I’m not sure how many of you have heard of Leo Buscaglia. When I was kid, I remember my mom watching him on PBS, particularly his Christmas special. Recently, I was on Youtube and came across some of his material. This link is from “Speaking of Love” (part 1 of 6) and I encourage you to watch all 6 parts. He is entertaining, inspiring and wise.
The clips are from the 70s and when they focus on the audience you see the older fashions and hair styles, but the message is just as pertinent today as it was 30-40 years ago. He speaks about love and the importance of it everyday in our lives. He tells a story about a college class he taught and he would tell the students to “do something.” Some students didn’t know what to do and one in particular said to him “But what is there to do?” After gathering his thoughts and not strangling the young man, he took him to a seniors’ home and told the young man to say hello to one of the residents. She asked the young man if he was a relative and he said no to which she replied “Good. I don’t like any of my relatives” and they proceeded to talk. The young man frequented the seniors’ home and brought joy to some lonely people who had no one else around that cared. From that first hello to the excursions, including a trip with a group of seniors to the college football game, the young man contributed tremendously to their lives.
When we are striving for success we can forget about those around us who are less fortunate. We can become so wrapped up in the goal that we are blind to the needs and wants of our fellow human beings. It may seem hard and you may not know where to start to contribute to the world you live in, but start, even if it is just with a simple hello.
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