"Money never made a man happy, nor will it ever. The more a man has, the more he wants. Instead of filling a vacuum, it makes one."
In 8th grade, we had a substitute teacher who decided to have intellectual conversations with us. He asked us: "is money important?" Everybody answered saying, "yes, of course. How else could we survive?" After thinking about it for awhile, I talked to him on an individual basis and decided that life would be better without money. It was approximately six years ago; therefore, I do not really remember my argument. I do remember that the substitute truly believed I would get far in life, and I would be one of the few that didn't run after money in the future. (I guess my future hasn't yet arrived; therefore, I can't tell you if he's right or wrong.)
Anyway, there are so many times when I wonder why I said that to him at such a young age. And now I feel like I understand my response better. So a group of us students are going to Panama for a week to volunteer and set up business workshops. We need to pay approximately $1500 each to go on this trip. WHY?! We want to volunteer. We want to help. We want to make a difference. But not everyone can join us because they aren't financially stable. Is that fair?
Why is money so important? Why can't we all just put what we have into society, and hope that it gives back enough to us so that we can live happily? If I could, I would live the rest of my life volunteering with DKMS Americas, going to countries to help the less fortunate, etc. But I can't do that. You know why? I have to think about my future. I have to think about my family and my kids. Instead of focusing my energy on others, I have to be selfish and worry about my financial stability. I know some people are more than happy doing that; they much rather focus on themselves than others. But what about those that just want to change the world? I mean, come on...is it really too much to ask for? I guess so.
A request from a follower**please add your comments/questions/thoughts through the blog itself instead of FaceBook so that everyone can get involved!
Before signing off, here's something I'd like to share. Two weeks ago, I e-mailed Rutgers' president asking him what he thought about life. I specifically asked him if he thought I should focus on school or on volunteering and making a difference. His response was very general, but it means a lot that he took out time to respond to a student. I'd like to share a part of his e-mail; it might make things more clear for you:
"You asked whether you should focus on your education or on issues like bone marrow donation—and I think the best answer is to focus on both. Students who get involved in activities that go beyond the classroom, as long as they are able to balance these activities with their studies, tend to be the most successful students. Again, you have my admiration and my best wishes."
My cousin wasn't very satisfied with his response, but I like it.
So long <3
In 8th grade, we had a substitute teacher who decided to have intellectual conversations with us. He asked us: "is money important?" Everybody answered saying, "yes, of course. How else could we survive?" After thinking about it for awhile, I talked to him on an individual basis and decided that life would be better without money. It was approximately six years ago; therefore, I do not really remember my argument. I do remember that the substitute truly believed I would get far in life, and I would be one of the few that didn't run after money in the future. (I guess my future hasn't yet arrived; therefore, I can't tell you if he's right or wrong.)
Anyway, there are so many times when I wonder why I said that to him at such a young age. And now I feel like I understand my response better. So a group of us students are going to Panama for a week to volunteer and set up business workshops. We need to pay approximately $1500 each to go on this trip. WHY?! We want to volunteer. We want to help. We want to make a difference. But not everyone can join us because they aren't financially stable. Is that fair?
Why is money so important? Why can't we all just put what we have into society, and hope that it gives back enough to us so that we can live happily? If I could, I would live the rest of my life volunteering with DKMS Americas, going to countries to help the less fortunate, etc. But I can't do that. You know why? I have to think about my future. I have to think about my family and my kids. Instead of focusing my energy on others, I have to be selfish and worry about my financial stability. I know some people are more than happy doing that; they much rather focus on themselves than others. But what about those that just want to change the world? I mean, come on...is it really too much to ask for? I guess so.
A request from a follower**please add your comments/questions/thoughts through the blog itself instead of FaceBook so that everyone can get involved!
Before signing off, here's something I'd like to share. Two weeks ago, I e-mailed Rutgers' president asking him what he thought about life. I specifically asked him if he thought I should focus on school or on volunteering and making a difference. His response was very general, but it means a lot that he took out time to respond to a student. I'd like to share a part of his e-mail; it might make things more clear for you:
"You asked whether you should focus on your education or on issues like bone marrow donation—and I think the best answer is to focus on both. Students who get involved in activities that go beyond the classroom, as long as they are able to balance these activities with their studies, tend to be the most successful students. Again, you have my admiration and my best wishes."
My cousin wasn't very satisfied with his response, but I like it.
So long <3
So true. In regards to your president's comment- It may seem like a generic response at first sight but it's what you make of it that makes the difference. Read between the lines. It's great to make a difference but don't abandon the facilities available to you. You use what you can to further your knowledge and make an even greater impact using those tools.
ReplyDeleteI agree with that. My friend and I were discussing as we fell asleep last night how in order to have that greater impact, you need to be a person that people want to listen to, that people want help from. I guess what you're saying emphasizes what he means: be grateful that we are able to become educated, and then go and help others out. Find a balance between both that will in the end help others as well as make you a better, stronger person.
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