Random thoughts on life
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I spent the better part of Saturday at a conference for Bloggers. Most of the speakers were wealthy, accomplished individuals and the audience had its fair share of influential people too. All of the topics I managed to attend were interesting especially Rebecca McKinnons talk on the international blogging scene and human rights. Since I have been in Boston I’ve had the pleasure of attending these intellectual events where really smart or wealthy people get in a room and talk about how to solve the worlds problems. I’ve found it to be somewhat discomforting at times because I suspect some of them talk for the sake of talking, not the speakers at this conference, but “intellectuals” in general.
I myself have had serious internal conflicts lately. I live in an affluent neighborhood; working in IT, I have a decent income and a circle of friends that enjoy discussing the world’s issues. But when do I stop talking and start doing? More importantly how do I go about doing it correctly?
Every night I walk home through my beautiful neighborhood garden every day that I attend a class at Harvard I feel a pain that is hard to explain, it’s a sense of loneliness when I should feel as though I am on top of the world. I feel this way because I know there are three hundred other people out there who would die to be in my place but were never given the opportunity. I feel a sense of debt to the world and to my community. During a conversation with a friend recently, I think I explained it best by saying, I feel as though god has loaned me these great opportunities and every time I turn a corner, I’m expecting god to be standing their asking me to pay up.
The issue is not giving back to those that struggle the way I once struggled, but how do I do it in a constructive way. I am not a millionaire but there must be something I can do.
Later Saturday night I met a group of refugees from various parts of Africa, their sense of accomplishment was so different then mine. For them, the ability to walk the streets without being arrested or robbed by the police was freedom. Being able to attend any school at all was freedom. The tough part was, that in a way these refugees looked to me as a source of inspiration, but how does one inspire others when they are still questioning their own identity? I wonder if I have been too busy looking up to millionaires to realize I am in a position to truly help those that have less them me.
I expect that you are on the correct track - its just going to take a while. Keep going to Harvard, and get a degree. That will open more doors for you than anything else.
Once you have the financial success, *then* find ways to help the community. In your book, you mentioned a program where a local church provided a place and time for kids to get together and play in a safe environment. The kind of people that put that together can be found everywhere - and they will be there, happy to welcome you, when you have established yourself financially.