How many of us wish we could find that pot of gold at the end of the rainbow? We look for opportunity to come to us: a lottery win, a large inheritance; maybe even a television appearance. “If only fame and fortune would come my way, life would be so much happier!” The truth is that success seldom comes without any effort on our part. The Rodgers And Hammerstein song “Climb Every Mountain” from “The Sound of Music” reminds us that it takes effort to achieve our dreams:

“Climb every mountain,
Ford every stream,
Follow every rainbow,
‘Till you find your dream.”

But maybe we lack confidence in our own ability; perhaps we don’t have the education or come from the right side of town? In my previous post, I wrote about how each one of us has been created with great potential, often far beyond our own imagination. As an ancient writer once said, when speaking of our Creator: “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.” Whoever we are, we can play our part in making this world a better place. Consider the poem “Just One” by Maryam Kazmi:

“One song can spark a moment
One flower can wake a dream
One tree can start a forest
One bird can herald spring
One smile begins a friendship
One handclap lifts a soul
One star can guide a ship at sea
One vote can change a nation
One sunbeam lights a room
One candle wipes all the darkness
One laugh will conquer gloom
One step must start each journey
One word must start each prayer
One hope will raise our spirits
One touch can show you care
One voice can speak with wisdom
One heart can know what’s true

One life can make a difference
You see it’s up to you”

We can all bring encouragement, hope and help to the lives of others. As the poem says: “One smile …, One word …, One touch …, One voice … can make a difference!” What can you do?