I remember the challenge.

Attempting to win two scholarships, one from a local bank and the other from the former Hess’s Department Store, I had to write essays describing why I wanted to attain a college degree.

Since already in second grade I had declared I wished to be a writer when I grew up and never deviated from that goal, I wrote how I wanted to dispel apathy and change the world with my words.

Yes, I was young and idealistic. But I had a dream.

The more I think about that goal, the more I realize that perhaps I have succeeded to some extent.

I may not have changed the planet, but I have been told over the years that my published works have made some folks think, question and even change rigid, long-held beliefs.

That is exactly what I aim to accomplish.

I see too many smart people blindly accepting the opinions of others—spouses, friends, politicians, clergy, medical professionals, entertainers, to name a few—and not using their greatest gift, their own minds.

When exposed to other, different ideas and more information, some people apparently started seeing in ways they had not considered before.

As a simple example, many individuals held the misconception that vegetarians eat only salads.

They were surprised to learn from something I wrote that vegetarian diets are as varied and interesting as theirs, if not even more so.

Other folks who thought of squirrels and other wildlife merely as pests told me they began to look at these animals in a new way after reading some of my articles about nature and learning how beneficial and entertaining these creatures can be.

My articles about senior adults assuming new roles in retirement or tapping into their latent creativity inspired some retirees to volunteer at schools or hospitals or animal shelters, and others to resume past hobbies or begin new creative pursuits, such as art or dancing or music.

I like to stir the proverbial pot.

I want to make a difference by encouraging readers to discover how much power they have inside—for good.

Years ago I wrote about an honest cleaning lady in a medical office building who found my husband’s wallet one night and called us, returning it intact.

In the same article I mentioned my mom’s purse, which she had left in a shopping cart in a store’s parking lot.

Again, the purse was found by a scrupulous individual who took it to customer service. Nothing was missing.

My point in that piece: I believe most people will do right when their honesty is tested (yes, I am an optimist).

A person’s character is not defined by what he does while others are watching, but by what he does when he is alone.

More than one reader told me those examples inspired them to take the high road when, for example, a clerk made a mistake and gave too much change or the person found something of value that somebody had lost.

This is my idea of changing the world—one person at a time.

Shining a spotlight on the goodness of others inspires people to emulate wonderful deeds and become better themselves.

Doing good always feels good.

Illuminating the meaningful contributions to humanitarian causes made by Melinda French Gates, MacKenzie Scott, the late Dolly Parton, and other notable philanthropists who are changing the world in big ways, only serves to motivate the rest of us.

With their largesse, these generous benefactors may be the lighthouses of the world.

But the rest of us surely can be the candles.

Five decades ago I won those two scholarships and my second-grade dream of becoming a writer came true.

I never wavered. I never stopped believing in my dream.

My path was littered with obstacles along the way, but I was determined to realize my aspirations.

We are never too old to make our dreams come true or to begin new dreams.

Life is full of regrets.

Don’t let giving up on a dream—no matter how impossible or hopeless it may seem—become one of them.