Albert Schweitzer once said, “I don’t know what your destiny will be, but one thing I do know: the only ones among you who will be really happy are those who have sought and found how to serve.” This quote applies to James Dowling’s life when it speaks of the happiness that can be found in serving. Instead of taking the path of the bragging war hero that seeks glory for his ego, Dowling took the path of the humble servant, who, although great, serves others. For example, even though he was a celebrated veteran, he did not spend all of his time on selfish ventures and parties; Dowling volunteered his extra time for the benefit of the children of his town: “Since I had my afternoons free I started organizing baseball games for the little kids, including my five sons. I’d buy the bats and balls and before long we had forty or fifty kids in the league” (Brokaw 433). By giving of himself, Dowling was actually receiving: he was able to spend time with his kids that would have otherwise gone to waste. Therefore, it goes to show that those who will be really happy are those who have sought ...
Katie’s parents, teacher and essentially herself all make her question what service is really about by presenting her with conflicting messages. Throughout the play an emphasis of being a do-gooder and a high-achieving student is placed upon Katie. In the opening of the play Katie tells David that she does volunteer to prove that she is "a well-rounded, well-adjusted person of the world"(3). Katie’s parents also go on to say that it is really nice that she wants to help David out, but maybe she could help someone else out by volunteering at a soup kitchen. To the parents, it seemed as if they were only placing a high importance on the actual word volunteer showing up on Katie’s resume rather than the people she was actually helping in this volunteer work.
Take Lieutenant Jimmy Cross, for example. Although he had no desire to be in Vietnam, not to mention be leading troops there, it is evident that he is selfless in the pursuit of the war, and genuinely concerned about the welfare of his men. Unfortunately, he is blinded by guilt to these qualities.
William C. Friday, former President of the University of North Carolina system and a dedicated educator, said of Roy H. Park ‘31, distinguished NC State graduate and namesake of the Park Scholarships: "Always of good humor and with a generous heart, he… [shared] of himself gladly in the service of others." How and why have you shared of yourself in the service of others?
In short, both the life of James Dowling and the message of “Be Ye men of Valor” are strong arguments in favor of Schweitzer’s assertion that people are able to derive an indescribable pleasure from service. Both Dowling and Churchill were driven by service in their life and both of them became the men they were because of their service. The sense of accomplishment one feels from serving for a cause is throughout the ages and around the world.
They who serve that we may enjoy the best America has to offer; FREEDOM AND PEACE AT HOME. Those who choose to serve in the ranks of our military do so voluntarily. Some first join to help pay for school. Some join in the pursuit of learning a job skill for when they return to the comfort of home and family. Others join because it was their childhood dream to take up the Profession of Arms. But whatever their reason they all volunteered to provide a necessary service to America and in so doing extended that service to the rest of the world. This service is manifested in providing comfort to our own citizens suffering from the devastation of Katrina two years ago to the current events which unfolded in the wild fires in California. They also brought hope and comfort to peoples of other nations such as the people who suffered in the earthquakes in Pakistan and those areas devastated by the tsunami a few years before. From the deadly beaches at Normandy, to jungle warfare in South Vietnam, the vast deserts of Iraq, or the hillsides of Bosnia-Herzegovina ... the American service men and women have contributed the brunt of the force required to provide sanctuary and hope for the weak and oppressed. Those veterans have answered the nations calling and have done and continue to do so proudly.
In “The Fish” by Elizabeth Bishop, the narrator attempts to understand the relationship between humans and nature and finds herself concluding that they are intertwined due to humans’ underlying need to take away from nature, whether through the act of poetic imagination or through the exploitation and contamination of nature. Bishop’s view of nature changes from one where it is an unknown, mysterious, and fearful presence that is antagonistic, to one that characterizes nature as being resilient when faced against harm and often victimized by people. Mary Oliver’s poem also titled “The Fish” offers a response to Bishop’s idea that people are harming nature, by providing another reason as to why people are harming nature, which is due to how people are unable to view nature as something that exists and goes beyond the purpose of serving human needs and offers a different interpretation of the relationship between man and nature. Oliver believes that nature serves as subsidence for humans, both physically and spiritually. Unlike Bishop who finds peace through understanding her role in nature’s plight and acceptance at the merging between the natural and human worlds, Oliver finds that through the literal act of consuming nature can she obtain a form of empowerment that allows her to become one with nature.
