Effecting Change

I have lofty dreams and ideas. Or maybe they're delusions. I haven't quite decided yet. The Superman complex seems to have overtaken my life, but not in the haughty, obnoxious way. I just want to save the world. Plain and simple. Becoming a catalyst to effect change has become a mission, a charge from on high that my life simply must echo, morph into.

My new job has afforded me the awesome opportunity to head up the philanthropic arm of the company, which is an incredible occasion for me to gain experience doing the things I actually want to end up doing one day. Its been awesome for me to have a team of people who want to effect change in the community around them, and were just waiting for someone to step up to the helm. Its been an interesting and humbling experience for me thus far. I had someone that I respect at the office tell me something along the lines of, "people will follow a leader like you... including me." I think that was one of the most powerful things anyone has ever said to me. Being a leader is not something that I have ever necessarily aspired to. I've never taken any steps intentionally in that direction. And yet to have someone point that out in me was... strange. Exciting, almost. Not in an egotistical way, but in the way that if I can be a leader, I can be that catalyst to effect change.

I have discovered that much of that effecting is tied to finances, which has posed a significant challenge. Fundraising has never been a feat I had to face. If you've never done it, it is daunting. Like, holy crap. Naturally, I don't have on my heart to do the simpler things, one that could be done with small contributions throughout the company employees (not that we aren't doing those things as well). No. Of course not. I have dreams of health clinics in Africa and building processing plants for plumpy'nut in remote areas of the world. I oft feel like I've completely gone off my rocker. Who am I to think I can accomplish such things?

I presume that God will just have to move some mountains.

Be the change you want to see in the world.- Gandhi