Are you with me?

Dear future hubster,

the problem with inspirational people sometimes is that they make you see how the world should be and could be. No that's actually not the problem. The fact that then you want to change the world is not the problem either.

It's more that when you're inspired, you want to change the world all at once, make it a better place, where compassion, community, and love are the guiding principles of life, and where cows are not sad any yet you can get cheese (my definition of a win-win). Still, this wouldn't be a problem if it was possible.

But the moment we want the world changed in a blink of an eye, we are setting ourselves up for constant, bitter disappointment. Change only works if we do, as any sunset poster quote would tell you, and it only works very, very slowly.

And for that, dear future hubster, I promise I will keep trying to change the world one day at the time. I commit to remind myself (and you, and all others involved) that although I cannot change overnight how (any) public administration works, I can always make the one I work for a little bit more human. That I can do overnight. I pledge to accept that I can't make an entire generation understand the importance of civic action (including but not limited to voting), but I can talk to the ones I know and make them understand why I think it's important. I can't make sexism disappear by Christmas, but I can raise my hand when I think the Spanish homework is offensive and degrading. I can't stop obesity and eradicate junk food altogether, but I can make funky smoothies for my niece so she learns that healthy can be fun, too. One day she may even join me for a run.

These, I can do. And I try my best to be a not-too-obnoxious example to others doing the same.