When I was growing up, I always knew that I wanted to do something extraordinary. Not for myself, but something that would make some small mark on the world that would leave it a little better off than I found it. I went through life believing that it would come some day, I just didn’t know when. Then three and a half years ago it was all made clear.

From the very first day that I walked into my grandmother’s room at her senior community, I knew my life was going to change. With the faces of loneliness and sadness that I saw, I knew that it had to. Grandma had already taught me that it was important to take care of our elders and ensure their well being. That experience prepared me for just how important that responsibility was.

Founding Bring Smiles to Seniors would not only change my life in ways that I would have never imagined, I would go on to learn that it would affect those participating in the program and those receiving the cards as well. It provided a place for people to find the purpose they had been looking for and those on the receiving end of the cards, the reminder that they matter that they needed. It created a community of people showing the best of what the world has to offer and and the power of harnessed compassion.

We all know that we are born into this world for a reason. Some of us are lucky to find out what it is early in life and others may never discover it. To do extraordinary things you have to believe, persevere and know that your mission in life is to discover that purpose. Life isn’t just about us, it is about what we can do together for the common good of all who are trying to navigate their life path.

The most important thing to remember is, although we may start amazing things, they don’t become extraordinary by our works alone. We can plant the seeds and continue to water them, but it is all those who participate in the care of that garden that you have built that contribute making it everything that is has the possibility to be. Each and every person who has been a part of the Bring Smiles journey is extraordinary in their own way. When my time is up, I won’t have to look back and say I wish I did, I will be able to say I know we did. Together we have built on my grandmother’s legacy one card, one smile at a time and we all get to smile in the process.

Mornings with Ron is now available as a podcast at anchor.fm/morningswithron or on iHeartRadio, Apple or Google Podcast, Spotify or most podcast sites.