Look around. Hurricanes, floods, earthquakes, plant closures, hunger, dispair, you might think that the end was near. There are those that see the glass as half empty and others that see the glass as half full. Pessimists or optimists, it's time for every body to step up to the plate. The analogy holds even as we watch the baseball playoffs. With all the tragedies, we live in a CNN now world. Hurricane Katrina while captivating everybody a few weeks ago, today is a memory to most. The good thoughts and instant charity contributions have now passed and the earthquake in Pakistan has now taken over the headlines. It is impossible to help all those that are effected and to help those until they overcome all their challenges.

Should we then just give up? I'm an optimist. I think that if you fight your way through the crap eventually you can see the light. After a while the tradgedy is just a memory. It's the same way when we deal with a personal tradgedy. Seeing some one with a terminal disease can overcome many. You forget the world around you and concentrate all your time and effort on this person and rightly so. Unfortunately as the term terminal dictates the effected soul succombs to the disease. As hard as it is we some how find the strength to carry on. We carry on for our spouse, we carry on for our children, we carry on for the wishes of the deceased and we carry on for our selves. Days turn into weeks and the pain and memories become less and less. Concurring with this observation does not mean we should do nothing. Making a gesture to help or bring momentary joy to someone is not useless. No one knows how much time we have in this world and we should cherish each and every moment.

What can we do to help? Every one should look around and see what they can do. I own a printing and promotional items company. My little gesture is to sell Christmas Cards drawn by disadvantaged youth and give the proceeds back to their special school. A second thing that I am doing is to capitalize on a popular trend. American Apparel clothing has become trendy and I am offering them at a 25% discount and also give some of the proceeds to both local and international charities. We all must do our share . If I bring joy or help one person or family then it is worth it. Can I save the world? Can I help all the recent victims of natural disasters? Probably not. But if we, those that haven't been affected by these tradgedies, do our part we can surely put a dent into the challenges of these people. Doctor's could donate an hour a week to those who have no money, Pharmaceutical companies could donate drugs to those victims, Home Renovation stores could give employee discounts to any victims, the list can go on and on.

If we don't try the world is sure to be doomed. Let's help create a better world for all. We are now in the Holiday period, let's all think of ways to make this a really joyous occasion.

Steven Schneidman
www.solutionsink4u.com