I recently ran across a library book that simply demanded to be read. Perhaps you’ve already encountered it; if so, please share your thoughts.

Citizen You by Jonathan Tisch was the perfect remedy for my flagging motivation.

I blame my malaise on this eternal winter, this sense of being housebound with two solid forces of energy, and this dratted, nagging cold. Whatever the reason, the mere thought of doing good, even on our very small level, has filled me with… well, exhaustion.

Then I picked up Citizen You, a compact, highly energetic book filled with examples of people on the front lines of changing the world. They’re working in ways big and small, in their own local communities as well as half way around the globe.

What draws these examples together, according to Tisch, is the move away from volunteerism as a short-term obligation fulfillment that meets immediate needs. Instead, he prefers to call it active citizenship, meaning that we, like the examples he provides, should adopt a new way of living in the world.

We should move through each day assuming that the problems around us are ours to fix, whether our impact is large or small. We should strive for expansive, root cause solutions even as we offer our time to remedy the short-term needs around us.

Throughout the book, Tisch offers asides called “Food for Thought – Seeds for Action.” These little boxes appear every few pages, suggesting that we the readers refresh ourselves with our own professions Code of Conduct or take time out to teach civic engagement to the children in our lives (perhaps I should introduce him to DGT).

The final chapter of the book offers up 52 ways to do more. Though unfortunately most of these suggestions involve financial support to various organizations, there are still a few fresh ideas hiding in there.

Tish opens his book with the hope that every reader walks away asking “What can I do to make our world a better place.” To make this happen, he offers up practical tools, inspirational examples, and the simple, philosophical assertion that changing the world isn’t the dream of an 18-year-old but a way of living our daily lives.

For me, this was the perfect book to push me past cabin fever and back into the world of big ideas. It’s also on my list as a good gift for friends in transition, whether they’re graduating or retiring.

What a wonderful library treasure hunt success!

Tags: Books & Resources, Grown Up Books

About Sarah

Sarah Aadland is striving to make family volunteering a meaningful habit for her family of five. Join the conversation as she ponders what they may (or may not have) learned and looks for helpful information about raising compassionate kids.Though she plans to one day put her Masters in Public Policy back to work for social justice, she sees family volunteering as a way to build a stronger community, a better world, and a more connected family. In addition to her children, Sarah tends a large garden, a small flock of chickens, and a habit of mindfulness amid the necessary rituals of parenting.

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