“Be the change you wish to see in the world.” ~Mahatma Gandhi
This article by Dr. Amy Funk is a must-read!
About Dr. Funk:
Dr. Amy Funk is a writer, teacher, and presenter with a passion for empowering others on the topics of aging, grief, and nature. She has degrees in psychology, gerontology, and nursing. She writes a quarterly post on authentic aging and meaningful living. Amy says, “I’d love for you to join my free newsletter group!” Join the newsletter group here and learn more at agingwithamy.com. Amy never sells or shares personal information with others.
Below is an excerpt. To read the full article, please visit https://tinybuddha.com/blog/maybe-i-dont-need-to-make-a-big-change-in-the-world/
As a teen, I was passionately idealistic about justice, love, and compassion. Reading the words of Martin Luther King, Jr., Mahatma Gandhi, Mother Teresa, and other icons of justice inspired a desire to make a big change in the world.
Older people would attempt to temper my enthusiasm with a dose of jaded reality, saying things like, “That’s just the way the world is,” and “You can’t change people.”
I vowed to never be like that. I didn’t want to give into the status quo and turn a blind eye to others being mistreated.
I literally went out into the world and off to college clutching King’s book, Strength to Love, under my arm. I wanted to live my life advocating for justice and fighting for human rights.
The world swiftly punched me in the gut…
Fueled by my passion to change the world, I wrote a fierce letter to the editor on a racial topic affecting my college campus. In response, a group of giggling girls called me late at night, to mock-thank me for being the “white savior” of the campus.
It was a painful lesson that hurt deeply and confused and embarrassed me. My gusto to change the world had missed the mark. Read more at https://tinybuddha.com/blog/maybe-i-dont-need-to-make-a-big-change-in-the-world/