As I looked at my ballot for yesterday's election, it was disheartening to see that there were almost no contested races and, in some areas, there were not even enough candidates to fill the offices.
That is sad.
I get it. We all lead busy lives. However, we can't just take it for granted that someone else will do the things that need to be done to keep things running smoothly.
As a society, we have become too complacent. We sit behind our keyboards and phones and gripe on social media about the state of affairs but it appears, at least in looking at the local ballot, that our virtual gripe sessions are the end of doing anything to make a difference.
Last week, my work family lost one of our own. Pete Rosengren was Vice President of Sales and Digital Strategies for the Daily Herald.
I never had the privilege of knowing Pete personally and that is my loss.
You see, Pete made a difference in this world.
Pete and his family were vacationing in Destin, Florida, enjoying a day at the beach when Pete noticed a group of kids in the ocean who were struggling with the current. Without a thought, Pete rushed to help, managing to guide all of the kids out of the water before he, too, began struggling. Although friends were able to pull Pete from the water, they could not revive him.
Pete made a difference. He saw something that needed to be done and he did it. He didn't wait for someone else to step up and take care of it.
It's my understanding from those who knew him well, that he was just that kind of guy.
We need more people in this world like Pete, people who are willing to step up and take action.
Pete's action that day was heroic.
We all have the capability for heroics and while most of our actions will not equal the sacrifice that Pete made, they will make a difference, sometimes more than we know.
Instead of sitting behind the keyboard, go out and get involved. Serve on that community board, coach a Little League team, organize a community event, serve a term in public office, volunteer at the local food pantry, or read to a group of children or seniors.
You can make a difference. You just have to get involved.
