Please make any sort of corrections that needs to be done. I'm kind of rushing with the essays .. Thanks :)
II. Why do you engage in service? Please limit your response to no more than 800 words.
'A cocoon of a caterpillar' That was the first time I had seen the weird looking yellowish-green slime that clung onto a branch of our mango tree. I knew that a caterpillar cocoon turns into a butterfly, or more accurately from the inception of every caterpillar, there's a butterfly within itself waiting to emerge.
A few days later, I witnessed the miraculous birth of one of the most beautiful insects on earth. It emerges from the cocoon with a new form. An hour later it swings its full sized wings and being ready for flying it sets off to the unknown. The butterfly could do what the caterpillar couldn't FLY. The metamorphosis has been just a period of evaluation, building and development.
This concept of a butterfly's life cycle fascinated me. They changed themselves to sore to a new height, leaving the old shell behind to embrace the new life. I find a strong liaison between my entity and the life cycle of the butterfly.
Just as the caterpillar waiting to transform; engaging in service, marks my period of self-acknowledgement and self-development.
During my school break after 11th grade, I volunteered at an NGO 'Gram Bikash Songstha' to work with autistic children. The NGO arranged a month long special program for the children at a special children school in Dhaka. Not knowing how to interact with them, at first I felt a bit reluctant. We arranged music and dancing talent shows. I observed how they reacted and enjoyed every piece performed by the artists. Finally, it was our turn as volunteers to engage the children into performing. Trying to get their attention, I started talking with them more and more. I was amazed to see how they used sensory skills and mere expressions to convey feelings. As if I were not a stranger to them anymore. All this time being focused on how they would take me, I forgot to see what was right in front of me. I eventually grew accustomed to their way of thinking and expressing themselves. While they were always a part of us, unfortunately, I never really got a chance to know them well before.
At the time of our departure, we volunteers organized a farewell party. Some of us were called to sing, some told jokes and some performed magics. While waiting for my turn to perform, I looked around the audience with unease as I had never sung on a stage before. Amidst the jostle of chattering children, one girl's enraptured attention to all the performances caught my interest. Not sure of how she would react, I went on to the stage. Cleared my voice and introduced my piece 'Shader lau' a famous Bengali folklore song. I kept looking at her and was amazed to see her standing firmly, preparing herself to sing along with me. I sang with all my heart, her companion from down the stage gave me the confidence to perform however I wanted to. It was one of the best moment of my life. No one cared about the technical problems or even about the lines I forgot in the middle verse. All that mattered was the fun we had together.
It was her delighted smile that made my effort worth it. I came out of the school with new hopes, learned new truths about life in general. I am sure I wouldn't have gotten any such experience anywhere else. This is why I engage in various services and from each I try to gain something. An experience to enhance, an acknowledgement of the beauties around us and ways to explore unknown paths. I love meeting new people because I can relate them to myself even more.
With every service I engage in, every new experience I have, I shed a cocoon and come out with as an enhanced self. I love meeting with people because I believe we all learn from each-other. I dedicate myself to explore the ways of life and nature so that I can be a butterfly with every venture. I still have a lot to know, a lot to give.
The appreciation we got from the children and their mentors at the special school is what encouraged me to visit them at least once a month. I was told there is no limit to learning but what I recently learned is that there is also no limit to caring. For me a service is to share and care. No matter where I go and what I do I will live in the butterfly cycle.
Too much butterfly in the beginning. I was losing interest by the third paragraph. Maybe integrate the story with the metaphor better.
You also have a lot of grammatical errors. If you're running out of time, get it proofread by an English teacher. If you're willing to trust a guy who doesn't have an English degree and only checks this site occasionally, feel free to PM me, and I will try my best.
Thanks a lot ...My teachers will not be available at the moment ( final exams are going on ) .. It would be really helpful if you could edit it .. please feel free to dissect it any way you see fit .. please do your best.. Actually, I have a Dec 1 deadline and I'm kinda rushing with all the essays ..
I couldn't find any options for PM here .. I'm sorry but I just don't see it ! Can you edit it here.. It would help me a lot. Thanks :)
