Who are you?

Who are you?  Who are you to stand in MY way and tell me I CAN’T do something.  So, you have a ‘real’ job.  So you have more ‘experience’ then I do.  Honestly, I don’t give a damn about what you think.  

When I stand up and fight for what I believe in, I might be stupid.  I might be naive, and hell, I’m probably wrong.  But never get in my face.  Never stand in my way.  Never tell me that “you can’t.”  

If this was my future career, and you were giving advice… perfect, I’d appreciate it.  

If this was something that was bad for my school, my family, my friends or my community, then you have a duty to stop me.  

But to tell me I can’t pursue making this world a better place because I’m YOUNG, you sir can sit down and watch what my generation can do.  You sir, you will be amazed.

We’re not perfect.  Not all of us have decided to take this view.  But to those of us who have chosen a path to work hard now and make a difference later, wether it be tomorrow, next month, or in a decade, we will leave this place better than it was when we arrived.  

I have faith in the global citizen.  This isn’t about America.  This isn’t about the ‘West.’  This is about love.  This is about the world we live in.  As soon as you see that, maybe you sir, will realize what my generation can do.  

What it means to Finish.

»One Vote in the Past«

As I grow, mature (as I like to think), and change, the more I realize the true impact that attitude can have on life.  It’s more important than facts, education, circumstances, failures, successes, or what others do around you.  It is more than an appearance, a skill, or truth…  It can truly make or break a company, a church or a home.  

But what many people don’t realize is that when you wake up in the morning, when you reach a challenging point in your life, or any point in your life, you have a choice.  Each and every day we all have a choice regarding the attitude we will embrace that day.  We can’t change our past.  We can’t change the fact the some people are the way they are.  The only thing we can do is play in the one string of life we have, and that is that is of our attitude.  I’m convinced that life is 10% what happens to me, and 90% how I react to it.  So make up your mind.. how will you react?  

With that being said, even with the knowledge of having a choice every day, it is incredibly difficult to push aside the past and challenging situations.  I find myself living in the past, engrossed by a single idea planted by the seeds of asia and poverty.  Before, I was ignorant, I was judgmental, I was scared.  

I can make a difference.  You can make a difference, but it is difficult to grasp the fact that such small things matter.  I like to think of it as the act of voting.  There has never been a vote (that I know of) in a country in recent times that has ever been decided by one vote.  So therefore, mathematically speaking, my vote has never mattered, and neither has yours.  But people have died giving me the right to vote, giving me the opportunity to shape my future.  And while one vote, by itself may seemingly not matter, a family, city, or state can change the course of an election and the future.. and we’re both a part of that.  So ultimately, my vote matters and so does yours.  Using the same logic to approach the small things in life is imperative.  Taking a page from the swim team goals this year, if you want a friend, be a friend.. It is so true.  

After talking through this, hopefully I can get myself back on my feet, stop living in the past, and instead utilize it.  The things I’ve seen and the lessons I’ve learned have assured me that a future is out there, we just have to have the past to refer to, the present to plan, and the future to shoot for.

Get out there and do it.   

*Into adapted from unknown quote.

The afterthoughts.

It all started with an e-mail.  How would you like to teach english to rural Chinese students after taking classes in Hong Kong?  At first, it was just something to do… another way to see parts of Asia; but it turned out to be so much more than that.  As soon as we left Hong Kong, I began meeting incredibly bright and friendly individuals who would be my teaching partners in the weeks to come.  
We arrived in Fujian, tired and excited, ready to get the teaching underway.  The next few weeks were a blur.  Even though I spoke all of three words of mandarin, I quickly began to establish relationships with the kids, and realized they were teaching me a lot more than I could ever teach them.  However, I truly hope that through our teachings and relationships, that the kids will be inspired to work hard, educate themselves, and improve their lives. 
Growing up in a developed country such as the United States breeds a cultural ‘bubble’ of sorts.  Many people are afraid to expose themselves to the world that we live in, and it truly restricts the amazing opportunities that lie in waiting.  I go through my daily routine… and honestly, I’m doing things that prepare me for the future, but it is so self-centered!  Outside of this bubble, you are able to sense that you are potentially making a difference in someone’s life for the better… I’m not sure I could say I do that very often in the US.  
In the month or so after leaving Asia, I find myself thinking about the wonderful teachers, students, and mentors that I met along the way nearly every day.  I can look at the hundreds of pictures I have taken, and wonder if I’ll ever be blessed enough to return and see the kids at least one more time.  I’ve cried, I’ve laughed and I’ve been absolutely amazed by this journey.  If there is one thing I could do again, this experience we be fighting for the top spot.

So what have you done to make the world a better place? I’m not saying I have, but it definitely has made me aware that there is good to be done… everywhere.  Consider one thing when you wake up in the morning, turn the water on, and throw away leftovers…

26,000 Children died yesterday, and it will happen today… and tomorrow.. and they are all from preventable conditions.  Reach out.  Be boots on the ground, or a voice in the sky… just do something, and be thankful for what you have.