As the coronavirus pandemic has unfolded, I’ve thought a lot about Dr. Amy Acton’s frequent reminder that “not all heroes wear capes.”
Her constant recognition of everyday people has also made me consider the ones who are a force for good in our society.
Throughout college, professors and mentors empowered my classmates and I with the prospect of changing the world.
Because we’re young, naive and surrounded by tens of thousands of other ambitious people, we all believed that we actually could do something that influential.
As a journalist, I dreamt (and still do) of giving voice to the voiceless and sharing stories that spark social change.
Some of my best friends aspire to saving the lives of babies in the NICU or doing research that changes the course of medical treatments.
There are many grandiose things that are definitely worth dreaming of, but also very daunting in reality.
The luster of creating change can start to wear off when you realize the magnitude of the task.
When changing the world means doing something that impacts every individual in it, it’s a lot harder to believe that all of us can actually accomplish that.
But, now is one of many times we’re able to see the huge influence of small acts of service.
Last March, along with other students, I traveled to Guatemala for a mission trip.
Our goal was to assist the local church that hosted us with their service projects, including teaching elementary school students and building a home for a family in need.
The construction was led by an amazing man named Manuel who runs an organization called “Construyendo Sueños,” or Building Dreams.
Even now, I tear up at the memory of Manuel handing the keys for their brand new home to the family we served.
I was equally moved, though, by seeing him pack snacks and a bottle of multi-vitamins with his construction gear so he could make sure children in the severely impoverished neighborhood had some nourishment.
Since then, seemingly insignificant acts have resonated with me for much longer.
It’s easy under the current circumstances to see the value in doing what you can – however little – to benefit others.
From first responders and medical staff to grocery store employees and those simply staying home, many of the actions being taken right now are done with others in mind.
Leaving a mark on the world isn’t always dependent on the number of people impacted. It’s O.K. that not all of us will achieve breakthroughs that change the lives of thousands of people.
Like Manuel showed me and Dr. Acton is reminding us, we all have the ability to do small things that build up to big changes.
-Kayleen Petrovia is a reporter for the Journal-Tribune.