There is a destiny…

There is a destiny that makes us brothers,
No one goes his way alone.
All that we send into the lives of others
Comes back into our own.
–Edwin Markham
April 23, 1852-March 7, 1940

For many years this sentiment opened the radio version of the longest running American soap opera, ‘Guiding Light.’ For their 75th anniversary, the cast and crew found ways to ‘find their light.’ For many, it was volunteering their time doing rebuilding in Louisiana and the Gulf Coast. For others it was helping out in cities nearer to their fictional town of ‘Springfield.’ A lot of this was documented on a special website the show set up-FindYourLight.com.

What I really liked about this effort was that these actors engaged their audience and encouraged them to action. Many of the show’s daily episodes during that time ended with a short clip of some of the actors and their work, which often took place along old and new fans.

Soap fans are often derrided for their devotion to this genre. Except for some household purchases, they are only expected to grow fat and do nothing of any worth. Well, it pleased me that documented for a brief time were the same people who are often written off, doing just as much if not more so as the people who are usually held up as change agents.

I often find that the people who live up to Markham’s words are often quiet and do things just because it is the right thing to do. It is the way that I conduct myself and hope to continue to conduct myself.