Saturday, October 9, 2010

C=Cares about Others

You're an orphan in Russia during the 1970's: your mother dropped you off at an orphanage in Moscow when you were only a few days old because she was too poor to take care of you.  You are not a very pretty baby, so you are put in a dirty "crib," hidden towards the back of the facility where only the sickly, unwanted babies go; the healthy, cute babies are kept in the adoption area, so that parents looking to adopt children will hopefully adopt someone.  The workers at the orphange don't care about you at all; they go through their "duty" of throwing some scalding hot gruel down your throat once a day and then leave you to lay in your crib: they don't change you, they don't play with you, they don't take you out all day, every day.

When you are older, you sleep on a cot in a huge room full of lots of other orphans.  You have to work hard and obey orders; if you do something the administrators don't like, your head will be dunked in the toilet, you will be whipped, or you will be locked into a dark room for days with other "naughty" children, and with no food.


                                                                       
.   .   .

I grew up a rich American; I didn't and still will not be able to fully understand the pain and tragedy that people experience in other, less-fortunate countries.  I was born in a hospital to a Mother and Father who loved me; I had lots of brothers and sisters too who cared about me and played with me.  I had a beautiful, soft crib and enough milk, and later food.  I never wanted for anything, whether it was attention or material needs.  I had toys and books; I had birthday parties and swim lessons and music lessons.  Let me rephrase my first statement: I am a middle-class American, but to the rest of the world I am rich.  The life I just described is just like almost every other American!  We have so much that sometimes we forget to care about other people that have hardly anything.

Although unlike the majority of Americans, I was sheltered.  My parents decided to homeschool me and my siblings, and so I was rarely exposed to "the outside world."  I didn't know there were mean, cruel people; I rarely experienced being bullied by other bratty kids.  I was taught values and morals, and never once thought to throw a tantrum or yell at my Mom.  Not to say i was a perfect kid, haha I was faaaaaaaaaaaaar from it ;D  But my parents disciplined us so we wouldn't be unkind or disrespectful.  Most importantly, I learned how to care about others.

How you are raised has everything to do with how you will act when you grow up, no matter how much you don't like that or don't want to admit it.  I think because I was so well-cared for and generally only around other kind, decent people I thought that was normal.  I thought everyone cared about other people and I didn't understand when other kids would say mean things to me, or kick and scream when their parents asked them to do something.  I was innocent, in every sense of the word.

And maybe that's why I care about others.  Of course I'm human; I can be selfish and mean and unkind.  I don't like cleaning the kitchen or vacuuming my room, I hate folding clothes, and sometimes I just don't feel like doing anything for anyone :P  But when I see someone that needs help, I feel their suffering like its my own.  When I hear about the poor, starving orphans I feel guilty for having so much: why was I born so fortunate while they weren't?  I hate unfairness and I just want everyone to be as healthy and "happy" as I am.  Or when someone wants to play violin but they can't afford to pay for lessons, I don't care at all about the money, I just want them to be able to experience and--possibly--come to love being able to make beautiful music.  I especially detest when someone is treated unfairly though; that's what really gets to me.  When Eduardo in "The Social Network" was cheated out of his fair position as "Vise President" of facebook, I felt horrible for him.  He looked so sad and disappointed I wanted to jump into the movie and do something to make him feel better ;D  As well as punch the creepy bad guy who deceived him :P

Mostly I care about my friends, which includes family :)  Hey, if you're my friend you will always be my friend :D  Maybe we get bugged with each other sometimes, but it doesn't last long; maybe we grow up and change and don't have anything in common anymore, but I still always consider you my friend.  I think love really is blind; I love my friends and see them as really beautiful, unique and special and its confusing when they don't like themselves.  My friends give meaning and color to life, and I literally would give my own life for them if I had to.  If one had drug problems, I would drive them everyday to a counselor until they were "all better."  I don't say any of this to sound like I'm bragging: I say it because I want you to know how special you are if your my friend and how special people are to me in general :D  I care about others :D      

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