so the prompt is : Ben Franklin once said, "All mankind is divided into three classes: those that are immovable, those that are movable, and those that move."
Which are you?
The most frequent question people ask me when they hear that I have moved eight times during the past sixteen years is whether I have changed from place to place. Though occasionally I may have lost my bearings, my personal characteristics did not change. Rather, coping with changing circumstances taught me a great deal about myself, and I developed the ability to help move others in beneficial directions.
Moving from school to school, I found that my popularity varied. Bewildered at first, I realized over time that it wasn't I who changed, but the groups with which I associated. Because of their varying backgrounds, their perspectives were different from mine. I recall moving from a rural elementary school to an urban upper-class school. Facing new classmates from a higher socio-economic status, I felt like an interloper. Many of my new classmates had no problem bullying minority students and cheating. Truth be told, I would be lying if I said that I had never considered joining them as a way to become part of the "in" crowd. However, I knew that being one of them wasn't really what I wanted. I wanted to be myself; I had my own set of rules, rules which would not allow me to succomb to indolence and undeserved success. Similar experiences occurred during subsequent moves; after these events, I was sure I could thrive in any situation, however uncomfortable, because I always know who I want to be: a person of integrity and fairness.
However, many people are uncertain of their directions in life; like stray atoms, they wander unsettled, without a definite purpose. Because I know who I am, I generate enough force to help guide others. This concept applies to one of my fundraising experiences. Via the One Dollar Project, I set up a fundraiser this summer for needy children in China, determining that I would need 20 volunteers. However, most of the people I approached declined for a variety of reasons. To get the necessary number of participants, I distributed graphic presentations showing the conditions the fundraiser would help to improve. Ultimately I got the 20 volunteers I was seeking, including some who had initially declined my invitations. Some donors avoided me initially because they did not have a clear image of the children we were asking them to help. Moreover, many of them held stereotypes of Chinese people, believing most of them were rich. Accordingly, I changed my strategy. First, I showed them pictures of the conditions in which the children were living. Next, I gradually introduced the donation concept, addressing questions about how the money would be used and explaining the huge gap between the rich and poor in China. By the end of the day, we had collected 419 dollars.
I believe firmly that only after one knows who he is can he move the people around him and make a positive impact on the society. (I think my conclusion is really really weak!!! so any advice???)
THANK YOU !!!!! Highly appreciated!!!
Which are you?
The most frequent question people ask me when they hear that I have moved eight times during the past sixteen years is whether I have changed from place to place. Though occasionally I may have lost my bearings, my personal characteristics did not change. Rather, coping with changing circumstances taught me a great deal about myself, and I developed the ability to help move others in beneficial directions.
Moving from school to school, I found that my popularity varied. Bewildered at first, I realized over time that it wasn't I who changed, but the groups with which I associated. Because of their varying backgrounds, their perspectives were different from mine. I recall moving from a rural elementary school to an urban upper-class school. Facing new classmates from a higher socio-economic status, I felt like an interloper. Many of my new classmates had no problem bullying minority students and cheating. Truth be told, I would be lying if I said that I had never considered joining them as a way to become part of the "in" crowd. However, I knew that being one of them wasn't really what I wanted. I wanted to be myself; I had my own set of rules, rules which would not allow me to succomb to indolence and undeserved success. Similar experiences occurred during subsequent moves; after these events, I was sure I could thrive in any situation, however uncomfortable, because I always know who I want to be: a person of integrity and fairness.
However, many people are uncertain of their directions in life; like stray atoms, they wander unsettled, without a definite purpose. Because I know who I am, I generate enough force to help guide others. This concept applies to one of my fundraising experiences. Via the One Dollar Project, I set up a fundraiser this summer for needy children in China, determining that I would need 20 volunteers. However, most of the people I approached declined for a variety of reasons. To get the necessary number of participants, I distributed graphic presentations showing the conditions the fundraiser would help to improve. Ultimately I got the 20 volunteers I was seeking, including some who had initially declined my invitations. Some donors avoided me initially because they did not have a clear image of the children we were asking them to help. Moreover, many of them held stereotypes of Chinese people, believing most of them were rich. Accordingly, I changed my strategy. First, I showed them pictures of the conditions in which the children were living. Next, I gradually introduced the donation concept, addressing questions about how the money would be used and explaining the huge gap between the rich and poor in China. By the end of the day, we had collected 419 dollars.
I believe firmly that only after one knows who he is can he move the people around him and make a positive impact on the society. (I think my conclusion is really really weak!!! so any advice???)
THANK YOU !!!!! Highly appreciated!!!
