I believe that throughout humanity as a whole, although we are all different we can make an impact on others. Many people today are unaware of the incredible power of the mind. It is comforting to know that we can inherent the ability to create whatever we set in our mind. However, they don’t realize great ideas lie in unexpected places.
I was reading TIME magazine the other day when I came across an article, “20th century heroes and icons.” Almost ? of the people on the list before were ordinary folks who wanted better days for humanity. Mother Teresa was part of the list, she fought for the dignity of the destitute in a foreign land, she gave the world a moral example that bridged divides of culture, class and religion. After the article I immediately conducted a research, finding ordinary people who shaped our world with path breaking ideas and action. They were people who set the bar higher for every individual, and showed mankind that there is good left in the world. People like Viola Vaughn, David Puckett, Phymean Noun, and Carolyn Leroy who all had one mission, to change the world.
“I have never been especially impressed by the heroics of people who are convinced they are about to change the world. I am more awed by those who struggle to make one small difference after another.”- Ellen Goodman.
Everybody in this world has a purpose in life, they were created for something, sometimes it comes out naturally, other times you have to look for it, I’m still not sure what’s my purpose in life, but I think I was brought to this world to help people, I can, I enjoy helping people, and you don’t really have to do a lot to accomplish that, you just gotta be there for the people you love, and you’ll see how much a difference you make in their world.
Instead of talking the talk, I decided it was my turn to make a difference. I was inspired by Wangari Maathai. Wangari Maathai is 69 years old, but as achieved in her lifetime what others could not in a century or more. Growing up, her village did not have a primary school, so she moved towns to attend school. As a student she strived to be on the top of her class. Soon, she was selected to go to America to studies; which lead her to become the first African women to receive a PhD. With her degree Maathai could easily have chosen to get a job and live happily on her own, but she saw herself doing bigger and better for the world. So, she founded the Green Belt Movement in Kenya to fight deforestation. She employed local women to plant trees across Kenya. In the late1980's, the Kenyan government came down against Maathai and the Green Belt Movement, a plan to construct the 60-story Kenya Times Media Trust Complex in Uhuru Park. Maathai stood up against the plan by protesting a writing letters to anyone important in the government as well as to newspapers. Soon, foreign investors due to Maathai’s leadership shot down the plan.
To me, the biggest question regarding Maathai’s achievements was; why go through all the trouble in fighting the power and what did she have to gain from all of it? If I was ever in her shoes, I doubt that I would have completed a 1/3 of her accomplishments. The task at hand for her just seems too big for one person to take on, but again great ideas come from unexpected places. In the near future I hope to collect the courage and leadership Maathai showed through her struggles to make a difference in other people’s lives as well. Just the other day after learning about Maathai, I was arguing with my brother about if there was an good left in the world and I took the stand that there was. To prove my point that night, my sister and I started a program for called “Pennies4compassion” in which we would keep track of the amount of “good” we witness strangers do in a given day and in return would donate a penny for every deed.
Afterwards I hope to donate the money I collect to a meaningful cause and to have many more people participate. Just as Maathai left her imprints in the world through her kindness and selflessness, I hope to do the same. I will remember that. My mission would be nothing compared to that of Maathai’s, but it will be satisfying knowing that I made a difference in the world.
“To the world you may be one person, but to one person you may be the world.”
What do you guys think
what is your belief - don't worry you don't have to write a paper just one sentence or so!
Ramadan: What is your belief - please answer this?
Very inspiring sis! At first I was going to skim through it but I actually read it all!
Pennies4compassion is a great idea! May Allah (swt) reward you.
