Contact them. Tell them you care and let them know that you are there for them whenever they need you.  They may never return your call.   But you will have reached out and that is the best that you can do.  And that is more than most will do.  Make a difference.  God Bless.

Bill Packard lives in Union and is the founder of BPackard.com.  He is a speaker, author, small business coach and consultant. 

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