>Make coffee.
Finish laundry.
Read Sunday newspaper.
Clean litter boxes.
Shower.
Blog.
Run Virus-Scan on laptop.
Make a difference in the world.
Make and preserve orange marmalade.
Work on progress reports.

Progress, as of 11:00 AM:
Coffee: check.
Laundry: last load in dryer.
Newspaper: check.
Litter boxes clean, self clean.
Virus Scan finished on both laptop and desktop.
Oranges, sugar, jars, and water-bath canner gathered. Must shop for liquid pectin.
Progress reports on jump drive; will work on those during playoff games. Specific goal for today: fill in Social Skills and Study Habits sections.

Wait a minute. What’s that other goal? Make a difference? That’s a little tougher. Haiti comes to mind. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day is tomorrow. I don’t have the day off from school; I do have a substitute because I’ll be in a workshop all day. I’ve been teaching a series of vocabulary lessons called “Words About Great Leaders” with an emphasis on Dr. King and other strong leaders. Can I do more?

It’s easy to give up, feel powerless, when there’s a huge disaster in the world. Haiti’s poverty is debilitating on a typical day. A hurricane or earthquake hitting their island is devastating. The immediate loss of life, the potential for disease, the absence of basic shelter, food, and water – can one person make a difference?

I can make a difference locally by teaching my students as well as I’m able. Teach them to climb out of poverty, teach them not to take for granted the skills and the materials they already possess. Teach them to be aware of what’s happening in the world, know that their small neighborhood is connected to the city, the county, the state. Show them that every action is like a stone dropped in a pond, starting a ripple effect that moves outward in ever-growing circles.

Meanwhile, I’ll go buy the liquid pectin I need for making orange marmalade. It won’t change the world, but it’ll feed my family. Today, that’s a good start.