I have always appreciated people who are confronted with a project or even a task to do, and even though the project or task is big enough for two or more, they begin, even though there is not a second. They don’t wait for another to volunteer; a volunteer may never come along. Whether a man or a woman, they have the attitude “I can do it,” and maybe from time to time, they have to seek help with short term and specific aspects of the job, but they are positive thinkers and doers. The task may have been assigned or it may be a task of their own making and desire. I believe that the “I can do it” kind of attitude is more common among those who have to struggle for everything they get in life. It may even be one of the advantages of being common folk. They can’t rush out and hire a crew to do the job for them. They have to depend on themselves and their own ability to get done what they want. They may come to a place where they may feel they just can’t go on without help, and when they realize there is no help, they start thinking of tools that they may find or build to help them succeed. They may have to learn to use levers, ramps. wheels and pulleys etc. to do much of the moving and heavy lifting to get the job done. They learn and gain in knowledge, wisdom, ability and self worth.
Whether the project be a physical challenge or an intellectual project, it matters not. The confidence to start and the determination to finish is the same. One builds muscle, brain and intellect, as they grow in proportion to the success of the challenge.
There are some who may begin and may fail or leave the task partially done with a feeling of defeat, feeling even less able and confident than when they began. Yet, those who begin with what would appear to be an insurmountable task and successfully complete the task also end up a much, much “bigger” person than they were when they began. They come out the victor, with a sure knowledge of what they are capable of achieving, and with the confidence to take on whatever comes their way.
These are the kind of people who cause others to move aside and let them go by because it is obvious that they have things to do and places to go. They are also the kind of people that others want to associate with and learn from. Without these people where would our nation be? They are nation builders, city builders, town builders, even village, and home builders. We should always remember what the following poem reminds us of:
One song can spark a moment, One tree can start a forest,
One Bird can herald Spring, One Smile begins a friendship, One handclasp 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 out darkness, One Laugh will conquer gloom, One step must start a journey, One hope will raise our spirits, One touch can show you care, One heart can know what’s true, One life can make the difference, You see, It’s up to you!
(Author Unknown)
It truly is a fact that (a crew of) one can launch a boat, catch a fish, etc., etc. You can, and I can, make the world a better place, if we remember the power of one.