The other day, as I was cleaning off my desk, I came across a sheet of paper I had printed in early June which explained the school’s upcoming Destination Imagination theme. At the time I thought it would be a terrific topic for my kids to chew on and write about during their summer break.
With a smile on my face and enthusiasm in my voice, I walked into our family room and presented the idea to my youngest three children. I want to say all of them thought it was a swell idea and got right to work on deep, thought provoking answers, but the reality is one of them looked up and moaned, and the other two were so entranced in their electronics they didn’t even bother to acknowledge my presence. Even though my kids were less than excited about pondering the prompt, I could not get it off of my mind.
The world would be a better place if… Great question, right? I mean there are so many different ways one could finish this deep, complex eight-word phrase! I mulled it over and over in my mind, thinking about how I could complete the statement from so many different perspectives. And then, as I was vacuuming the kitchen floor, my perfect response came to light!
The world would be a better place if there were more heroes. THAT is how I would finish the statement. Like Batman or Wonder Woman? Nah. To me, heroes are ordinary men and women who are committed to acts of courage, compassion and connection. Those who want to make a difference in the lives of others and instead of just saying so, they put action behind their words and find the time and energy to make it happen.
Heroism doesn’t have to mean undertaking a mammoth task such as cultivating a charitable foundation. Acts of heroism can be smaller, yet no less awesome, such as volunteering once a month to deliver dinner to the elderly through the local Meals on Wheels program, or spending a few hours at the library reshelving books and DVDs, or regularly making time to sort donation items at CCA.
Over the past several years I have enjoyed volunteering through CASA (Court-Appointed Special Advocates) of Denton County. Through their program I was trained to mentor a child in CPS custody whose family is going through the court system. It is my job to develop a relationship with the child and then to be the voice of their best interests during court proceedings. CASA (www.casadenton.org) is just one of many wonderful opportunities we have available in our area, not only to give back to the community, but to demonstrate to the next generation just how important it is to find a way to be a part of something bigger than ourselves.
How would you finish the phrase The world would be a better place if…? If you like my idea of heroism, are you filling that role? Maybe today is your day to become a hero. One thing I know for sure is we can never have too many!
Kimberly Muench is a Flower Mound mother of five and author of “My Mothers Footprints: A Story of Faith, Calm, Courage, Patience and Grace.” To see more of her work or to contact her, visit www.mymothersfootprints.com.
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