Words from My Heart

by Julie Stevenson
Brentwood United Methodist Church
June 2009

I look at the things I have said a long time ago:
“Starting tomorrow, I’m gonna be a new person,” I say.
I don’t do it.
“I want to start recycling everything that I possibly can,” I say.
I don’t do it.
“Now one of my goals is to help a person in need, more than just my friends and family.”
I don’t do it.
“From now on,” I say, “I will join an organization to make the world a better place.”
I don’t do it. Not yet.

I say these things because it’s easier to say than to do.
“Why?” I ask myself, “If I say these things, why can’t I do them?”
Now, coming from my opinion, it’s easier because I’m only going my way
to make the earth better verbally.
On June 23rd, I took action.
Not talking, not verbally, physical action.
My best friend and I saw newspaper and trash, leftover food on the subway.
“How disgusting,” I thought.
My brain said to me, “That’s so gross that people don’t care for their environment.
My heart did not just say words, it physically moved.
On June 23rd, both my friend and I picked up all the dirty trash
that was making the subways look like a dump.
Now those things I have said before are taking action.
Now that I have, I will be, I am a changing person.