In the movie A Beautiful Mind, the description of schizophrenia is shown in many accurate ways. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) states that the symptoms of this disease are delusions, hallucinations, disorganized speech, or unorganized or catatonic behavior. People with schizophrenia are also socially withdrawn and awkward when in contact with other people. These traits of the sickness are shown in detail throughout the movie by way of the character John Nash’s struggle with the disease. Nash is a very intelligent professor but believes he is working with the government to foil a Soviet attack plot. Nash eventually goes onto win a Nobel Prize for one of his theories. The movie shows the effects of schizophrenia on not only one man, but also on the friends and family of the ill individual. Treatment is discussed but not to any great length due to him ignoring the doctor’s orders on medication. Overall the movie shows some very prevalent traits of the disease in great detail during certain parts of the film.
In book one of the metamorphoses, Ovid talks of artists, and how art can be used to create and transform. Metamorphoses means transformation or change, so in one word, Ovid’s title tells the reader what is to come. Ovid uses art in the Metamorphoses to prove a point. To show how strong the human spirit is, or to teach you to watch what you say, because you never know who is around. The story of Arachne displays a great example of watching what you say. Minerva hears Arachne saying that she is the greatest weaver, and Minerva sets out to prove her wrong. With Daedalus and Icarus, Daedalus uses his art to try and find an escape for him and his son. Showing just how strong he is and how much he cares for his son. For Pygmalion, his art shows the power of his love and how much he wants to find the proper woman for himself.
While I was reading the novel Beloved, I noticed several testimonies throughout the book, one of them being equality. The novel tells a tragic story about slavery and it is often pointed out that the color of one’s skin determines how he or she will be treated throughout life. The slaves in the book are in constant battle to survive among the white men; however, survival is not always the best things for the slaves.
Our current society is not capable of turning into one similar to Gilead. Gilead is an unstable time period, for what was known to be the United States of America. There are several reasons why our society today cannot be one like Gilead. The people of Gilead do many acts that violate the Bill of Rights, which our society respects highly. The United States Constitution is also violated in the novel, The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood.
Antisocial personality disorder is a personality disorder marked by a general pattern of disregard for a violation of other people’s rights. Explanations of antisocial personality disorder come from the psychodynamic, behavioral, cognitive, and biological models. As with many other personality disorders, psychodynamic theorists propose that this disorder starts with an absence of parental love during infancy leading to a lack of basic trust. In this view, the children that develop this disorder respond to early inadequacies by becoming emotionally distant, and they bond with others through use of power and destructiveness. Behavioral theorists have suggested that antisocial symptoms may be learned through modeling, or imitation. As evidence, they point to the higher rate of antisocial personality disorder found among the parents of people with this disorder. Other behaviorists suggest that some parent’s unintentionally teach antisocial behavior by regularly awarding a child’s aggressive behavior. The cognitive view says that people with this disorder hold attitudes that trivialize the importance of other people’s needs. Cognitive theorists also believe that these people have a genuine difficulty recognizing a point of view other than their own. Finally studies show that biological factors may play an important role in developing antisocial disorder. Researchers have found that antisocial people, particularly those with high impulse and aggression, display lower serotonin activity and has been linked this same activity with other studies as well.
Doing solely what an individual loves is a self-centered view of the world. While it is important to chase happiness, it is also important to reflect on what one is doing to spread happiness to the rest of the world. One must find something that they are good at, and put that into the world. They should contribute to others and help the world be better, in addition to following their passions. An individual’s acts of service may just become one of their many passions.
Andy grew up as a military child and he assures, “Being in a military family I can appreciate the veterans and their families more.” (Moore) Military children recognize the importance of sacrificial service that their parent committed. This ensures parents that raising a child in the military can help develop an appreciative, respectful, and prideful child by experiencing and interacting within the military lifestyle. The military provides a strong structure or values and traits that promote a healthy development of characteristics for
“Everybody can be great...because anybody can serve. You don't have to have a college degree to serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul motivated by love.”
If we open our lives and give service to those less fortunate than ourselves, we allow our hearts to receive immeasurable happiness. When we sacrifice our time to help someone in need, whether it is a great or small need, we become a part of their life and can help alleviate heavy burdens. Making time to help people in need creates opportunities for us to develop new and lasting relationships. Serving our fellowmen allows the best in each of us to shine through and we can become examples to our children.