Read more

“We can’t help everyone, but everyone can help someone.”

— Often attributed to Ronald Reagan, inspired by his 1964 “A Time for Choosing” speech.

Ever come across a quote that just speaks to you? This is one of those for me. “We can’t help everyone, but everyone can help someone.” It‘s usually attributed to Ronald Reagan, but it doesn‘t seem to be in any single speech or writing. But the sentiment? That‘s entirely in line with what he spoke about in his 1964 “A Time for Choosing“ speech.

In that speech, Reagan spoke about how we can‘t rely on the government to fix all our problems. Instead, he challenged people to get involved and make a difference in their own communities. We can’t do everything or help everybody, but we can all do something — even if it‘s in small ways.

What I love about this quotation is its simplicity. It reminds me that we don‘t have to wait for a big, grand opportunity to make a difference. All those small things — helping a friend, contributing to a cause, or just being there for someone — add up. If each of us does our share to benefit one person, just look what we can do together.

So, while we might not be able to assist anyone, we can always assist someone — and that‘s all that truly counts.