We live in this world for just a limited time. Some of us may live to be 100. Others may die as children.

It's because we don't know the length of our lives that we must make the very best of it. But living a fulfilling life does not come easy. Many forces push against us and even knock us down.

As children, those forces came in the form of school bullies, difficult teachers or not being able to get what we want. We think they are important issues at the time, but as we grow older, we realize they are not.

During our teenage years, we are pushed down by our peers, restrictions such as curfew, and not having enough money to do what we want to do. We think they are important, but again, we realize they are not when we are older.

Finally, we become adults. Issues of politics, religion, family and the economy push against us. We must deal with the factor that we make less than we owe. Our children get hurt and we agonize over their safety. War is just around the corner in some parts of the world and we worry how that will affect us and our loved ones.

We put our faith in whatever god we serve and trust in the deity.

And for some, that may be all they do. Yet it is not all they can do.

Many organizations locally, statewide, nationally and internationally work to make the world a better place. They will not solve all the world's problems, unfortunately. They can change someone's world, though.

The American Red Cross is one organization that is working to change the world. They are the nation's largest supplier of blood, plasma and tissue products. More than 4.5 million donors and 3,000 hospitals work with the Red Cross through its national network of 38 blood regions. Almost half of the nation's blood store is supplied by the ARC.

The Red Cross also assists the world in many other ways. When a hurricane hits Puerto Rico, the Red Cross provides relief. The American Red Cross provides relief to countries in Africa that suffer from famine.

Another international organization that is changing the world is the Special Olympics.

The Special Olympics is a non-profit organization that provides athletic competitions for people with mental retardation.

Sports changing the world? Yes!

Special Olympics challenges people with mental retardation to become active members of their society. They teach participants to run, jump, dribble and swim. More importantly, they teach people with mental retardation to work as a team, to support one another and to realize that they can achieve their goals and dreams.

These are only two of the important nonprofit organizations that are working for a better tomorrow. Other organizations include the Make-A-Wish Foundation, the United Way, the American Cancer Society and Alcoholics Anonymous, to name a few.

What created the need for these organizations? How did they come about?

Simply, someone noticed a problem or a need. The person reached inside of themselves and thought of a way to provide assistance to the people suffering physically or mentally, or in need of another kind of assistance. Their efforts inspired others. The others joined the work and became members of the organizations.

That's the simple way to look at it. Even simpler, someone cared.

Someone cared enough to reach out. Someone dared to hope to change the world. That someone did something in their short time on this earth and created an organization to help others then and as long as necessary.

What lies in the future, we can only guess. What has happened in the past is over. There is no going back.

Today is here and now. Today we can do something meaningful. Today we can look at the world and scream at the top of our lungs, "Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus!"

If we don't change the world in our efforts, we can say we tried. If the world goes to war and our efforts don't prevent it, we can say we tried.

If we do nothing, then everything is our fault.

It's much like the story of the man who did nothing during World War II.

When the Nazis came to town and took away all the Jews, the man did not stand up for them. When they took away all the gypsies, the man did not stand up for them. When they took away all the people with mental retardation, the minorities, old people, and foreigners, the man did not stand up for them. When the Nazis took the man away, there was not a single person left to stand up for him.

The same could be said of many people today. If they don't work to change the world, if they don't make an effort to help or protect others, then a day may come when they need assistance and there is no help for them.

I could be dreaming. Maybe my hopes are too vast and too much of a long shot. But I will keep on dreaming and hoping until I can dream and hope no more.

That's the way I live. [[In-content Ad]]