One to the Infinite Power

A key element to making changes in life involves getting outside your comfort zone. My participation in Toastmasters enables me to do just that. While I am an adequate writer, presenting information in front of a group of people requires a different set of skills. Toastmasters provides a friendly, supportive environment that allows me to develop those skills at my own pace. I'm making changes in my life, and Toastmasters helps.

This got me thinking about others who made changes in their lives and in the world around them. And what better place to share my thoughts than at a Toastmasters breakfast meeting? So I put it all together in a speech to address one of my manual projects. It's presented below, but without my vocals. Sorry.

If you live in the Lethbridge area and are interested in simply checking out Toastmasters, just let me know. There is no obligation if you want to visit for a club meeting. Heck, we'll even buy you breakfast. Contact me and I'll put you in touch with our VP of Public Relations . . . oh, yeah. That's me, too.

For a bit about our club, check out http://eyeopener.freetoasthost.org/. And you can get in touch with me rather than the contacts on the website.

Anyway, enjoy the speech, or rather essay, I guess, as it's written here and not spoken.

One to the Infinite Power

One.

It is the smallest whole number with an actual value.

It is unique in being the common divisor for prime numbers.

And it is also the number upon which all other numbers are built.

There is power in one. And you can be the one.

Naysayers will tell you, you can’t fight city hall. Doubters will say what’s the point? I’m just one person. What can I do? Skeptics will say why vote? My one vote won’t make a difference.

But one can make all the difference in the world. A single person with a vision, passion and the heart to bring about change can do so. Cast a stone into a pond and watch as ripples expand out from the single point of impact. A solitary positive idea or goal is like that stone, creating ever expanding ripples that can wash over a society, a nation or even a world.

In the earliest part of the 20th century, one man despaired at the plight of millions. He saw oppression and a lack of rights affecting an entire ethnic group. He experienced being a victim of racism when he was thrown from a train for refusing to give up a first class seat, for which he had a valid ticket. He was beaten by a driver for refusing to ride on the footboard of a stage coach to make room for a white passenger. Though barely qualifying to enter college, he did nonetheless and became a lawyer.

Mohandas Gandhi first introduced the concept of peaceful civil disobedience while championing the civil rights of the Indian community living in South Africa. He returned to India and led campaigns for an end to poverty, for the liberation of women, for acceptance of different religions, and for the independence of his country from foreign domination.

He was one person who became known globally as Mahatma Gandhi. Mahatma – a sanskrit word meaning ‘Great Soul.’

One person takes action and the ripples flow out.

Agnes Bojaxhiu (Bo-cha-shoe) was born in 1910. Her father died when she was eight-years-old. When she was 18, she left home never to see her mother or sister again. But she made a massive difference when she felt a calling to help and plunged into some of the worst slums in the world to pursue her passion. Her influence grew as did support for her efforts and by the 1970s, Mother Teresa was renowned for her compassionate work to help the poor.

When she passed away in 1997, her Missionaries of Charity had over 4,000 sisters, an associated brotherhood of 300 members, and over 100,000 lay volunteers, operating 610 missions in 123 countries.

Ripples.

Now, many may say those are the exceptions. Certainly, there are outstanding individuals who will occasionally surface and use their influence to facilitate change.

The challenge is that with people like Gandhi and Mother Teresa, we see ripples that have grown and expanded to the point of becoming irresistible tsunamis with the strength to wash away old precepts under a wave of innovation and vision.

It can be daunting to reflect on change of that magnitude. But it shouldn’t be paralyzing. Look around our own community and you will see many individuals who are making a difference. It isn’t making a big splash on the nightly news. It isn’t swirling around all over the Internet. But it is real and positive change.

In fact, we don’t have to go beyond our own Toastmasters Club to see people who, like the stone cast into the pond, are making ripples of change. At our last meeting alone, comments by three individuals told me something about themselves that shows they are making a difference.

In her reply to a Table Topics question, Anne mentioned she supports Amnesty Canada. Is there anyone who doesn’t know about Amnesty International and its work on behalf of human rights around the world?

A few weeks ago, I was fortunate to attend a showing of the movie Shake Hands with the Devil, based on Sen. Romeo Daillaire’s book about his experiences in Rwanda during the genocide of the 1990s. Before the movie, Amnesty representatives spoke about what is happening in Darfur today. It’s a group that is working to make the world a better place and Anne is one part of that group. One making a difference.

In comments about her trip to San Diego, Shirley mentioned that she always tries to make working with animals a part of her holiday time. We all know that Shirley is passionate about animals and cats in particular. She has embraced that passion and is using it to bring about positive change.

One of the measures of a society’s compassion and maturity is the way it treats the animals that live within it. Shirley’s efforts help create a more compassionate society for all of us.

In his speech, Dana shared why he really enjoys his current career in comparison to some past jobs he has held. When he spoke about being a paramedic with the fire department and the kinds of work that involves, his enthusiasm was evident. Through the course of his work, Dana strives to save property and lives. In fact, he specifically mentioned having been involved in delivering babies on the job.

Can anyone doubt that Dana is making a difference?

Ripples.

One to the infinite power. One times one times one times one multiplied out to the infinite is still just one.

That is all it takes. Make a difference. Be that one.