I was driving home from school the other day on my usual route. I traveled by rows of retail stores and restaurants, a large baseball field, and then approached a small-disheveled sculpture park along the waters of the Bay. I stopped at the traffic light parallel to the park and for once took the time to look over at the scene taking place that day. I saw the usual, buff runners sprinting by and an elderly couple walking their small poodle, however once the couple trudged along and the athletes vanished, my eyes began to witness another picture: the sight of four to five homeless men and women congregating on the grass. All I could see from my car window was a clump of black and brown clothed-individuals, their shopping carts filled with blankets and who knows what else. I knew that they were without proper living quarters, food, clothing, and medical attention, yet all I could do was stare.

A million thoughts swarmed through my brain as the traffic light turned from red to green. I sped off down the street, but the image I had just witnessed held a permanent snap shot in my head. I was angry that people had to live like that, without a home, maybe even without a family, without proper clothing, medicine and food. What could I do to help? These five words began cycling through my mind, and I continued to come up with the same answer. I could really do anything.

I could go home and gather leftovers from my fridge and bring them to the park. I could go home and gather old clothing from my parent's closet and bring them to the park. I could call up the Mayor and ask what he is doing to help the homeless in the county. I could call up some friends and organize a weekly visit to a feeding bank or shelter. As these powerful thoughts continued to pour out of my brain I felt empowered.

I am fortunate. I have so much. I have food to eat every night. I have clothes to wear to school every day. I have spending money to go to the movies or out to dinner. I am able to visit the doctor and dentist every year. I can go to camp every summer. I can go on vacations. What do they have? Almost nothing.

As I came home and walked inside my kitchen I continued to think about my mental conversation with myself on the way home from school. I knew that I had the power and ability to help those homeless men and women at the park. I could do so much for them, yet I again became so wrapped up in my own selfish existence that I opted for some chips and Total Request Live instead.

Sometimes it is not what our mind tells us we can't do, but what our mind tells us we can do, that scares us. This can be summed up in a quote by Nelson Mandela: "Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure...It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us... We are born to manifest the glory of God that is within us. It is not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same."

Most of us, myself included, are so wrapped up in our everyday lives that we naively forget about those in our world who are not as fortunate as ourselves. We sometimes even think that what we have is not adequate enough, especially after watching our "heroes", rich and gorgeous celebrities on T.V and magazine covers everyday.

Whether we are aware of this power or not, we have a light within us all that if used properly can drive us to make a change. There is so much that we can do to help this world, so much that it scares most of us. We are a people that really can "Heal the World," like the song says, however it is this power within us that can sometimes even hold us back from making things happen.

There is truly a remarkable amount of change that we can bring to this world, however it will never happen unless we actually put in time and effort. It takes getting up out of your chair, turning off the T.V, and planning something, anything, that you or a bunch of your friends could do to make a difference. If we take the time to act on our "light" instincts, this world would be, and could be, a better place.

So, the next time you see a beggar, a homeless woman peddling her cart, news special about the deteriorating medical conditions in Africa, or an article in the paper about children dying of malnutrition, take the challenge and listen to your instincts. Your mind won't tell you what you can't do, but what you can do, it will enlighten you. So take this light and let it shine, make a change, big or small, and the rewards of your actions will affect your entire life. I promise you that.

I was driving home from school the other day on my usual route. I traveled by rows of retail stores and restaurants, a large baseball field, and then approached a small-disheveled sculpture park along the waters of the Bay. I stopped at the traffic light parallel to the park and for once took the time to look over at the scene taking place that day. I saw the usual, buff runners sprinting by and an elderly couple walking their small poodle, however once the couple trudged along and the athletes vanished, my eyes began to witness another picture: the sight of four to five homeless men and women congregating on the grass. All I could see from my car window was a clump of black and brown clothed-individuals, their shopping carts filled with blankets and who knows what else. I knew that they were without proper living quarters, food, clothing, and medical attention, yet all I could do was stare.