Alexander Fleming spoke often about how tending to badly infected wounds of soldiers during World War I motivated him to find a way to combat the bacteria.  Infections proved as deadly as any human enemy at that time.

This led to his discovery of Penicillin in 1928. The horrors of war and the actions of a dedicated individual were instrumental in eventually creating the antibiotics that have saved millions and millions of lives during the nearly 90 intervening years.

We can’t all be Alexander Fleming, but every life and every action can make a difference. Perhaps that was best said by a very young lady named Anne Frank during another horrific war – World War II. “How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.”  And during yet other trying time in history, Dr. Martin Luther King said, “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?”

Today we can indeed:

  • Practice random and spontaneous acts of kindness.
  • Protect our environment (and planet).
  • Speak up against poor ethics, injustice, and intolerance.
  • Share a smile and provide hope.

May your actions improve lives of others today and into the future – as well as your own right now.

Read more about 7 Inventions That Sprang From World War I

HouseSpouseLife.com (and InspiringLifeOver50.com) provides inspiration and insight for those over 50 who continue to change the world – and for those who love them.