I don't do the things I do for recognition. I don't tell you about my job and my volunteering just for you to praise me about how great I am. I don't want you to say "We need more people like you in the world." I want you to say "How can I get involved?" I tell you about the work I do because I think its important to let people know that there are issues out there that ALL of us should be concerned about. You can throw all the money you want at these issues, but only by getting out there and giving your time, your knowledge and your energy will you really be able to make a difference in your community. Just throwing money at the problem is part of the problem anyway. Yes, there needs to be some money because we can't all be full time volunteers (in fact, only people like me with generous parents can afford to live this life). But everyone has more time to give than they are giving. If you aren't giving your time to help the black community, I don't want to hear you complain about the black community. If you aren't giving your time to help teach our nation's children, I don't want to hear you complain about the education system. If you aren't living a green life, I don't want to hear your preach about environmentalism. Yes, all these issues will persist whether we complain about them or not. If you fail to DO something, the problem WILL persist, but if you give of yourself to the pressing issues that concern you, you may be able to change them.
A little bit of a rambling rant. Maybe I will come back and make that more succinct.
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