Lessons Learned Are Lessons Lived
A few years ago, while helping my grandfather plant pecan trees in Tennessee, I realized something a bit disturbing. My grandfather never would live long enough to see those trees mature and produce pecans. Yet, there he was, toiling away with no possibility of personal benefit. When I asked him why he would plant trees knowing he would never enjoy the harvest, he just smiled and shook his head. Then he said, "Son, of all the pecans I've eaten in my life, someone else had planted the tree. They thought enough of me to plant trees, so I could have pecans. I'm just thinking of the next generation." In that moment, I realized that all people are takers, but only a few people become givers.
Being a taker comes naturally. From the moment a baby is born, it takes. It wants food and warmth and comfort. If no one fulfills the baby's desire, it screams until it gets whatever it wants. Becoming a giver in life takes time and instruction. We must be taught to share. We must learn to give. Unfortunately, most people never learn to really give. They give, but they expect something in return. They are still selfish. A selfish child becomes a selfish teenager who becomes a selfish adult. If a person has never developed a lifestyle of giving by their teen years, I doubt they ever will. A college degree or a high-paying job can change their income but not their heart.
Through my teen years, I volunteered at least two days a week at The Master's Outreach in my hometown. The Master's Outreach is a non-profit organization, which helps feed and clothe the needy. We even went to Central America once to take clothes, food, medicine, and other supplies. On other occasions, we sent supplies to help hurricane victims. Each one of these projects required a lot of time and effort by a few people willing to give.
By now, volunteer work has become part of my life. I intend to continue giving during my college career at Jones Community College and then, Mississippi State University where I will pursue a degree in architecture. With a college degree, I will have even more opportunities to serve my community. As an architect, I would like to become involved with Habitat for Humanity because they have such a good reputation and will be able to use my particular skills.
Even forms of human beings preforming selfless acts derives from ones desire to help others, which in a way makes that person feel importance. Blessed Teresa of Calcutta, better known as Mother Teresa, devoted her life to helping those in great need. To many these acts may appear as selfless and gallant acts that are not performed by anyone with any type of ego. Yet when taking a psychological look at why she performed such acts they may appear a somewhat more for herself. Every time anyone does anything, even when for someone else, they are doing it for some type of feeling that they experience. With the holiday season approaching, there will be a specific emphasis on giving unlike any other time of the year. We give yes to show gratitude for someone we love, but also to experience the joy in seeing someone enjoy something they them self-caused. Even while being selfless humans have the unique ability to still be doing something that involves caring for them self. This outlook toward the human condition completely debunks Wolf’s claim that “when caring about yourself you are living as if you are the center of the universe.” When choosing to do anything positive or negative, for others or for yourself, you are still taking your self-interest into consideration, making it
I believe that the color imagery in Sir Gawain And The Green Knight represents nature, as a force that man has little control over. This is evident during the journey of Sir Gawain, and later, his shame in front of King Arthur's court. Nature does as it will in ways that can not be controlled by man. The best they can do is to acknowledge the fact that it is happening. They had no control whatsoever, and therefore, were subject to it's, at times, ferocity. This is similar to the ferocity displayed by the Green Knight. The Green Knight worked under his own set of rules, and like a growing tree, man had, and still has, no control over when the tree would leaf or bloom, or how long it's branches would grow. The Green Knight, like nature, has to be understood before it can be dealt with, and even then, you are not guaranteed success. You need to know how he thinks, and play your cards right, in order to come out of the fight successfully. At first Sir Gawain was on the right path, but throughout his journey, he became sidetracked and due to that, he brought shame unto himself, and to the court of King Arthur.
not completely mad but maybe disillusioned. There are times when they can be fine and times when the madness overtakes them. So in determining whether or not they are mad would be a difficult task. Although the causes of their madness differs, the end of both are the same.
...of the growing responsibilities that come with being an adult, the loss of innocence associated with growing up, and the phoniness of that comes with growing into an adult. Holden cannot accept the responsibilities and consequences that come with growing up so he refuses to grow up. He does not even call his parents after getting kicked out of Pencey. Holden does not want to grow up because of the loss of innocence that occurs with growing up. He always praises little kids and the purity. He wants to be the catcher in the rye for children so that they do not fall off cliff and lose their innocence. Holden sees that the adult world is full of phonies and even says his own brother is phony so he does not want to grow up. Though at the end through his deep talk with his sister Holden now is beginning to realize that growing up is inevitable.
Holden’s adolescent mindset is brought up many times throughout his story. For example, many times he will not listen to adults, though he is intelligent enough to know that the advice is wise, and is willing to listen to kids, who almost never have the intellectual capacity or experience to tell him what he wants to hear. While conversing with Mr. Spencer, Holden inwardly reflects on his discontent with Mr. Spencer’s view of life,
To begin with, Holden’s love for the innocence and purity of childhood makes him very hesitant to transition into an adult life. Generally, he finds children to be straightforward, easygoing, and simply pure in every way. This is because they always say what they mean, and never try to set a false façade for...
Our actions leave impressions on other people’s lives every day. If we could all work together we could knock out many problems that plague impoverished countries every day; like famine and war. When we do not interact in a positive loving way chaos, fighting, and war breaks out. If the human race as a whole does not learn how to cooperate and take only as much as we need, our lives as we know them could fall apart. We see it constantly repeated in early civilization what happens when a society takes too much; they all crumble as a result of greed and
Some people don’t want to give anyone anything because it was their choice to do whatever they did to get them where they are now.
This led Grant and Dutton to observe three main things. The first being reciprocity; A sense of obligation to help that person who helped us and reflect on what we have received from the person. The second, is a feeling of dependency and shame in reflecting on what we have received from others. Finally, short-term emotional behavior. Researchers wondered if thinking about the times when we gave something to others might be more effective in promoting aid. Therefore, both researchers hope to find and hope that in reflecting on the granting of benefits to other people will produce a greater increase in prosocial behavior.
Nnoromele, Patrick C.. “The Plight of a Hero in Achebe’s Things Fall Apart.” Chinua Achebe's
A lot of people today are more focused on themselves and how they can advance instead of being on others and being selfless. Sure, my mom comes to mind when I think about what it meant for her to be a young single parent. She has spoken of times when she’s given my sister and I food over herself because she couldn’t afford to feed all of us. She had always put herself and her needs last when my sister and I were growing up. If we needed things, she would go without so that we could have clothes, food, etc. When I was in high school, our neighbor had lost their job and were being evicted. My mom took her in even though she was also unemployed and barely making ends meet and made sure she was taken care of. That was my mother then, but the mother I have now is lost and has gone off the path of what it means to practice humility. I’ll save that story for another
We all have a sanctuary, be it a favorite book or song, or a special, private spot by the river. My sanctuary is somewhat unique, given that so few people are fortunate enough to have it. It is 5'2" with warm hazel eyes, a gentle smile, and the most beautiful soul I have encountered in my eighteen years of life. I call her Nona.
People are selfless “I made up the bed… the way Mr. Frank and Mr.Kraler said” “it proves that she didn't argue with them and she did it with kindness.” “forgive me peter. Now let me see. We must find a bed for you and your cat” “everyone hated the cat and he gave them both a bed, so then it will help the cat and him, the person who said that is welcoming and kind.” “i don't care about the food. They can have mine! If they want it!” “she mad but she still is caring to give people her food so they won’t starve”
It is not worth living in a perfect world. From The Giver we gather much knowledge of
not only can giving make you happy in one way but it can also make you feel happy about yourself in many other ways. Muhammad Ali once stated, " Service to others is your rent you pay for your room here on Earth."