There have been great men in recent history,
Peacekeepers, like Gandhi,
Equality teachers, like Martin Luther,
Selfless women too, Florence Nightingale, Mother Theresa.
Celebrities do their part too, for charity,
A cause close to their heart, good publicity,
Geldof's Band Aid, Lenny Henry's Comic Relief, they've all had a go,
But I ask myself, what can we do, us average Joes?
It doesn't have to be remarkable or memorable,
A generous gesture is all it needs, commendable,
A helping hand, a compliment, going the extra mile,
Keeping promises, advice, a joke, can make anyone smile.
Even if you think you're right, backing down to avoid confrontation,
Not gossiping until you have all the correct information,
A sympathetic shoulder to cry on, a listening ear,
Sometimes, simply being there is enough to show you care.
Torah, the Quran teach various rules, Christianity preaches the Ten Commandments,
All for the greater good, personal and worldly enhancement,
But maybe all it needs is for each of us to practice loyalty, honesty, respect, for our crumbling world to heal,
If we all went the extra mile, perhaps that ideaof world peace could be feasible, could be made real.
YOU ARE READING
Going the Extra Mile
PoetryRecently my 82-year-old great Aunty had a knee replacement. With no kids of her own and no other family nearby, my parents and I visited her everyday, despite having work etc and it made a difference to her, our company and care. After all, when we'...
