We've all heard it. We've all rapped it. We've all made it as an Instagram caption. Just face it, YOLO is the ideology of the Millennial generation. You only live once. YOLO has been the justification for the young adults in this country to take chances, face risks for high reward and embrace every fleeting moment to the fullest. But what is this one life about? Yes, I understand that we only live once so we must make it count. But how do we make it count?
I grew up as the most blessed red head in all the land. My parents, as immigrants, led the difficult life to give my brother and I the most stress-free, loving, and fun life a parent could ever wish to give their child. I never was worried if my water was clean. Never had to worry if I would have a bed to sleep in. Never had to worry if I would be able to attend school. Never had to worry if I was going to be hungry. However, my parents never neglected to remind my brother and I of how blessed we are compared to others in the world. They also never neglected to remind us of our duties to help these less fortunate people.
My parents are the embodiment of the word philanthropists. Even when they had nothing when they first moved to the States, they still gave something to others that needed it. They're the first to raise their hand when someone needs help. From trivial favors like picking up a friend's daughter from soccer practice to big philanthropic donations like creating an organization to help Syrian refugees my parents have done it all. They have a disposition to life that I have come to see and start to acquire over the years: There is no point to life if you don't use your advantages to help others experience what you have experienced.
We are given one life on this earth and if we are so blessed to grow up like I did, we have a civic duty to help other people attain the human experiences we got to experience without struggle. I feel as if I was given an advantaged life in order to help a little girl be able to grow up healthy to find true love. I have a duty to help a family have the materials and feel secure enough to have dinners in a home with endless amounts of tummy-aching laughter. I have a duty to help take a child out of a war zone so they can attend school and learn about the world and themselves. I have a duty to help those in recovery from any difficult situation so that they can find those friends that make the littlest moment the happiest.
Maybe I am meant to help deliver babies so that I can help bestow the pride and joy of two people upon them. Maybe I am meant to work on Washington to help change how kids learn in school. Maybe I'm meant to help solve the crises between humans, countries, religions. Whatever it is, I won't stop until I do something to add to this world. I am experiencing human experiences right now without working for it. That is not the case for other people around me. What's the point of my place on this earth at this time if I don't utilize my advantages to bring about hearty human experiences for others who are struggling to attain them?
We only live once. Find some struggle that people have to overcome to live life and help. Live your human experiences and strive to help others do the same.
