Smile – You’re Changing The Community

Think about the community that one grew up in and it may spark a memory of people who were always doing yard work, or remembering the man who used to sit on the front porch and wave to all who passed by. Times have changed and communities are getting a distant feel to them, when compared to years ago. A large part of this is the increase of crime, changes in the way everyone goes about their day and the changing of people who live within the community that some call strangers.

Look at communities almost taken off the map due to tornados or other disasters. A week prior to that, it was probably full of bickering neighbors, complaints of barking dogs and a salesclerk at the corner store that never talked to the customers. It is amazing how a disaster can bring a community together where neighbors are helping neighbors to get a job done when duty calls. As people get older, they start to learn what is important and what is not worth fighting over anymore. The same is true for families. A family will change after losing a member of the family to a terminal disease. That change will affect that family for years to come. When trivial things come to be and one overhears conversations about fighting with parents because of the choice of nail color and using unforgivable terminology, it makes one wonder what is happening with people in whole. Change is inevitable, but one has to wonder if specific changes really are a good thing.

Changes in how we socialize and act has changed so much over the years that we as communities might require some tweaking. However, subtle changes do make great impacts at times that are easy to do. Doing little things throughout the day for strangers makes a difference. Holding the door at the grocery store, saying hello, and offering help to someone who needs it along with other little things are small changes. Imagine living along and being at the store. Someone simply says hello to you. Might not mean much to most people who are out in the work world everyday, but for those who live alone, that hello might have just made their day. Even a smile can give a boost to better someone’s day.

Figuring out what is important and what is not worth fighting over is something everyone needs to take into consideration. The news is full of fighting, bickering and hatred. For those communities that are currently rebuilding, there is no time for fighting over anything, only time to get a job done. Communities need to make changes to get along as a whole before a disaster strikes, otherwise they become the places where people do not want to live and where crime rate increases. Get involved with community events and take care of those in the neighborhood who need a helping hand. Make it a goal to make a change every day. Just smile.