The Power to Make a Difference

Summer was coming, and I asked my parents if we could go to the beach. I love swimming, so I said “please” as many times as I could until they agreed. We’ve gone for many years, and every time I have more fun! I learn new games, get better at building sandcastles, and make new friends to join my volleyball team. The beach is so much fun! But this last time, I noticed something different.

We always play a mermaid game and imagine magical underwater cities. We use everything around us to inspire our stories. But this time, the water wasn’t as clear, and there was trash floating around. So, we made up a story about an evil queen who filled the ocean with garbage. Building sandcastles wasn’t as fun either because, instead of seashells, I found pieces of old clothes. Playing volleyball was tough because we had to jump over trash on the sand.

I felt sad seeing how the beach had changed. A tear rolled down my cheek. My mom came over and asked, “What’s wrong?” I told her, “The beach used to be my favorite place, but now it’s different. There’s trash everywhere, and the water isn’t clean.”

She nodded and said, “I understand how you feel. It’s hard to see places we love change for the worse. But remember, things can also change for the better. You have the power to make a difference. When you grow up, you’ll see other things that aren’t right, but don’t be sad—think about how you can use your power to make things better. The present may not always be perfect, but with hope, change is always possible. If you don’t like something, ask yourself: How can I use my power to help?”

After hearing her words, I felt hopeful. I started to imagine the beautiful beach I wanted to see again one day.

Once I stopped crying, my mom came over again and said, “I want you to know something important. Making things better isn’t just up to a few people. We all have the power to make changes, and that’s why we need everyone’s help to create a better future. Together, we’re as strong as the sea! So, as part of what I’m telling you, go tell everybody you know about this power you just discovered!”

When school starts, I’m going to invite my friends to help clean the beach. I’ll ask my teachers to talk about how to take care of the environment, and I’ll remind my parents to keep buying less plastic too. Using my power to make a difference is important, but teaming up with others makes it even stronger. When we combine our powers, we can create real change together.

Challenge: Draw the sea, and inside a wave, write the names of people who can help you change something you don’t like in this world.