The one thing I want to do with my life is make for certain that it is a much better place when I leave it than it was when I was breathed into it. It sounds a bit cheesy, but I want to save the world. I want to be the change I wish to see in the world. As a little kid, whenever someone asked what I wanted to be when I grew up, I would respond by stating “I want to be a superhero”. As I grew up and realized that in the real world the only things that are called superpowers are man-made nations that help and hinder the population, I began to shift my mindset. I wanted to be an actor, a teacher, a doctor, an engineer, an architect, and a lawyer. Although I only see two of these feats as attainable (a teacher and a lawyer), I, above all, want to be a leader; a leader who helps people in their time of need for no reason, one who holds their self accountable for their mistakes, one who truly wishes to progress the world in every part of the map in order to help create a better tomorrow.
There’s just one issue: the problem will always start at home. It’s like a chain reaction of problems you need to fix in order to fix the even bigger issue. So many people want to help the entire world, but we need to look smaller in order to go bigger. Before helping the world help a region of the world; whether politically, socially, economically, or even culturally. Before that help individual nations in a similar way; if you have the means to help Puerto Ricans by offering aid after the affects of a natural disaster, do it; if you have the means donate food and water to the Somalians in need, do it; if you have the means to help innocent Rohingya Muslims escape persecution; do it. Even before that we need to help our own community, donate, not just money, but also time to those who roam the streets looking for food and shelter or the kids who grow up living in fear of the world around them because of what they see, hear, and live through in their own neighborhoods or households. Speaking of households, an individual who truly wants to help the world will also help their household. Call your parents and siblings to make sure they are in good health, make sure to talk through the issues facing the family, make sure you help your parents get themselves in good economic standing (even if it means having multiple jobs to help your mom pay her mortgage), but make sure to call your parents even if it’s just to say hi, one day they may not be there and they will be replaced with regret if the proper steps are not taken.
Before all of this, you must help yourself. If you want the world to be a better place this is an unselfish act. make sure you are in good health, make sure you are in the condition to help others, make sure to think before any action you take. Understand that you are also not self-sufficient. Ask your parents, siblings, friends, relatives, the people you love for help when you need it and understand that even if you are a non-believer, God will always be willing to help you in your time of need. We can’t change the world unless we change ourselves.