Immortality, and Making a Difference
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Picard turns back to Kirk, cradles the dying man’s head in his lap. Kirk’s eyes flick open, and he takes a ragged breath.
Kirk: “Nice shot.” Kirk coughs. His eyes flutter. He’s fading fast.
Picard: “I’ll find a way to contact the Enterprise. You’re going to be all right.”
Kirk: “Did we do it? Did we make a difference?”
Picard: “Yes. Thank you.”
(Scene from Star Trek: Generations, Paramount Pictures, 1994)
Not long ago, I changed my cable service over to AT&T’s alternative, U-verse. It’s been a few months, but I’m afraid the jury’s still out on whether it was a good move or not. Sometimes it works flawlessly (the TIVO-like recorder has 4, not just 2 channels), but other times…
Ironically enough, though, what Mrs. MZM and I enjoy the most aren’t the TV channels (5,387,391 channels – and there’s never anything good on!); nope, it’s the music channels, and I’ll tell ya, there’s something for practically every taste. Disney, Rap, Smooth Jazz, Oldies, Reggae-Hip Hop-Gangsta… and of course, our favorite, “Easy Listening” (and no snide remarks from the peanut gallery over there).
Anyway, we had the music turned up the other day while just schmoozing around the house, and I noticed they were playing a very quiet, easy listening classical guitar version of the Beatles’ “Hey Jude”, and it suddenly struck me (sound of dull thud) that for a musician, true immortality must be when they take your music and turn it into… muzak!
Well, I got to thinking (that grinding noise you hear) about that scene from Star Trek Generations, where the indomitable Capt. Kirk, as he lay dying, asks Capt. Picard, “Did we make a difference?” (Although… since he’s, you know, dying, I guess indomitable doesn’t mean what I think it means.)
Alright, alright; I know it was a movie and not real (can you hear the anguished cries from all the Trekkies out there?), still, it illustrates the innate desire most of us have to do something with lasting meaning; something that makes a difference.
Now, I’m not going to regale you with tales of “things I’ve done” or even “things I sorta thought about doing but never got around to”; naw, that’s not my point. So what is your point, you ask? Hey, glad you asked!
OK, my fine feathered friends, I’m giving you a homework assignment. This week I’d like you to consider what it is you are doing, right now, that will make a difference in someone’s life that isn’t your own. No need to proclaim it or anything; just think about it. That’s all I ask.
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14 responses so far
Middle Zone Musings is a comfortable place to stop, have a cup of coffee, swap a few stories and share practical ideas for the real world. I don't ask for much, just a bit of your brain every now and then. Have a seat, take a load off, and relax...
Well said.
What, do you really mean, like – think but not blog about it????
Joanna
How did you know I was preparing a snide remark?!
That’s amazing, and I find that thinking about the things I’ll do to make a difference in others’ lives helps motivate me to get out of bed each day.
Mike
Bob, what a powerful star to follow – especially in a business world that sometimes feels lost in its own galaxy. Nice reflection to guide another busy week. We’re just making an interesting alliance with U of R here at the MITA center – and that’s a key place to start – because there will be lots of new players soon. Thanks for taking a deep dive with us all on this one, Bob!
Cam: Thanks! Short, and to the point.
Joanna: Hey, what you do on your own blog…
Mike: Don’t worry, snide remarks are allowed here. (As long as you don’t mind that sobbing noise *snif*.)
I do a lot of volunteer work, so hopefully some of it will make a difference. It would also be nice if someday one of my blogs touched someone’s heart. But that’s in the hands of the gods. My job is just to write from the heart and put it out there.
Jean, you got it in one! That’s one of the great things – and the mysteries – of blogging: you never know where your words will end up!
Just keep writing!
Ellen: Sorry, your comment got sucked into the Akismet black hole for a bit!
Hey, I appreciate the sentiments, and want to say it’s been fun trading ideas back and forth! I love checking out what you have to say each morning; it helps me get the little gray cells moving in interesting ways.
Besides, I can always use the help. You know how it is, right? Every time I wash ‘em, I can’t seem to do a thing with ‘em!
“things I sorta thought about doing but never got around to”
That’s what we (anyone who watches zefrank) call “brain crack.” Brain crack is BAD, and you must complete whatever action you thought about as soon as possible to remove it from your brain.
Sam, you are so right! Too often I get caught up in that game. It’s what Docs Ellen and Robyn warn us against all the time.
Got any examples for us?
Great homework assignment! Life is short, making a difference matters!
You got it, Laura! By the way, you might want to stay tuned… Got something special lined up in the next few days…
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[...] series, and in light of a couple of my own recent posts (Comfort Zones, and Other Impediments and Immortality, and Making a Difference), plus one from a while back (A Light in the Darkness), and prompted by a comment Joanna Young left [...]