Rudy Reyes (actor)

"Late in the afternoon of March 24, 2003, I was digging a hole by a bridge over the Euphrates River in Iraq. I was a reporter embedded with a platoon of Marines in the elite 1st Reconnaissance Battalion. We had been under rocket and machine-gun fire for several hours. The bridge was a key crossing point for the American invasion and was hotly contested by several thousand Iraqi paramilitaries firing on our position from three sides. More than a dozen Americans had already paid for this bridge crossing with their lives. The Recon Marines I accompanied- the Special Forces of the Corps- had been ordered to hold a position beside the bridge and wait. An armored assault across the Euphrates was due any time now, and the Recon Marines were standing by to rescue the crews of any armored vehicles disabled by enemy fire. In classic military tradition, the assault had been repeatedly delayed. Now, as night approached, the Recon Marines were ordered to dig in. Machine-gun fire raked the palm trees overhead. To avoid the bullets I excavated my hole from a kneeling position. Weighted down with forty pounds of body armor and gear, I felt myself wheeze each time I pitched by shovel into the earth and scratched out more clay. I was midway through this exhausting task when I felt a steely hand grip my arm, then heard a voice: "Thats it, brother. Work those biceps." Sergeant Rudy Reyes stood over me, offering an encouraging smile. It seemed Rudy had chosen this moment to continue the fitness instruction program he had begun- without my ever asking- when we had met a couple of weeks earlier, prior to the invasion. Eyeing the progress of my excavation on this combat-filled afternoon, Rudy pounded my back and added, "You see, brother. Just a little bit of fitness every day is all you need." Pausing to allow an enemy mortar to explode in the field to our rear, Rudy concluded, "Keep this up, youll be in shape in no time."

"Perhaps you care deeply about the environment or art in schools, living conditions for animals, sustainable farming, health and healing, clean water, reading to a child, better education, integrity in business, honesty in government, curing a disease, caring for the elderly, green energy, or simply keeping the sidewalks clear for everyone to pass safely by. It doesnt matter what it is, what matters is that you somehow get involved and share your light. Who I am and your role in the world is your decision. The nature of the force you bring in the world is your creation in sharing your light. It is up to you. So what are you passionate about? What are ways out there to be involved? Perhaps theres an organization you could get involved with that is working along these same lines already. Or maybe you simply share your thoughts in writing or through your work or art- with your political leaders, in an online blog, or through charitable organizations. While its helpful to voice the issues, its important to get beyond the stage of raising awareness or even just complaining, and move into doing. Create actionable things to do. Create a life of sharing. Share a life of creation. Share the wisdom in the words of Bruce Lee when he said, "Real living is living for others." The effect of Hero Living. Living the Hero Effect."

"The term "six degrees of separation" refers to the idea that all people on the planet are connected o each other through only a few steps of contact between one person they know to any other person. In moments when you may feel isolated or alone, it may not seem so, but what you do, what you think and say does make a difference simply because we are all connected- oftentimes in ways you may never know. But knowing every detail of the effect of your actions or your connection isnt the point of a heros deeds. A heros light shines simply by living true to their authentic self in sharing that light with others. There are countless ways in which to make a positive difference in the world, from sharing a smile to leading a revolution against oppression. What Id like you to do is think of your passions and consider ways that you could share them to make a positive difference to the world and community at large. It doesnt have to be grandiose; little things can make a big difference in the life of another, and from there it ripples out. I know of a couple locally in the area where I live that are on a mission to simply hug people they meet on the street. Theyre respectful and not obtrusive about it, but they believe a hug can make all the difference to someone. And its true; one woman hadnt been hugged in over seven years and broke down in tears when she felt the warm kindness of strangers with their arms around her. Imagine how that effect rippled for the rest of the day through that womans life."