Immediately following the devastating attack on Gaza flotilla, the world came rushing to the aid of Gaza. After all, people are generous by nature and eagerly and willingly help those that are obviously in need. But often there are others who suffer silently and go unnoticed. Strangely, the needs of people in far-off lands may become more known than those near at hand. Members of our own family, coworkers, and countless others that we interact with on a daily basis have needs that we somehow overlook.

Because they are not trapped under collapsed buildings, or drowning in the seas their needs do not scream out for our attention. Yet, many are crushed by the weight of low self-esteem and a lack of confidence. They feel unappreciated, unloved, and unsure of themselves. Some are out of touch with the grandeur of life. They are lost souls, failing to understand that life is a magnificent adventure. They are wounded warriors in need of help. They need to be encouraged to get up after falling. And believe in Sharm - there are a lot of those. Isn't that one of the main reasons people are here - to escape the past? They need to be inspired and uplifted. Here's where you come in. You can make a difference in their lives. And when you do so, you make a difference to life itself.

What can you do? Recognize their accomplishments with praise. Listen to what they have to say with interest. Don't judge, but smile. Mend their broken spirits with kindness. Remember, no seed ever sees the flower it will become. No one you meet ever sees the magnificent being they can become. That's why your presence is needed. You can nurture their spirit with inspiration and encourage them to grow into all they can become. Wouldn't that make life in Sharm a whole lot easier, if peoples spirits towards life were raised?

Some people moan, "I NEED to know what my purpose in life is. Why am I here? I hate Sharm? I hate the people. How can I find my purpose? It's all so confusing." It may become confusing when we focus on what WE need, but the answer clearly appears when we focus on what THE WORLD needs. It needs our help. We are here to act, for we are life's way of getting things done. We are here to contribute to life, to make a difference.

You must not underestimate the significance of your contribution. For when you pick up the torch and lead the way, others will follow, passing on the torch to more people. Each day we can start a chain of positive action or ominously break a chain started by another. That's what happens each day. We either contribute to despair or hope. Which is it that the world needs?

We all want to become successful. The good news is it is extremely easy to become so. You see, if we measure success by the contributions we make to life, we can easily play an important role. Martin Luther King, Jr. (1929-1968) explains, "Everybody can be great.  Because anybody can serve. You don't have to have a college degree to serve... You only need a heart full of grace.  A soul generated by love."

You don't have to do anything earth-shattering to make a difference. You will find the small stuff will often have the biggest effect. A smile, a cheerful expression, a kind word, a little encouragement, undivided attention, these are some of the steps you can easily take every day.

There is a Sufi story about a prince who went deer hunting alone. When he came face to face with a deer, he raised his bow, but before he could shoot, the magical deer spoke to him. The deer asked, "Is this why you are here?" That is, is this why the prince is here on earth, to engage in trivial pastimes? Each day we need to stop, become aware of what we are doing, and ask ourselves, "Is this why I am here?" Then ask yourself, "What can I do today that would make a difference in my life and the lives of those around me?" When trying this for the first time, you may be filled with self-doubt, believing you won't or can't make much difference. But the fact is, until you believe you are special you won't be. And you are special, for no one else is like you. And no - I am not preaching :-)

WHY SHOULD WE CARE ABOUT CONTRIBUTING? Here are some explanations
1. To be part of something greater than ourselves.
"We are not here to merely make a living. We are here to enrich the world, and we impoverish ourselves if we forget this errand."
(Woodrow T. Wilson, 1856~1924)

2. We do it for ourselves. Mohandas Gandhi (1869~1948) was laboriously serving the people of a remote village when he was asked why he was doing it.
"Are you doing it for humanitarian reasons?" he was asked.
"Not at all," Gandhi answered, "I am here to serve no one else than myself, to find my own self-realization through the service of these village folk."
Every time we help another, we help ourselves, for when we dig another out of their troubles, we find a place to bury our own.

3. To return to life the many blessings it freely offers. As another has said, "We have all drank from wells we did not dig and have been warmed by fires we did not build." So, isn't it only right that we give back?

4. Not to give back is not to live. Or, as it was put by Eleanor Roosevelt (1884~1962), "When you cease to make a contribution, you begin to die.

5. To leave a legacy.   Albert Pike (1809~1891) clarifies: "What we have done for ourselves alone dies with us; what we have done for others and the world remains and is immortal."

6. To experience peace and happiness. World renowned expert on stress, Hans Selye (1907~1982), said, "If you want to live a long life, focus on making contributions."

Contributing to life satisfies all these needs while helping to build a better world. In a word, the measure of a man or woman is the degree to which they make a difference in the lives of those they touch. Don't you agree? May our goal be to see the needs of others, recognize our obligation, and become the solution. But we mustn't wait too long before we act, and he who gives when he is asked has waited too long. Nobody can do everything, but everyone can do something. So, act like you make a difference. Because you do.