by Lawrence Lefcort
The Power of action can manifest in many ways. In October 2010, thirty-three Chilean miners were trapped 2000 feet beneath the surface of the earth. For their families, their country, and the world…time stopped. The men didn’t have long to survive and the government was having great difficulty devising a safe and effective plan for getting them out.
One man in Berlin, Pennsylvania made a difference. Brandon Fisher, a local small business owner, saw the story on the news one night and knew the Chilean government’s plan to drill down over 60 days would end in failure. There was no way the miners would survive underground that long.
Perseverance Pays Off
Mr. Fisher had what he knew was the only drill which could do the job, in half the time. But he had absolutely no connections to Chile whatsoever. After a few days, through patience, perseverance, and countless phone calls and emails, he finally managed to talk to someone in the Chilean government.
The Chileans instantly decided to fly Brandon, his drill, and his entire team down to Chile to perform the rescue. And 33 days later, ahead of schedule and under intense pressure, the miners climbed out of their tomb-like nightmare into the arms of their families, to the delight of Chile and the world.
Nine out of ten people in Brandon Fisher’s shoes might not have taken action. They may have thought: “Oh, it’s their problem,” or “they’ve got it under control,” or “It’s so far away, I couldn’t help them if I even tried.”
But one man acting on an impulse which he knew deep down inside would help, made a giant impact on the lives of hundreds of people, a whole nation, and the world.
Lessons Learned
This simple man from Pennsylvania teaches us a great lesson. How often do we have a thought, or an impulse to help someone, that we never act upon? Maybe it’s giving a few dollars to someone in need, or saying an extra kind word to someone we see at the store, who we can tell is in distress; or acting on that impulse that says: “Oh, this person could really use this right now…it would mean so much to them.” But in the end, although temporarily inspired, we let the feeling vanish, and do nothing.
The true measure of our heart is action. Without action, we cannot make our hearts’ true wishes manifest. We won’t be able to realize our heart’s true yearning, to help others. Many people have come to realize or believe, at least at a philosophical level, that there is an order in the Universe. The more we give, the more we will get back in the future. We all know this at the mental level, but how many of us actually live it, feel it, in our everyday existence?
Every Kind Act Makes a Difference
We tend to diminish the potential impacts our actions can or will have on others, or in the world. The potential impact of any kind or helpful action is always infinite, and without limit. Like dropping a stone into a lake; the ripple effects are endless. Imagine what the world would look like if we all took action in this way?
Want to help transform your life as well as the lives of others? Find out about concrete actions you can take right now.
