Me to We

"Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow." - Melody Beattie "Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter." - Martin Luther King Jr. "Overcoming poverty is not a gesture of charity. It is an act of justice. It is the protection of a fundamental human right, the right to dignity and a decent life." - Nelson Mandela "I've lost myself for good within your promise." - To The Ends of the Earth, Hillsong "Be the change you wish to see in the world." - Gandhi "Nothing in the world has ever been accomplished without passion." - Anonymous ----- Some of my favorite quotes. The first one is a new favorite. It's as if a light has turned on inside. Real thankfulness brings real peace. I've been reading 'Me to We' for the past few months now. It's been more than a breath of fresh air for me. It's truly refreshed me. Ever since I started teaching at an inner city school this year my heart has been enlarged by the immense love and joy of the children in my class. What I once feared, as a sheltered suburban young Asian woman, has now been erased as I find myself falling more and more in love with children in places that are so different from my realities and my 'world'. Learning from the Kielburger brothers and their genuine compassion and love for the children of this world is humbling. I feel like I'm standing on the edge of my future - not knowing where I'll be when I graduate. Not knowing where I'll teach, who I'll teach and even if I'll teach. North America? Asia? But like I said, in this past year I've been exposed to passionate teachers, one particular professor and individuals who have sparked a huge desire in me to reach out to those who need to know they are not forgotten. To love children who don't have much and then to find out that I am the one in lack. A lack of gratitude and thankfulness. Religion that is pure to God is one that takes care of the widows, orphans, people in distress. It is to keep oneself from being polluted from the world. To keep oneself from all things shiny and bright, attractive and alluring. How hard a task that is when I look at it from my human eyes and perspective. But how awesome it also is when I can experience firsthand the incredible sense of satisfaction, pure joy and of course gratefulness that comes when I learn to live in service to others. What the future holds for me is uncertain, but what I do know is that I have developed a lot more than a soft spot for the marginalized in our society, especially the children. So whether I end up on this part of the world or on another part - as long as I can hang out in the 'gutters' of the streets - I'll be just fine.