The Little Things That Make a Difference – by Esset Tegegne
Have you ever had a day where everything seemed to go wrong, but one small thing someone did made it a little better? Maybe a friend saved you a seat, a teacher encouraged you when you were struggling, or someone simply smiled at you when you needed it most. These moments might seem insignificant, but they can mean so much to the person receiving them.
We often think that making a difference requires something big. We imagine people changing the world through incredible achievements or acts of courage that everyone notices. While these things matter, there is something just as powerful about the little things we do for one another every day. Sometimes, the smallest actions leave the biggest impressions.
At Holy Cross College, we are part of a community made up of people with different personalities, experiences and challenges. We see each other in classrooms, walk past one another in the corridors and share conversations during lunch. However, we do not always know what someone else might be experiencing. The person sitting quietly in class might be having a difficult week, or the friend who usually makes everyone laugh might need someone to check in on them.
This is why kindness matters. We do not need to know someone’s whole story to treat them with care and respect. We do not need to be best friends with everyone to include them in a conversation, offer help or make them feel welcome. Sometimes, simply noticing the people around us is the first step towards building a community where everyone belongs.
Ephesians 4:32 reminds us, “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”
Living out this message is not always as easy as it sounds. It can be tempting to follow the crowd, stay quiet when someone is being left out or assume somebody else will offer help. We can get caught up in our own responsibilities and forget how our words and actions affect others. But being part of a community means choosing respect, even when we disagree, and treating people with dignity, even when nobody is watching.
Our College’s call to have ‘life to the full’ reminds us that education is about more than what we learn in the classroom. It is also about the people we become and how we contribute to the world around us. Academic achievements and personal goals are important, but so are compassion, integrity and recognising the value in others.
Leadership also comes down to these everyday choices. It is not only about standing in front of others, organising events or having a title beside our names. It is about listening to different perspectives, welcoming someone new and setting a positive example through our actions. Every student has the ability to lead in their own way.
As we continue through the term, I encourage everyone in our HCC community to think about the little things. Say thank you to someone who has helped you, invite someone into your conversation or check in on a friend. These actions might not seem extraordinary, but imagine the difference we could make if everyone chose to brighten somebody else’s day.
We may never fully realise the impact we have on another person’s life, but we do not need to change the entire world in one day. Sometimes, making someone’s day a little better is a wonderful place to start.
Let us continue building a College where kindness is not just something we talk about, but something people experience through the way we treat one another.