It states in the book that the Standford student learned more volunteering then he did in school, so I think that the he only wanted his grandchildren to get the same experience that he did. This doesn't necessarily mean it has to be in a homeless shelter. He wants them to be able to learn valuable things from volunteering, as he did.
In my Culteral Diversity class the other day, we were discussing segregation in schools and what kind of impact the Civil Rights Movement had in changing that. We then discussed how it was hard to change the minds of people who had been living a certain way for so many years. That idea can also fit in with shelters, and many other causes. As long as I can remember we have had shelters that people can go to if they do not have a home. We have lived in this way for so long that it would take everyone coming together to ensure that people no longer had to live in shelters or on the streets. It would take a shift in the entire society to end it completely, and I do not think this will happen by the time my grandchildren come along. This does not mean, however, that we should get discouraged and stop trying to help the homeless, or other causes. I think it relates back to previous chapters in the book where it said that change happens"one step at a time". Each little acheivement made is a step in the right direction to changing it completely.
For now, I think we need to ask the question, "What about now?" We should focus more on the present and what we need to do today as volunteers. We need to keep helping and fighting for a better society, and not give up hope. We can look at the Civil Rights Movement and take comfort in the fact that the world is always changing and time does go on, so one day things will be different even though we might not see the change happen within our lifetimes.
The song What About Now? by Daughtry fits in perfectly with this topic, and the music video is very moving. The link it attached, so go check it out! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ylgchWR-Ig
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3 comments:
Anna, Anna, Anna!
I love your blog...but what makes me want to comment is the Daughtry song. Many of us, myself included, are inspired and moved by music more so than words. How appropriate that you linked this song. I had not seen the video and what a memorable, powerful statement it makes. The song that moving to my 'wise' generation was 'Another Day in Paradise' by Phil Collins
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=svR8YA-DXCg
Anna, you did a wonderful job.I agree he just wanted his child to get the same experience. The same feeling of helping your fellow man. Instead, of just reading about it.
You are right, it is hard to change the ways people live their lives when they having been living them that way for so long. I too thought that it would be too difficult to create such huge changes in our world, but like you said, that does not mean we should give up.
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