When I was younger, nothing used to annoy me more than well-meaning family and friends recommending that I get some perspective when things aren’t going so well.
The way I saw it, there’s plenty of people that were worse off than I – but I thought it was a little disingenuous to assume that I could feel better simply by remembering that others have it worse. It seemed almost exploitative of others’ (admittedly significant) struggles, where I’d use their misery to assuage my own hurt feelings, and then move on without doing anything to help people that are worse off.
I think my perspective on this has shifted somewhat – it’s been a bumpy few months for me, and I’ve found that taking action to help people in worse conditions keeps me grounded. Of course, it’s about them, not me, so I’m happy to be of help.
I’m writing this article today to share the story of someone that’s inspired me significantly with this type of thinking. One of my close friends, who constantly and selflessly works to help others and make the world a better place, is possibly one of the strongest people I know: despite her own unfortunate circumstances (which I won’t go into, to protect her privacy), she constantly works with others to ensure positive change in our world.
No one would judge her if she were to deal with her situations by simply dissociating from the world or isolating herself from her loved ones. But I’m impressed and proud beyond words that she channels her strength and attention into nonprofit volunteer work – we all have the opportunity to make a difference every day, but she’s actually taking these opportunities. I know the same can’t be said for the vast majority of us.
This friend has inspired me to start nonprofit work of my own – I’m working with another friend to file and start up a non-profit organization aiming to address Peru’s poverty problem by working for an community that houses hundreds of children, many of whom are orphans or victims of child abuse and domestic violence.
(And, incidentally, this orphanage was started by someone just as admirable: after suffering the death of his youngest child, the owner gave up his comfortable lifestyle to buy land and build a living community for these children. They sleep, eat, attend school, play sports, and learn useful skills to enter the Peruvian workforce. I think that’s amazing.)
I have nothing but love and respect for both of these people, and I know the world would be worse off without them. But I’m also writing this to the person who feels a bit aimless, or who’s also been having a rough time. In my experience, lying in bed for a few hours or binge-watching Special Victims Unit aren’t bad strategies – but they can’t compare to volunteering, or joining a service-oriented club at school, or starting up a new organization designed to better the lives of others. It’s therapeutic in the sense that you feel that you’re making a difference and helping address the world’s problems, but more importantly, you really do have the opportunity to impact thousands of lives.
