Change the World?

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed, citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has." - Margaret Mead

Sometime in my youth I came across one of those business posters where they take inspirational expressions and pair them with a stock nature photograph to create office art and that was the first I came across this quote.  Years later I find myself in roughly the same industry as the publishers of that poster - publishing inspirational art and wholesale picture framing.  We work in a small office and production facility tucked neatly away in American Fork, Utah.  We have a small group of committed employees who show up for work every morning at eight and leave every day around five.  Without really understanding the impact we are or are not having on the world we go about the business of designing, publishing, printing, matting, mounting, framing, packing, and shipping artwork, large and small, to destinations around the country and world.

Today I spoke with a gentleman in a remote area of Louisiana - he called in to get more information about a painting we publish by Simon Dewey - Why Weepest Thou.  It is a painting that he is familiar with and sees on a regular basis during his church service. He mentioned that he loves the picture and can't get it out of his head, so much so that he wants to have one in his home.  The painting tells the story of Mary Magdalene at the tomb as Christ appears to her to comfort her and announce His resurrection.  Its message is one of hope, faith, and testimony that there is more than just living and dying.

Within a few minutes and some back and forth conversations this gentleman had picked out the size and frame he wanted and had placed his order.  The product was one that we had in stock, by the end of the day it had been carefully packed for transit and was on its way to a nearby sorting facility.  Five days from now it will arrive on the front porch of his house and our work will be done.  We will move on to other orders and new products that we will be releasing shortly.

Change the world?  You betcha.  While the course of human events will largely stay the same from today to tomorrow morning when we wake up and go to work, I do think that our lives are better for the daily contact we have with wonderful people. I hope that the painting we shipped today will be of lasting value to this man and I hope that tomorrow I will be more mindful of the impact that small daily interactions with good people can have in mine.

http://www.altusfineart.com/home/afa/smartlist_128/why_weepest_thou.html