Oh me. I just finished watching Pay it Forward all the way through for the first time and it was an amazing movie. Just thinking about how good it was makes me cry. It was a real tearjerker. Giving of yourself to help others out is what it should be all about her on Earth. There are so many time when I get so caught up in all the things that I have to get done and all the troubles that I have that I forget to stop and think about others who are having to worry about whether they survive through the night or stay up crying all night worrying themselves to death because they're afraid they're not going to be able to feed their kids. At the same time, the movie makes me realize that there is good in this world. Just like Trevor says in the movie, "The world's not a shithole." Excuse my language but it's true. Everywhere you go there are people with good intentions and people who really do strive to meet the needs of others who can't do it themselves. Look around. During Katrina, people offered money and resources and their time to ensure that the people of Louisiana and Texas made it through. Right now, in Japan, tons of money has been sent to aid the people effected by the earthquake and many have also rushed over to give their skills to help the nuclear plant problems. I also see everyday acts of kindness often. Every time I come to the crosswalk to go to lunch, people are stopping to let me across as soon as they see me, especially when it's cold or rainy. Another thing that I took away from this movie is that people do makes mistakes and really wish they hadn't turned out like they are but that doesn't mean that they can just decide that they're going to turn their life around one day and never have to look back. They're going to have the face the problem everyday and in order to defeat the problem they're going to need support. Sometimes I get so caught up in the wrong that a person is doing, I forget to just be their friend and be accepting of them and be a support system for them. I can be that someone they go to when they want to get away from the temptation, not someone who is judging them for their wrongdoings.
This is why I strive to make a difference. I currently struggle with one thing. Is it better to make a teeny difference in many peoples lives or a major difference in a very small number of lives? Really, I don't think either one is better. Sometimes I question which one is going to be me or if it's going to be a little bit of both, but I know in my heart that if I'm really doing my best to make a difference for others some thing positive is going to come out of it. Trevor is a great example of this. He thought that all of his efforts had failed and that nothing he did had made an impact, when it had a really made a bigger impact than he or his mother or Mr. Simonet could have imagined.
Today's list are some of my goals/ideas for way to make difference in people's lives.
1. Take an interest in people who are struggling and show them that you care about their life and how they turn out. It's super simple and can have a huge impact.
2. Find out a few families who are really struggling during Christmas time. After Christmas when they'll be struggling to pay their bills, put money and a note in a card and put it in their mailbox. Sign anonymously.
3. Pay for another family's meal while out to eat. Maybe even have the waitress give them a a message like, "God Bless. Pass the love on."
4. Give my time to a good cause. I want to volunteer frequently for events, camps, shelters, etc. Giving time can have the most impact on both parties. Plus, I get to see the results of what I'm doing.
5. Preserve Mother Nature. I'm really going to do my best to recycle, compost, limit my electricity use, buy products that are eco-friendly(especially groceries that have plastic packaging), and consume less.
6. Take people in when they need help. I hope I never have to turn anyone away.
7. Get the courage to give blood. I have a huge fear of getting blood drawn but it's something that I really need to do. I hope to accomplish this before I graduate college.
8. When there is an opportunity to give, take the time to do it. I get so angry with myself when I don't take the time to give back. Once I had learned in my Sunday school class that a girl's house burned down that wore the same size clothes as me and they were collecting clothes for her. I never ended up taking the time to go through my closet and find things that I could give to her. I still regret that.
9. To give at least 4 hours of my time per week doing something that benefits others.
10. I hope to eventually start a program for kids that help them get involved and learn more about community service and how important it is to get involved. This was something my hometown lacked.
Now, here's a link to two music videos that continue to inspire me every time I watch them.
Video
Video 2
I'd had a bad day today. Watching Pay it Forward and thinking about others lives and my own really lifted my spirits. We all have bad days. You just keep pushing forward and savor the good ones.
Goodnight.
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