Ok, so I really should be writting an essay instead of posting here. But in truth, I am struggling to properly wake up and function academically. So I figured if I start some stream-of-conciousness style writing, I might be able to get the creative juices flowing. Or perhaps I just need to get this out of my system first.

I had a big, long discussion with Jim last night, as we often do, about life. It usually starts as a comment about TV or with a question which eventualy unfolds into a philiosophical and existential debate. Sometimes it is concerning politics, other times sociology. Sometimes music. There aren't really any boundaries.

Last night was a bit of everything; it started out with the Obama/McCain debate that we had watched on ABC, moved to offshore drilling, then went into climate change, capitalism, then into poverty and disease reduction. I asked the question that is so very often asked: how can we possibly help prevent 20,000 people in Africa a day dying from curable disease? What about the other thousands that die a day from war and HIV/AIDS? For some time I have wanted to 'save the world.' I know I am not the only one. I really do not need to sit and explain why I want to other than affirm the fact that it needs to be done.

As we were sitting there late at night discussing this, it suddenly became clear. I am not going to be able to save the world. It is just not going to happen.

But I can save somebody's world.

And that makes a difference to the world. So perhaps I sponsor a child, do aid work in Africa, or start a charity, or join the government and push for developmental policies. I may only directly afftect somewhere between 1 to 83 people in my lifetime. But I have changed the world for 83 people. And hopefully, those 83 people can use their second chance to help too. So 83 is quite potentially doubled.

Then look at other people, like myself that could help. If each one of my friends helped one person, that number is immediatly doubled. If they help 2,3,4, 83 people each....well you do the math.

Gandhi may be one of the most influential people in histroy, but the more I think about it, he was just a figurehead. He wanted the same thing most Indians wanted: freedom. Rights. Equity. He was the product of his environment as well as the people around him. Martin Luther King had a dream that was shared by millions of black people. Bobby Kennedy fought for civil rights not because it was cool, but because his expereince lead him to believe it was the right thing to do. Even Jesus had a dad who gave him all his philosophy and training. My point is, maybe you or I will never be Jesus, or MLK, JFK or Gandhi. But we can be the people that inspire these figureheads. We can still be integral to the movement. We are the movement.

So, there is no need to give up. There is no need to lose hope because the problem is too big. The problem is us and seeing that the issues are too large for us to deal with. We will never accomplish everything we would like, but we can contribute to that outcome.

If, 100 years down the track, Africa, or Asia or South America etc become one of the most propserous and stable regions in the world, it will not be because of one leader. It will be because of the thousands of people that have fought for a long, sustained period of time to create that outcome.

Is that not worth a legacy to strive for?