by Kim Chernecky

Created on: July 27, 2008

I think most people at one time or another have pondered the meaning of life. What am I here for? What is my purpose? What kind of mark will I leave on the world when I'm gone? Of course, life is so busy today that many of us never really take the time to make a difference in the world. Most of us never take the time to reach out to fellow human beings, and that is a real shame.

Today, in modern society we face the same ethical challenges and suffer with the same emotional issues as people did years ago. Society has changed, but humanity has not. Humans still feel anger, jealousy, love, fear, hatred, and sorrow just as they did long ago. It is our connectedness that strengthens our humanity; our spiritual connection. It is the need for interaction with others that provides the continuity of spirit from one soul to another. We need each other.
I believe that human empathy is born of suffering. While this may not be true of everyone, in so many cases, it is only when one has experienced trauma or heartache, a crisis or loss that action is taken to bring about change in our world.
For example, the rape and murder of John Walsh's son, Adam, led Walsh to create America's Most Wanted. The rape and murder of Megan Kanka led her parents and legislators to create "Megan's Law" which requires sex offenders to register with authorities. Mothers Against Drunk Drivers (M.A.D.D.) was created after Candy Lightner's family suffered a devastating loss at the hands of a drunk driver, and so on.
I think we are all guilty of apathy when it comes to big issues that affect others, but when an issue touches us personally or our loved ones, human nature makes us sit up and take notice. And even after being affected by an issue such as these, most people do not choose to act. Of those people affected, only a few will decide to stand up and change the world.
Former slave and author, Frederick Douglass, Professor Morrie Schwartz, and author, Mitch Albom all chose to respond to their circumstances with action. Frederick Douglass chose to change his own situation by first becoming educated and escaping from slavery, and then by expanding further to educate and then change the world by becoming actively involved in that change.
Morrie Schwartz felt and experienced all of the sadness, anger, sorrow, and more that every human being that is faced with their impending death would. But he made a conscious decision to live his life to the fullest, despite his prognosis. Not only did he make that

• 1
• 2
• 3
• Next Page >>