I was at a forum last Friday where people were saying that the youth of today take so many things for granted - that we can be so materialistic and apathetic, and that we don't use our freedom responsibly.

 

Well that's true sometimes.  But last Saturday, a group of kids chose to spend their weekend morning helping us to prepare for our workshop - with no expectation of anything in return. 

They volunteered their time and talents because they cared.  They became our first batch of bridge builders...and there are many who are like them all over the country.

 

We know that if you put a few bad apples in a basket, it can spoil the other good apples.  Well, it's a good thing people aren't made like apples.  We have the freedom to choose.  And we can choose to be a positive influence.  Stephen Covey calls those people who make that choice 'transition persons'.  Gandhi was a transition person.  And so was Ninoy. 

 

This week, we can start remembering the sacrifice this great hero made.  Blaine Lee said "Sacrifice is giving up something now for what you want the most".   If you choose to, you can sacrifice something to bring more light into someone's life.  It doesn't have to be time or money.  It could be something as simple as not wanting to be right all the time. 

 

This week, we can pay the gift forward.  This week, we can all be heroes.