(AMH 2020 student)
“I’ve learned that people
will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will
never forget how you made them feel”. (Maya Angelou)
So many people in this
world want to be recognized for changing the world, but little do they know
they could change the world of an Individual. Community service and offering a
helping hand is not about being recognized for your good doings, but it is
about knowing what it feels like to be the reason for someone’s smile that may
be going through a hard time. Like Maya Angelou so brilliantly states, what you
did might not always be remembered, but how you make someone feel is the sole purpose
for helping someone in need.
For my service project, I mailed a box to Afghanistan
because it was something that I had never had the opportunity to do before and
something that people often forget about when they think of charitable
contributions. When I think about participating in service projects, I often
think about providing for the homeless or needy individuals who are down on
their luck; or helping to build houses for those who lost their homes or need
shelter. Sending care packages to the men and women fighting for our country
often slips my mind. The people overseas are certainly people that we should
keep in mind year-round, but especially over the holidays.
Many of them are not
able to come home during this time and it is important to let them know that
there are people thinking about them. There are no words to express the
gratitude that I have for what these individuals do every single day and the
least I can do is send a care package to thank them for their service and for
fighting for our freedom as Americans. I would like to participate in other projects,
in the future, that help the people that are fighting for our country.
Most
years I mainly just take part in outreach programs such as Manna Food Bank, Meals
on Wheels, and Habitat for Humanity. Manna Food Bank and Meals on Wheels are
both nonprofit organizations that provide food for people in need. Habitat for
Humanity is an organization that builds homes for people and there is a Habitat
for Humanity Restore which sells furniture, appliances, home accessories etc.
at a discounted price. Last year I worked in the Habitat Restore and just
seeing the smiles from mothers and fathers that would come and go, knowing that
they could afford something for their kids in the store, made every minute that
I spent there worthwhile. Customers could not believe that they could afford so
many different items in the store and they always left with a smile on their
face. Participating in these organizations has been a very fulfilling
privilege, but I thought that it would be a good opportunity to part take in
something different and mail a box to Afghanistan for my service project in
American History.
One
of the main core values that I hold close to heart is compassion. Sometimes it
is hard for people to get away from their busy lives in order to lend a hand to
those who need it, but I think it adds an important aspect to life to be able
to give something. There are many things that people can give; money,
furniture, clothing…but the most valuable thing that a person can give is
compassion to others.
Most people would be surprised how much they could turn
someone’s day around just by showing them that you care enough to lend them a
small portion of your time. It is more important than ever to spread love and
positive vibes with all of the turmoil happening in the world and I think the
best thing that we can do is just show one another love. Sometimes it can be
difficult to see the good in the world, but when disasters happen somehow we
always manage to pull each other out of the hard times and that is exactly what
we need right now.
My
current major is declared in business but I am not sure that that is what I
want to do. I really just want to help people in any way that I can. Whenever I
am going through a hard time, to help myself get through it, I always think
about how much worse that my situation could be. I am healthy, have a roof over
my head, I am getting an education and, most importantly, I am alive. Then I
think about all of the people in this world that are not healthy, have no
shelter, and couldn’t ever dream of getting an education. There are so many
people that need help. I know that I cannot change the world, but if I could
even change one person’s world that would mean everything to me. I think that I
am leaning towards a major in Social Work, maybe even overseas. I know this is
a very mentally challenging career, but I also know that it would be extremely
fulfilling. Each day I would know that I could be helping someone and
potentially changing their life for the better.
Like
Maya Angelou asserted: it’s not always about what you say or what you do, it’s
about how you make someone feel. That feeling is the same feeling that I get
when I know that I made a difference in someone’s day. Mailing a box to
Afghanistan and picturing how happy that person will be when he opens all of
his packages is what it’s all about. I know that the soldier will not be home
for the holidays and it was important to me to send my love and let him know
that there are people sending prayers and thinking about him. It is not
difficult to take 2 minutes out of your day to do an act of kindness for
someone, and in the end, that’s what is going to make all the difference. 