The other day I read about a man named Pete Buttigieg, or Mayor Pete, who is running for president of the United States in 2020. He fought in Afghanistan. He ran for mayor of South Bend, Indiana and won at age 29. He is a Harvard graduate and a Rhodes Scholar. He is openly gay and married to the love of his life. He knows seven languages.
What a resume for a world leader. Then I read a story about him that really impressed me. An emergency room doctor tweeted that he had a patient who was near death and only spoke Arabic. A man in a suit showed up to translate between the doctor and the patient’s mother. Later the doctor asked how long he had been a hospital translator and the man quietly replied, “I don’t work at the hospital. I’m Mayor Pete.” He had heard the request for a translator on the police radio and rushed to the hospital.
What would the world be like with that kind of humanity at the helm? What do we do in our everyday lives that could emulate what Mayor Pete did in that hospital that night?
Helping strangers, going out of our way, doing the right thing, remaining humble. Those qualities change the world one small act of kindness at a time.
I don’t know who will win the next American election. But I hope it is someone who can unite people from all walks of life, no matter their political beliefs. Someone who reminds us that we are stronger together and we are more alike than different.
How can we make a difference today in our family, our neighbourhood, our workplace or our life? The little things are the big things.