make a difference in someone's life

I’ve been thinking about this more and more lately, and I really think that what I want my life to be about is helping others. That’s a big step for me because, while I don’t think of myself as a selfish person, I haven’t taken a lot of steps to get into volunteering or the such in the past.

What I want to do is find the proper venue for my efforts. I have volunteered with soup kitchens and Habitat for Humanity in the past, and I’d like to do more with that. I also have always felt a desire to work with and help the homeless. There is an awesome organization in Atlanta called Mad Housers that does that.

I’d also like to find a way to volunteer overseas sometime, too. Another 43Thinger, who I greatly admire and consider a friend, is getting ready to go to Nepal for the summer to volunteer. I think that is awesome. Unfortunately, I can’t seem to find a venue like that for myself (not yet anyways… I’m not giving up). It seems that most organizations only want volunteers who have backgrounds in education, healthcare, engineering, etc. I went to culinary school and have worked in either fine dinning or construction during my adult life (and I’m not ashamed of that).

I’m not going to go back to school just so that I can volunteer… so I need to do more research to find the proper venue for my efforts. That’s what this goal is going to represent for me now.

...to do something good instead of just not doing bad…

I’ve really been thinking about the relationship I have as a blackbelt to those who are not a blackbelt at the martial arts school that I go to. There are quite a few teenager and younger kids at the school, and I’ve really begun to realize how much they look up to us. I’ve really been trying to set a good example… not with just how much I try in class at the physical techniques, but also how I talk. I’ve also been trying to take the kids more seriously and try to find ways of teaching them philosophy and martial arts in ways they will understand. This still needs a lot more thought and effort… but it’s a worthwhile endeavor.

I’ve really been thinking lately about trying to get more involved in helping others. There is a great big world out there in need… and while I can’t change the whole world, if I do my part (and others do theirs), then the world can change.

I just have to decide where I would be most effective.

To me, this is all about contributing to life and the world around me. Life is a series of causes and effects. Even our inaction effects someone or something. We’ve probably all effected someone (probably multiple people) either positively or negatively without knowing it. I’d just like to do more deliberate living. To knowingly give forth without expecting a return… simply because it’s a good thing to do.