From friend Tom LaRotonda come these words of wisdom. Although he does not speak directly of environmentalism, his comments underline my belief that simple acts of using fewer paper towels and hanging clothes on the line once in a while can make a difference:

"Remember there's no such thing as a small act of kindness. Every act creates a ripple with no logical end.”Scot Adams Every moment of your life your thoughts, words, and actions send forth a powerful energetic ripple that is destined to make a difference somewhere in the world. Those thoughts, words, and actions are like pebbles that strike the surface of a cosmic pond of life, initiating that ripple. It doesn’t matter how significant or insignificant you believe your actions are. Once a pebble comes into contact with the pond’s surface the ripple’s momentum cannot be stopped. Your ripple has the same transformational potential as those of the most powerful and influential people in the world. Everything you do - contributes to the overall consciousness of the planet. It is not a question of, “Do my thoughts, words, and actions make a difference in the world?” New spiritual and scientific discoveries continue to build mounds of evidence that we are all energetically connected. Given the significance of our unified connection, the life changing question before each of us is, “What difference do I consciously wish to initiate in the world by casting purposeful pebbles?” In a world besieged with the reality of war, disease, global warming, natural disasters, starvation, genocide and economic collapse, it’s hard to fathom that an action as ordinary as helping a neighbor dig their car out of a snow-bank in Colorado can send a positive ripple that eventually will save a starving child in Africa. It’s hard to believe that an anonymous act of forgiveness directed at an aggressive and rude driver could possibly neutralize an incalculable number of hateful thoughts occurring elsewhere in the world. Yet for a moment, imagine how different your life would be if you knew beyond any question of doubt that even the smallest act of kindness carried this kind of power. It truly makes you think, doesn’t it? Take a moment to recall a small act of kindness that was directed at you. How did it make you feel? Call to mind any details of how it changed the course of your day. Did it inspire you to do a similar act of kindness for someone else? Truly recapture that moment. Now imagine that ripple continuing to spread…that the person you did something for in turn did something for another person, and so on. Imagine the chain is never broken. Eventually all 6 billion plus people in the world would be touched by this one act of kindness. Just imagine - billions of people positively uplifted by one person casting a purposeful pebble containing love, kindness, and compassion. To transform the fear-based consciousness that is gripping our planet we must fill the world with ripples of love. Just think what could happen if each person reading this would commit to one conscious act a day filled with hope and inspiration! Robert F. Kennedy said to a delegation in South Africa in 1966, “Each time a man stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope, and crossing each other from a million different centers of energy and daring, those ripples build a current that can sweep down the mightiest walls of oppression and resistance.” You do not need to achieve the stature and influence of a Robert Kennedy to make a significant difference in the world. Your pebbles are equally as powerful. But they will never have power if you don’t toss them. Your pebble may be the one that greatly influences and inspires the direction of a future leader…but you must toss it. Your pebble may be the one to inspire someone to totally change the course of their life…but you must toss it. The impact caused by each act of kindness cannot be logically conceived. Some people believe that their pebbles have more power if they are cast as part of a great and worthy cause. This belief will limit you. The fact that you never followed your dream of joining the Peace Corps or participated in building a Habitat for Humanity home does not reduce the power of your daily actions. The purposeful pebble that your inner voice is telling you to toss today, no matter how small it may seem, is destined to flame the winds of great change. My inspiration to you this day is that you cast purposeful pebbles filled with hope and inspiration. Know that the ripples your pebbles initiate are cosmically designed to make a difference far beyond what your mind can conceive. What power you have in your grasp! Use it wisely and lovingly. Till Next Time – May You Empower Your Life,

Tom Tom LaRotonda is the owner of Core Matters LLC, a transformational leadership organization based in Denver, Colorado. He is a keynote speaker, free-lance writer, life/executive coach, leadership consultant, and seminar facilitator. His life purpose is to inspire his clients to boldly pursue their life dreams by taking the road less traveled. One of the foremost and leading edge speakers on the concept of Inspirational Living, he has addressed audiences around the world. Tom brings passion, excellence and dedication to his calling as a transformational leadership path-finder.

I encourage you to share these messages with your friends and family. You also have my permission to reprint any message in your newsletters, websites and message boards providing you include full authorship, copyright, and subscription information. I also welcome your comments and feedback. Subscription Info: To subscribe to the Core Reflections weekly message simply send an e-mail to tom@corematters.com. You have my commitment that all personal and professional data will be held in the strictest of confidence. ©2008 Tom LaRotonda All Rights Reserved