Sometimes, I can spread joy among my loved ones and cheer people up. I can always be there for my friends, whenever they need a listening ear or a comforting shoulder. I can be a great friend and share everything under the sun or even the moon with my friends. Someone once said, “Friendship is the hardest thing in the world to explain. It's not something you learn in school. But if you haven't learned the meaning of friendship, you really haven't learned anything.” My friend will not walk in front of me, for she might not lead. She will not walk behind me, she might not follow me but she can walk beside me and walk with me. We can create more smiles in the world and help out friends in need. I can even influence my friends and we can learn not only with each other but also from one another.
Sometimes, I pick up the litter you see on the ground. I keep my room clean. These gestures seem small but imagine everyone doing their own little part. If everyone pick up litter they see, we would be living in a sparkling world. It is true that the trouble with most of us is that we underestimate the power of simplicity. We tend to over complicate our lives and forget what is important and what is not. We tend to mistake movement for achievement. We tend to focus on activities instead of results. As the pace of life continues to race along in the outside world, we forget that we have the power to control our lives regardless of what is going on outside. Just doing something so small, might change our lives. If I stick to the motto of reduce, reuse and recycle. I can reduce that small amount of pollution and by informing my loved ones; they in turn will try and spread the message. Never look down on the magnificent effect; we will not only save our Earth but also the poor animals. We cannot only live for ourselves, we are connected to our ecosystem in more ways than we can imagine.
Sometimes, I can work wonders too. Behold and lo! I can do volunteering work. It seems only appropriate since it is my community and helping people reflects a kind of radiance. It makes me satisfied when I see a real genuine smile when I start a conversation with the elderly, they seem so deprived of attention and so lonely. It gives my heart a squeeze whenever you see their eyes full of melancholy and yearning for the accompaniment. When you see the bright eyes and thankful murmurs, that is joy beyond words! The old folks’ home suddenly full of joy, laughter and life! It is to remind those poor souls that they are not forgotten. Humanity sometimes is scarce in this fast paced city but I am glad that people with love and care to share still exists. The Asian Tsunami which devastated millions last year was a concrete example, we saw how people in the midst of trouble, stayed and helped each other, how countries all over the world offered help. It was a stunning sight, not of those shattered buildings and dead bodies. It was the beauty from within the hearts that helped without complaints or motives. Receiving sincere smiles and thanks from the hearts as a reward was enough. Those who stayed true and through were the honorable heroes, they were remarkable! Yet, it was ironical that we only see the benevolence when there is chaos. It was not just charity but also humanity we saw. No nationalities, no distinctions, no boundaries, just all working towards one goal, as one.
Sometimes, I am glad for I dare to dream. I want to spread my joy and energy! I want to be a vet. I want to save animals. I want to save my planet. I want to change the world. I want to do many things, so far from my reach, now. I may be small but I dare to dream. To accomplish great things, we must not only act, but also dream; not only plan, but also believe. There is absolutely nothing wrong with dreaming, Martin Luther King Jr. had a dream of equality of opportunity, of privilege and property widely distributed; a dream of a land where men will not take necessities from the many to give luxuries to the few; a dream of a land where men will not argue that the color of a man's skin determines the content of his character; a dream of a nation where all our gifts and resources are held not for ourselves alone, but as instruments of service for the rest of humanity; the dream of a country where every man will respect the dignity and worth of the human personality. It was a dream deemed impossible then but look at things now. The then dream is accomplished and it was because he had dared to dream. I agree with him, “If you lose hope, somehow you lose the vitality that keeps life moving, you lose that courage to be, that quality that helps you go on in spite of it all. And so today I still have a dream.”
Sometimes, I am awed at the bountiful differences I can make, small or big. In fact, everyone can do anything as long as we want to. I live everyday as if it’s my last; I cherish everything, because if I die, I will not have any regrets. I try my best, when that is not enough; I just have to try harder and reflect. Life is a weird thing. It is funny that we would never learn to be brave and have courage if we only have joy in the world. We learn from mistakes and what makes us content is that when we fall, our friends will lend us a hand and pull us up. Everyone can soar and fulfill their duties. Becoming responsible is not only tidying up my workspace, and taking down my laundry, but whether I care about myself and others and whether I see every day’s chores as related to how we treat this planet of ours. If you think you can, you can! I hold the key to my destiny and I am sure that I can make many more differences. You really can change the world if you care enough.
Word Count: 1500 words
Done by: Anthea Ng(2006)
