Thank you for reading and critiquing! :)
Philosophically, I favor one of the many doctrines of American author Augustine "Og" Mandino: "Laugh at yourself and at life. Not in the spirit of derision or whining self-pity, but as a remedy, a miracle drug, that will ease your pain, cure your depression, and help you to put in perspective that seemingly terrible defeat and worry with laughter at your predicaments, thus freeing your mind to think clearly toward the solution that is certain to come." To me, everything in life is an opportunity worth taking to share a laugh. Laughter joins friends together into closer friendships, mends broken relationships, and eases tense and stressful situations. Never-the-less, in the midst of all my humor and optimism lies a fundamental sincerity and compassion for people usually expressed through generosity.
It was never really difficult for me to deal with the typical childhood problems of selfishness and sharing. The belief that I give simply because I have is naturally wired in my genes. When I was twelve years old, I had a sudden influx of money due to garage sales, birthday money, and Christmas gifts. As a twelve-year-old with $250 in my pocket, I was rich. Unlike many Americans, physical possessions have almost no hold on me. Therefore I decided that I could buy no toy or game that would give me more joy than giving a gift to a loved one. At the time, my sister was just entering her teens and was in the phase that listening to music to tune out the world was the best idea ever. I bought her the new iPod for her birthday, still fondly remembering the look of gratification on her face when she first unwrapped it. The satisfaction that came from knowing that I had enhanced someone's life through something I had given is the greatest feeling in the world.
Philosophically, I favor one of the many doctrines of American author Augustine "Og" Mandino: "Laugh at yourself and at life. Not in the spirit of derision or whining self-pity, but as a remedy, a miracle drug, that will ease your pain, cure your depression, and help you to put in perspective that seemingly terrible defeat and worry with laughter at your predicaments, thus freeing your mind to think clearly toward the solution that is certain to come." To me, everything in life is an opportunity worth taking to share a laugh. Laughter joins friends together into closer friendships, mends broken relationships, and eases tense and stressful situations. Never-the-less, in the midst of all my humor and optimism lies a fundamental sincerity and compassion for people usually expressed through generosity.
It was never really difficult for me to deal with the typical childhood problems of selfishness and sharing. The belief that I give simply because I have is naturally wired in my genes. When I was twelve years old, I had a sudden influx of money due to garage sales, birthday money, and Christmas gifts. As a twelve-year-old with $250 in my pocket, I was rich. Unlike many Americans, physical possessions have almost no hold on me. Therefore I decided that I could buy no toy or game that would give me more joy than giving a gift to a loved one. At the time, my sister was just entering her teens and was in the phase that listening to music to tune out the world was the best idea ever. I bought her the new iPod for her birthday, still fondly remembering the look of gratification on her face when she first unwrapped it. The satisfaction that came from knowing that I had enhanced someone's life through something I had given is the greatest feeling in the world.
