Think about it

You're starving? Think about the people that would die for your food. Your life sucks because you failed a test? Think about the families that are suffering, but still have smiles on their faces each day. You throw out your food because you don't want it? Think about people that are living off next to nothing.

Misery is a choice. A choice we, as Canadians/Americans, chose when we're upset with something. A choice that less fortunate others choose to look past and enjoy life for what it is, and what they have. WE as Canadians and Americans don't appreciate what we have until we see other places with our own two eyes, other places that are lucky if they have fresh water, and  we realize that we're very lucky. We realize that we want those other places to have fresh water, food, health care, homes, like we do. Well, how do we help? WE can make a change, a change that we have to work at each day at a time, but eventually we'll get there.

The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.
- Lao Tse

Amazing quote. This journey that I'm taking, a journey I want you all to join me with, will take miles to complete. But we'll work at it with a step each day.

Making a difference in the world isn't easy. Realizing what others go through is hard to comprehend until you see it with your own two eyes. A couple months ago, I had went to the Dominican Republic on vacation. We ended up going through the towns in Puerta Plata, and that's when it hit me. There were families living in shacks that were falling apart, people that tried to sell us things to get money, families that needed help. But what did those families have that WE usually don't?

A happiness that we could never conquer when we're in the toughest of situations. A happiness that we can never seem to bring up if we have no money, or no 'snacks.' But those families, who have close to nothing, can manage to make the best of anything and throw a smile on and have fun even in the roughest of times.

In Dominican, I saw people living in shacks with a smile so big on their faces. Everyone said “Hola!” whenever we went by. It was so happy, so inspiring, I wanted to stay forever. I wanted to live there and be as happy as they are and help them. But I had to go home sooner or later, and when I got home, my thoughts on the world had changed forever.

I realized that even though people in Dominican, or Africa, or Asia, or China need our help, our donations, their all grateful for what they have. As they wait for the change that'll change their life, they live each day to its fullest.

They have another thing that we don't have: Each other. They have the power of togetherness that helps them all stick together and be strong. Lots of people here in Canada or America like to be by themselves, they don't like others help, but in places like Dominican...they all depend on each others help. They all lend their hands to someone else. It's truly inspiring.

Something that just makes me so happy is the smile on their faces when we give them a present. When you hand them a pair of shoes, no matter what the condition, and their tickled pink. It's truly inspiring how much faith and hope and love these people have.

I want to help a family in need of food and fresh water, I want to spread the word to the government that these people need our help!  I want to put a smile on a families face by sending them a cow for milk, or school supplies, I want to make an impact on someones life, I want to inspire them like they've inspired us. I want you guys to help me make this possible.

Most of all, our world needs change. We want a good change to occur where no one has to live in poverty, or be poor, or have no food or water, where no one has to be a slave, we want everyone to live in peace.

I want poverty to stop, I don't want kids to have to do labor at four years old and get abused, I want those kids to live a happy and healthy life. I don't want people to have AIDS/HIVS, I want them to be as healthy as possible. I don't want people living out of shacks with no fresh water or food.

If we all take one step at a time, we'll be able to help others around the world. Helping others gives you a satisfaction, knowing that you've changed a life. Knowing that somewhere, someone is receiving your donation and your help is an amazing feeling.

Some of these people can tell you experiences so sad, so heart wrenching, you just want to never go home, you want to stay forever and help. Even if their going through the hardest of times, they always seem to put a smile on their faces. So many of them have lost family or friends due to these issues, and their just waiting for someone to come help. They sit each day, a smile on their faces, or their out working in fields or struggling with an issue that we can prevent, as they wait for the day to come when everyone realizes that; there needs to be a change.

So let's learn a lesson from them, let's all work together like they do. Take my hand, and help me make the difference in the world that will change lives forever.

How can you help? Stay tuned for my next blog explaining exactly how you can help.

World Vision USA Blog;

World Vision USA Blog: "Editor’s note: This article originally appeared in the first-ever issue of Reject Apathy. Earthquakes. Tsunamis. Nuclear disasters. Crazed dictators. War. Sex trafficking. Blood diamonds. Rape. Poverty. Racism. Disease. The stark reality of all the “bad news” in the world can leave you reeling. Like a high school physics equation with a minute amount of force ..."

Where do I belong?

 Have you ever stopped and wondered, “where do I belong?” I bet everyone has at least once in their life. They have this sort of...absent feeling within them that there's something more...something spectacular just waiting to grab them and bring them in.

