It was an easy day to choose to not drive my car or spend money. The snow made driving tricky and, as I didn’t have any meetings scheduled, Ellie had to settle for a couple of walks around the neighbourhood — she didn’t care. She was just happy to be outside, in the snow, playing joyfully.

Because the snow kept falling, I had to shovel my walk twice yesterday. When I went out in the morning to do it, I noticed my two neighbours to the west were still snow-covered. Which, given the snow fell during the night, and work schedules, it’s often easy to leave the sidewalk shovelling until returning from work. I decided to pitch in, to clear their walks — and in the process, got a chance to spend more time outdoors while Ellie raced back and forth along my path, reveling in the snow. When I went out later last night, my neighbour to the east hadn’t come out to clear their walk since much earlier in the day. An older couple, I decided it was a good opportunity to play ‘snow angel’.

This morning, snow covers walks again — but, having kept up with its removal, the load of shoveling won’t be as great.

It is easy to make a difference when I enter my day with a servant’s attitude. Asking, ‘how can I be of service’ creates opportunities for making a difference. Choosing to shovel walks is the simple decision to not listen to the voice that says, “You shovel your own, Louise. Let them shovel theirs.”

Making a difference in the world isn’t about what I do for myself. It’s about what I choose to do for others. No need for fanfare. No need for applause. It is about the simple act of choosing to embrace a servant’s attitude and seek opportunities to be of service.

Yesterday, Cassandra at My Life is My Message posted simple yet powerful ideas on how to make a difference everyday in a post called, It’s the Little Things that Count. Do drop in to visit her if you get a chance — she’s currently in Bali and has posted the cutest photo of two monkies. I’ve invited her to be a guest blogger here some Sunday soon. If you’d like to submit a guest blog, please send me an email or leave a comment!  Thanks.

Together, we can make a world of difference!