"How do you change the world?"
I'm on my lunch break as I write this. Normally, I would be eating at home with my sister and we'd be catching each other up on our days so far and sharing any other random nonsense or the latest social media stories. But not today. I just moved this past weekend to Richmond, about 15 miles north of Berea, so going home for lunch is not really an option anymore. And it's just me and my computer, as Kelly is four days into a ten-day mission trip in Huancayo, Peru. So things are a little different, but that's ok.
A bigger, more noticeable difference for me is that in just shy of three weeks, my time as a VISTA will be coming to an end. I'm having a hard time believing it myself. While I'm excited and beyond ready for the next step, the network and relationships I've formed because of VISTA will be difficult to leave behind. I've met so many extraordinary people, and even I know that's not something that occurs just by happenstance. But anyway...I'll save the overt sentiments for a later time.
Last night, I was talking to a friend. I've mentioned this friend a few times before. One thing I haven't mentioned is that we're in very similar places in our lives: we've both had a few jobs, we're both very passionate about VISTA, and we're both not entirely sure of what lies ahead on the horizon. Of course, I have my new position to look forward to, but I don't know how long it will last. Nothing like that is certain. Anyway, he's been picking my brain lately about the world of grant writing, as he's in the middle of applying for a position that would entail that heavily. I mentioned that in regards to the job application, without really giving it a second thought I offered to look over materials (resume, cover letter, etc). I've always been fairly keen on editing, and my skills as a writer have really developed over the past year. My offer was appreciated, but our conversation was cut short because he wasn't feeling well and, in my words, "I decided to stop bothering him so he could rest."
This morning I was thinking about something my sister wrote on her Facebook a few days ago: "If you can't find a nice person, be one." My offer to be a second set of eyes didn't seem like much to me, but I realized that in the past, those I've looked over things for have been appreciative of my additional comments and feedback. I was on the phone with Time Warner Cable late last week, and when the call ended the technician thanked me "for being so kind to me." (His words, not mine). I love hearing stories about oblivious people being the victims of a pay-it-forward. Kindness.
One of my favorite movies is Evan Almighty. Not only is it ridiculously hilarious, it has plenty of heartwarming moments. The simple premise is a Congressman who gets called by God to build an ark. The entire process of obedience and the build completely transform Evan's life, his relationship with his family, his reputation in the White House and community, unpleasantly at first but all for the better in the end. At the end of the movie, Evan is talking to God, telling Him that he and his family are closer than they've ever been, and that many other aspects of his life are going well, all because he built the ark. God asks, "How do you change the world?" Puzzled, Evan doesn't have an answer. God writes out "ARK" in the sand and explains, "One act of random kindness at a time." Act of Random Kindness.
I'm sure many of you are familiar with the phrase "labor of love". I would even go so far as to describe parts of the VISTA experience as a labor of love: demanding, sometimes frustrating work, sometimes long hours, for virtually little money (Sorry, just keeping it real here!!) But something I've noticed about VISTAs, and something a fellow VISTA and I recently shared and agreed upon, is that VISTAs are unrelentingly kind. Seriously! I really don't know how else to describe it. Maybe it's because VISTAs don't care about the money. Maybe it's because VISTAs are in this type of work in the hopes that they'll actually get something out of it, other than just something to put on your resume or LinkedIn. Like a "can-do" attitude, almost. Maybe it's because VISTAs love people and their communities. Which is where I'll end...
Do I think random acts of kindness are going to change the world? Realistically...no. Do I think people should be kind anyway? Yes. Because even if you can't change the world, you can always, always try to do something to make your part of the world just a little bit better. That's part of being a VISTA, right? That's also part of being human.
A bigger, more noticeable difference for me is that in just shy of three weeks, my time as a VISTA will be coming to an end. I'm having a hard time believing it myself. While I'm excited and beyond ready for the next step, the network and relationships I've formed because of VISTA will be difficult to leave behind. I've met so many extraordinary people, and even I know that's not something that occurs just by happenstance. But anyway...I'll save the overt sentiments for a later time.
Last night, I was talking to a friend. I've mentioned this friend a few times before. One thing I haven't mentioned is that we're in very similar places in our lives: we've both had a few jobs, we're both very passionate about VISTA, and we're both not entirely sure of what lies ahead on the horizon. Of course, I have my new position to look forward to, but I don't know how long it will last. Nothing like that is certain. Anyway, he's been picking my brain lately about the world of grant writing, as he's in the middle of applying for a position that would entail that heavily. I mentioned that in regards to the job application, without really giving it a second thought I offered to look over materials (resume, cover letter, etc). I've always been fairly keen on editing, and my skills as a writer have really developed over the past year. My offer was appreciated, but our conversation was cut short because he wasn't feeling well and, in my words, "I decided to stop bothering him so he could rest."
This morning I was thinking about something my sister wrote on her Facebook a few days ago: "If you can't find a nice person, be one." My offer to be a second set of eyes didn't seem like much to me, but I realized that in the past, those I've looked over things for have been appreciative of my additional comments and feedback. I was on the phone with Time Warner Cable late last week, and when the call ended the technician thanked me "for being so kind to me." (His words, not mine). I love hearing stories about oblivious people being the victims of a pay-it-forward. Kindness.
One of my favorite movies is Evan Almighty. Not only is it ridiculously hilarious, it has plenty of heartwarming moments. The simple premise is a Congressman who gets called by God to build an ark. The entire process of obedience and the build completely transform Evan's life, his relationship with his family, his reputation in the White House and community, unpleasantly at first but all for the better in the end. At the end of the movie, Evan is talking to God, telling Him that he and his family are closer than they've ever been, and that many other aspects of his life are going well, all because he built the ark. God asks, "How do you change the world?" Puzzled, Evan doesn't have an answer. God writes out "ARK" in the sand and explains, "One act of random kindness at a time." Act of Random Kindness.
I'm sure many of you are familiar with the phrase "labor of love". I would even go so far as to describe parts of the VISTA experience as a labor of love: demanding, sometimes frustrating work, sometimes long hours, for virtually little money (Sorry, just keeping it real here!!) But something I've noticed about VISTAs, and something a fellow VISTA and I recently shared and agreed upon, is that VISTAs are unrelentingly kind. Seriously! I really don't know how else to describe it. Maybe it's because VISTAs don't care about the money. Maybe it's because VISTAs are in this type of work in the hopes that they'll actually get something out of it, other than just something to put on your resume or LinkedIn. Like a "can-do" attitude, almost. Maybe it's because VISTAs love people and their communities. Which is where I'll end...
Do I think random acts of kindness are going to change the world? Realistically...no. Do I think people should be kind anyway? Yes. Because even if you can't change the world, you can always, always try to do something to make your part of the world just a little bit better. That's part of being a VISTA, right? That's also part of being human.
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