In 1965, one of the most impactful musicals of all time hit the Broadway stage. “Man of La Mancha”, was a musical version of the story of Don Quixote. Late 16th-century Spanish writer Miguel de Cervantes was imprisoned. In prison, Cervantes dressed himself up as a character named Don Quixote. In short, Don Quixote fantasized about being a hero, defending the weak, and making a name for himself.

The song track for “Man of La Mancha” became famous for many of its tunes, but the most famous was “Impossible Dream.” This song was sung by Don Quixote about his fantasy life. I heard this song recently and one line has continued to stand out in my mind. Hence, this article was born! The line is, “are you willing to march into Hell for a heavenly cause”? The wording in this musical line is extremely powerful. The notion of walking into fire, chaos, danger, and Hell would make even the bravest person pause. Even more important, what are my causes, and would I be willing to March into Hell to defend those causes? The answer for me is a resounding yes! As we head into 2023, can I put some positive action toward my causes? As this song stated, would it not be positive for me to “right the unrightable wrong”? Would it not be better ”to run where the brave dare not go”?

It has been said that true, great leaders are often ordinary people doing extraordinary deeds! What can you do in the remaining months of 2023, to improve in some small way the lives of others? Think about the following tasks and determine if you can adopt just one of these heavenly causes.

1. Help the elderly. Is there a Senior in your neighborhood, who could use some help with their yard work or shopping for groceries? Is there someone who is lonely and just needs to have some basic interaction and conversation?
2. If you belong to a church, or service organization, look for additional opportunities to volunteer. These groups always need help, and many times it does not involve any specific skill.
3. Become a Mentor. Young people, newly married couples, and folks in the workforce always need a person with experience to act as official, or unofficial Mentors. Your experience is your expertise! “Pay it forward”.

For 2023, continue to ask yourself, what are my causes? What causes can I adopt to help others? Are my causes heavenly causes? Are you willing to march into Hell to make these causes worthy? What a great 2023 we could all have with this single act of unselfish kindness.