I am selfish. I want to make a difference.
At some point everyone thinks... ‘I’m here for a limited time. What can I add to this world before checking out?’
Morbid? Perhaps... But it's reality. Each Memorial Day we reflect on those who gave the ultimate sacrifice for something they believe in. Our Military members think about the "greater good." They fought for it, they fight for us and live it.
I'm not military though... So how do I make a difference?
Is working a desk job for 40 years going to be my contribution to society? That thought motivated me to start this LowTides venture 2 years ago, actually this very weekend.
Truth is, I grew up an upper-middle-class white dude with a vacation home at the Jersey Shore. My parents still have their house. I've had opportunities others didn't.
So what to do...
I have strengths. I’m a hard worker. Yes, I had opportunities others may not have had, but I took advantage of those opportunities when available. Now, as a father of 4, I want to leave a positive impact on the world, in this case, by designing something that changes it for the better.
So yes, I am selfish and I’m going to continue down this path. I hope you'll join me, pulling pounds of plastic from our environment and upcycling what was once waste. That for now, is my contribution to this world.
Find yours. It can be big or small. You can support a cause or start a cause; buy a beach chair or any product that makes a difference. Know that whether you do or don't, someone else will. The number of us working to make a better future are larger than those that don't recognize the need. Take this day to honor those that gave their lives for a cause they believed in and reflect on what you’re doing with your time on this Earth.
As my Dad says, ‘Life is Beautiful.’ So I say, let’s keep it that way. I hope you had a nice MDW. See you all down the shore this Summer.
We'll be Live again Thursday at 8pm EST. This time we invited Erin Husted from Hackwith Design House to join us.
Stay safe. Be Well.