“As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands, one
for helping yourself, the other for helping others.”
- Audrey
Hepburn
Being in this
history class this year has made me realize that helping others is very important.
There are other people out there that aren’t getting the things I’m getting or
if they are getting them, it’s not as easy for them. In the beginning of the
semester I went to the first dinner that was going to be served for the
veterans. Before I went I had no idea what it was going to be like. In a way, I
can describe it as intimidating because I was going to be in an environment
that I was not used to. I remember trying to decide if I was going to go or
not. I ended up going and I can definitely tell you that I didn’t even care if
I had gotten extra credit from that, what I cared about was that it was a good
feeling when I saw those vets line up and get all excited for the food they
were getting. It made me realize that not all homeless people have to be scary,
they are normal humans just like us. A very interested observation that I made
was that these people could be people that I would see around school and not
even give them a second look because they are just like the rest of us, except
not all of them are as fortunate to have a stable roof over their head.
Helping these veterans have
nice dinners with good company inspired me to send a box of Afghanistan. There
are certain things that the people deployed are asking for and for the project
we are able to look at that list and send them some things. I really liked
doing that because it was kind of like doing a secret Santa for someone. By
choosing things from the list it made the boxes more personal and let them know
that we want them to enjoy what we are sending. The biggest reason for why I
wanted to send the boxes was because I thought about how many people in the
veteran’s village don’t have family around them for whatever reason. I sent out
he box thinking to myself that whoever will receive it will enjoy it for sure.
I imagine that some people who are deployed don’t have any family to go back to
or anyone waiting on them or sending them boxes.
Those who are fighting for our
country are taking risks for the ones making a different back in the homeland
so I feel the least we could do is to send them a note saying how we appreciate
them along with little goodies. This season in particular could be the hardest
on them because of Christmas. When I think of Christmas I think of being with
family and having a good time. The people who are deployed overseas do not have
that ability to be able to spend time with their loved ones so I know they are
thankful we send them things to remind them that they are not being forgotten.
The quite I chose is by Audrey Hepburn. She says that the reason we have to
hands is because one is to help ourselves and the other is to help others. In
life, I believe in good karma. It is not ok to be greedy and selfish all the
time when you could lend a hand to someone else who is in greater need. Not
everyone is able to get things as easily as we can, even simple things like
shoes. There are people out there struggling to be able to get things that they
need on a day to day basis.
What I learned from these
service projects was that above all, it’s important to help others. I learned
that it’s not that hard to put your wants to the side to take care of someone
else’s needs. What is our reward? The look in their face when they see that
they know that there are people put there wanting to help them. During the
dinners, what stood out to me the most was how all of us the students were
working together. Since it was so early in the semester many of us didn’t know
each other but we didn’t let that stop us from working as a team to make a
bigger difference. As soon as all the food was brought everyone took action and
either assigned themselves a job or helped someone else out and that’s what it
is all about, helping out. To use that second hand that we have to help the
others that need it more than us. Doing these projects inspired me to look into
more ways to help out the community.
There are so many organizations
that are out there that are aimed to help the ones in need and they’re always
looking for volunteer. Since I got past the intimidating part it should be
easier to step up to the plate and help out. In this history class I learned
more than just the Plessy V Ferguson case did. I learned about how to be a
better citizen and how important it is to help out he people that are in need.
