Building bridges and partnerships

I often say that I want to build bridges and partnership to move humanity forward. With Scott Brown's recent senate victory in Massachusetts, I really have pondered what building bridges and forming partnerships really means.

I consider myself very active on the social spectrum, Facebook, Twitter, and others that are out there. I like to engage those who have an alternative viewpoint and hopefully come to an understanding which enables us to move forward.

Until recently, I thought that this was enough, that maybe if I can change one or two opinions then I have added some type of value to the human community as a whole.

This is not enough. I look at those individuals who have put everything on hold and have gone to Haiti to help. I look at the people of Haiti who survive 5, 10, 12 days of under rubble with nothing but their spirit to keep them going.

I look around at the mobile medical clinic here in Long Beach, CA that helps those less fortunate with medical care.

I see individuals helping stray animals, feral cats, and animals discarded because their owners simply did not want them anymore.

I have come to realize that no amount of social networking, websites, texts, or partnerships formed from my desktop can replace, for lack of a better phrase, good old human elbow grease.

As I you read this, take a look at yourself, are you truly making a difference? I know I am not and that is about to change.