Saturday, March 27, 2010

Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach him how to fish and you feed him for a lifetime. - Lao Tzu

As the quote above says it’s much more valuable teach how to fish than give the fish. Do you agree with that? And more than that: Do you think we are doing this when we give someone a spare change in the traffic light or when we help those TV programs by giving money so They can help needy children?

Everybody knows that we live in a world full of poverty, injustice, illiteracy, cruelty, littering and so on. From the very basics, as food and water to social needs as education and work, people are asking for help.

Nowadays it seems easy to help needy people. We actually don’t need to do anything that would change our daily routine or would require so much effort from us. By only giving money for the beggar or donating clothes that are not being used anymore we can think that we are already doing our part and we can sleep in peace. But is this totally right?

Volunteering is seen as a noble act, but shouldn’t everybody does your part on this matter and more than noble, it also could be effective? It is not only about sharing the bread but it’s also about doing something that would change someone’s life. When you do that you are not only changing a life, but you are also changing your life. Helping others is an amazing way to help yourself as well!

For example: Have you ever donated blood? It's safe, fast, you can eat for free delicious snacks and you can also take the day off without any descount in your monthly outcome. Isn't it amanzing?

Do you speak a second language, but you don't use this language in your job, but you really would like to practice it? Why not giving free classes once a week or a month, depending on your schecule avalability!

Are you a math genius? Or a freaky fan os sciences? You can also teach these subjects in a illiterate programa for adults! It's so rewarding when you see those simple people learning something that you have taught!

You are not a fan of teaching? Ok, this is not a problem! Do you cook well? Gather some friends, cook some rice, beans, pasta, soup, whatever you want and go on the streets to distribute the meal! You can imagine how many people you can help!

Do you love animals? Do you want a pet? Try to adopt a stray animal instead of spending hundreds by buying a pedigree one! They are all animals, and they are all asking the same: LOVE!

As an educator I always wanted to help people to acquire knowledge. Not only teaching them English or Portuguese but also giving them the eager for knowledge. So as soon as I had graduated my aim was to teach in public schools. There would be the place I could help those children and teenagers crave for knowledge. And I got completely frustrated. They weren’t interested in learning at all. They had much more urgent needs so it was pretty hard to encourage them that school is where everything would change. Thus, I couldn’t help and I couldn’t do what I had planned.

I am still looking for something that I could do in order to help the world. Things like giving Easter eggs for needy children, recycling, sharing my knowledge, voting consciously. I will keep trying until the end and I am sure, some how I will do my part.

I don’t know what can you do, and even if you want to do something. However there are many things that we can do to help someone and it is not related to giving money. Think about that and I hope I have started a little fire inside your heart!

1 comment:

Unknown said...

Well this was a pretty freaking touchy speech you know! I don't even have to say that I agree with you because not only I do but everybody else should too. So, as fas as my opinion on the subjetc goes, it is very important to at least try to help the other, no matter in which way. We can always help, but sometimes we forget that and let it slip through our hands and just leave to some other person to do it. I see you trying to help and encouraging people to also help and that is the reason why I haven't given up on humankind.
Concerning your writing sugar, I think is very well written. I didn't find any major mistakes. Near the end you wrote volunteering is seeing, which I think is SEEN. Instead of have knowledge I's use acquire and in the end when you say that school is where the kids should wish for knowledge I think that you could use crava for a bigger impact...
That's all...I don't know if you like my comment or if this what you were thinking about but if its not just let me know, ok?