 That's exactly how I feel. Like there's somewhere in the world I need to be, somewhere I belong. It kind of feels like I'm on the outside looking in...as if I'm sitting there, talking, but feels like I'm just watching the conversation.

 Know what this is called? Being unsure. A lot of people HATE being unsure I bet, but guess what? It's OKAY to be unsure about lots of things. We're still growing as people, we're still figuring things out. Whether we're unsure where our future will lead, or maybe what our grades will be, it's okay. It's completely fine to change your mind over and over and over again, because we're just teens making our way through this thing called life.

 There's going to be people that want to bring you down. They want you to fail. But stand up. Don't let them bring you down, because you're better than that, and most likely they'll be working for you one day. Life is full of surprises, one minute something could happen the next it can all fall apart...you never know. That's why I say live it to its fullest, don't worry about where you'll be in five years, just enjoy right now. Be unsure about your belonging, be sure about yourself, be who you want to be.

 Sit down and think to yourself:

• I won't be negative
• I'll find my place
• I won't give up
• I'll never say never
• I'm going to enjoy myself
• I'm not going to let what others say effect me.

  Plenty of people let words affect them, know what I say? Change your brain from an absorbing sponge that's keeping all the words, to a board with sticky notes, and only let what you allow to be written in there. Someone calls you a name? Cross it off and throw it out. Because you KNOW you're beautiful/handsome inside AND out.

Don't let negativity come between you and you're life, believe me I know. The past few weeks I've been gloomy, and not caring about school. Where did that get me? Adults concerned about me and lower marks. Slowly, I'm teaching myself that negativity is just a form of bullying myself. That I'm really beating myself up on the inside, and letting it effect me and everyone else.

 I also taught myself this; the sky is my limit. I won't back down to a task, and I'll never give up. I'm already raising money for charities and families that need it. I WANT to help out people, and nothing is going to stop me. I'll never say never.

 We have the world at our fingertips boys and girls, and we have to change it so it's in our hands. We have to all join together and work as hard as we can to make this world a better place. Because if we keep slacking off and letting people stand in our way, we'll never reach it. Working together could even bring us to finding out place where we belong...it can also help others find their place. It'll also make friendships that will last a life time. Friendship and Family are some of the most important things.

 So back to where I was, no teen knows where they belong. I don't even know. But to find out where we do, we can't let anyone step in our path. Everyone will get to their belonging spot, whether it be in the next town, next house, or another country, we'll find it. Like I said before, we'll all help each other.

 So let's all shove the negativity aside and think positive. It'll be hard at first, but remember, we’re all unique in amazing ways, and we can all make a change in someones life, even our own life. So put on a simple smile, and make someones day...even try to make YOUR day. Because life will throw things at us that we don't like, but we won't back down.

Lets Make the Change

  Okay, so you go to the store with some friends and see a pair of $40 jeans. Once you've tried them on, you turn to your friends and say, "I MUST have these, I WANT them so badly! I NEED them!"  

  Whoa...wait, hold on a second. Did anyone catch the key words there? Of course you did, because their in caps. If you want something, you usually use one of those three key words in your sentence: Want, Need, Must. When really, do you REALLY need it? Do you really WANT it? MUST you have it? It's just common now a days that you see something you like, and you want it. However, what about the other jeans you just bought a few weeks back? You start to grow apart, and you get separated. Think of all that money you spent on clothes...when really, did you  need them? 

  Take this time to think, that $40 you just spent could have went to a family in need in another country, or even in our own community. Now, I'm not saying to not spend money, I'm just trying to say this; think. Think about what YOU have, and what THEY have. Maybe take those old pair of jeans and give them to the Red Cross, or donate some extra cash to World Vision. Every little bit counts. It really does. WE are the generation that will make a difference...we're also the generation that could destroy the world in the long run. By making a difference, it could mean both good or bad, so what do you want to pick? Do you want to help out the world? Provide families supplies, save a rainforest? Or litter, and not care about it all?  

  This is OUR time to act. OUR time to make the change that needs to be done. Humans have been on this planet a half as long as Dinosaurs were...and we're ruining the planet more then the dinosaurs did. What does that say about us? 

  We live in a world that has two different types of people: One type that cares, one type that doesn't care. What side are you on? 

  So next time you have extra clothes, or extra cash, all I'm saying is to consider donating it. You could change a life. 

  We're the generation that has the potential to change things...we've already changed it for the worst, now let's fix it and change it for the better.