it's too late to apologize

...except it's not. It's never too late. And it's refreshing when you do; it lifts burdens from your shoulders and repairs you, and hopefully your relationships. Apologies are difficult, they make you vulnerable, they cause you to examine your heart and force you to put your pride aside. Yes, you were wrong. Take responsibility for that. People will respect your courage and honesty. Time doesn't necessarily heal all wounds, it just hides them.

Jenga

Integration. Where do you belong? Where is the place where you fit? Your unique self, your talents, your passions; how do they click into the clockwork? But that's just it; the clockwork. Sometimes we are so selfishly caught up in ME and MY place, that we forget that there is a bigger picture, that our talents complement and edify those of the people around us. When you're building a Jenga tower, you don't stack all of the blocks one on top of the other- that's weak and will make it fall over; instead you interlock the blocks at each level to strengthen the whole tower. We are blocks and we need to find places where we can work together, building each other up for the bigger picture.

I live alone...or do I?

Unity. Togetherness. Community. It's a big wide world out there chock full of people. Tall ones, small ones, squares, pears, not to get all Dr. Seussy on you, but you get the idea. Change doesn't happen with just one person. It may begin with one person, a tiny inkling, a small idea, a dream; but it grows, it spreads, it's contagious, like yawns or laughter. Spread the laughter! Life is not meant to be lived in solitude. Think of all the people we interact with in just one day, tons! We avoid eye contact, we awkwardly share the sidewalk, we buy things, we sell things, we coexist with these other human beings who have lives with just as much value as your own. Everyone has got their own issues we're dealing with; but however overwhelming they are, it doesn't mean we should ignore those of the people around us. Reach out, support each other, lend a listening ear or a helping hand. We're all in this world together; so let's work together to change it. When more people are dancing, that's when the boat is gonna rock the most.

and then comes trust...or is it impact?

Trust is a huge issue. It's delicate and, like a reputation or a friendship, takes a long time to build. But it takes more than time, it takes effort as well; anything worthwhile takes effort. And perhaps this post should really be about effort and perseverance. Doing good things, going the extra mile, helping people out; they're not always appreciated. But that's not the point, is it? We're not out to get a pat on the back for being "nice"; we're out to change people's hearts by changing our attitude and reflecting that through our actions. So keep going, don't give up, the world is ours. Each person has their own little world that can be rocked by the tiniest imbalance; will your impact be the one that tips the scales in a positive direction? Offer someone a coffee, your treat, seriously.