It’s Not My Job To Fix Tibet

by Skye Thomas

I hate saying that. It feels so very wrong. 

It’s not that I wouldn’t like to help them or that I am not appalled at what is happening. I have been wrestling with my guilty feelings lately and asked myself what have I done to make the world a better place? 

I started taking inventory of the areas I would love to ‘fix’. My Save-the-World list looks like this: 

• Free Tibet

• Heal the hole in the ozone layer

• Cure Cancer and AIDS

• Save the endangered species

• Overhaul the public school system

• Raise my own kids

• Defend the gays and lesbians

• Teach people how to be happy

• Solve world hunger

• Find loving homes for the orphans

• Save the rainforest

• Rid the planet of pollution

• Implement a clean economical fuel system

• Design a quality inexpensive health care system

• End divorces and broken homes

• Clean out the political system

• Create world peace

• Find Atlantis and solve the mystery of the pyramids

• Scientifically prove somebody’s religion is true

• Psychologically heal the inmates who want it

• End all superficial fakeness

• Save the children

• Stop racism

• Bring an end to lethargy

• Stop terrorism

• Save the coral reefs

• Change America’s focus from being ‘politically correct’ to becoming ‘spiritually correct’ and I’m not talking about religion 

As you can see, it’s all very overwhelming. How can I ever accomplish all these things in my lifetime? I cannot possibly hope to solve all of the world’s problems. I have thought about getting up on my soapbox and preaching to everyone that they need to come help me with all these projects. There is just so much that needs done and you and I both know there’s items not on my list. I will be lucky if I can make a real difference in even one of those areas during my lifetime.

I had to sit and really think about my own resources, the natural gifts I was born with, and what amount of time I want to commit to doing good deeds. I had to analyze the list and what it would really take to accomplish each of those things. What I came to realize is that there are some that I am spiritually called to do, some I just want to do, and still others I secretly wish someone else would do. That’s not a bad thing, it is what it is. I may really want to cure Cancer and other diseases, but know that deep down I don’t have any resources, skills, training, or education to apply to the problem. It’s really not my job. All I can do is to support those who are meant to do that work. If I had the money, I would dump a fortune into their pockets to make sure they had all the tools they needed. But I don’t have it to give, not yet anyway.

What if I do a little bit for each and every one? They say, “Every little bit counts!” If all I was giving was money, then I’d say yes and donate money to all of those causes. But, that’s not what I’m talking about. I’m talking about actually rolling up my sleeves and getting to work helping make the world a better place. I personally cannot fly all over the planet adding just a touch of my energy here and there. To truly create the huge changes needed to fix those problems, I would have to really give my undivided attention and focus. One hundred people giving a moment of their time is not as effective and powerful as just two or three people giving it all of their time and focus. If I am going to make a difference, then I will have to narrow the list down.

One by one, I had to scratch off the list those things I personally could not do. That’s not to say I won’t someday be able to help finance them. For now, I have to look at what I can actually roll my sleeves up and do with my own two hands. What are my talents best used for? What is my job? I picked from the list those things that were truly deeply mine. They are all areas I also happen to feel a personal calling to be involved in. Everything else, I have to let go and trust that someone else will recognize that they have the talents and resources to become part of the solutions. I have to trust that whoever is meant to take on those jobs will feel a calling deep in their soul and that they’ll heed that calling.

Another hard part for me is not knowing the divine plan. When bad things happen, we can take comfort in knowing that there must be some divine reason. Somehow, the challenges and dramas of life always lead to enlightenment, joy, new self-esteem, or some other cosmic gift. Some bad things are just meant to be. So, as I let go of each item, I take a deep breath and trust that someone else is going to pick up that particular problem and give their life to solving it. I also have to make peace with the idea that it may not happen the way I would like to see it happen, or along the timeline I’d like to see it happen. Who will free Tibet while I’m busy working on fixing these other things? Will they be saved in a timely manner? Will our government dive in to save them the way they have felt called to save other people in other countries? I can only pray that someone else picks up the baton because I cannot. What about you? Is it your job? Will you free Tibet?

(Copyright 2004) Skye Thomas is an author and freelance writer. 
For further information visit her website at www.tomorrowsedge.net