I think that God did not create me to be a great saint such as the likes of Mother Teresa or St. Therese. I think I will never have a huge impact on the world as a whole and likely when my life is over, I will be forgotten by all except those closest to me.  But when THEY they pass on, I suspect that I will not be remembered at all.

I am just me - a wife, a mother, a sister, an aunt, a friend, a co-worker, a parishioner.  My world is not very large and the people who live in it are not very many. I think that even though I might not be able to make a difference to the world as a whole, I CAN make a difference to the world I know.

I can be a positive, grateful and encouraging voice to the people I encounter on my life journey.  God has graced me with their presence and I will be grateful for what each has to offer to my spiritual development and I in turn will offer them encouragement on their own journey.

I can SMILE and say 'hi' to the store clerk, the stranger I pass on the street and anyone else who may never pass my way again.  God has placed us together in this moment at this time - and I will make it count - if only for the moment.

I can forgive the person who has hurt me and I can pray for the person who makes my life miserable. It is not easy - but it is worth it - because this is what God has called me to do and what I can't do for myself or my neighbor, I can do for Him.

I can be honest.

I can treat other people the way I want to be treated - even if it means I have to be nice to someone who isn't nice to me.  After all, Jesus did say "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you". He did NOT say "Do unto others as they have DONE unto you."  (Only Jesus would think of that!)

I do not have to do one, big spectacular thing to make a difference in this world. But if I can do all the small things with the love of God, if I can just say 'yes' to the little things that God has called me to do, then I will have allowed Him to accomplish the work He intended to complete through me - this very small, very insignificant part of the Body of Christ.  The world may not notice what God has done through me - but it occurs to me that it MIGHT notice what has gone incomplete.  Therefore, every day, I will give my best to God - and I will leave the results to Him.