Have you made a difference?

[Suarga]

I don't see good reason in making a difference. For people that do, I say that's fine, I assume they do it because its rewarding. Focusing on what it does for you seems pretty selfish, though I assume some people out there just do it because they feel they have good reason to give back. So, I don't have a burning desire to change something or make a difference. My everyday life is fine, I have nothing to change and to say I did would be ungrateful.

 

[spartan231490]

Beware this may be kind of a depressing post, but It has been on my mind for a while now so I say why not share it.

A few months ago the Mother of a friend of mine found out she had terminal cancer, she had time to put things and order and all that even made a "living funeral" party. Before she died she told her son (my friend) that she was afraid to die but that she didn't regret anything and that she was at peace because she led a useful life and felt she had made a difference in the world.

His mother was a doctor, she spent a lot of time in Africa and other countries she also did some medical research and helped in an organization that offers support to people that can't pay for drugs for their chronic illness.

More recently, after finishing his degree, my friend sold most of his belongings and has gone on some sort of soul searching trip. Last conversation I had with him we talked about how he felt he hadn't made enough of a difference in the world and he was afraid of dying without accomplishing something.

This made me think about my life, how I live it and what I have been doing with it and honestly I don't know, I don't even know if I can or ever be able to make a difference.

What about you? Have you made a difference? Do you want to? Do you even think you can? Does "making a difference" even mean anything?

OT: sorry for the length, I just wanted people to know the origin of the question.

Everyone "makes a difference." You change the lives and minds of your friends and family, and those changes influence every interaction they have afterwards, which influences the actions of their friends and family. In that sense, we are all immortal, because we all cause ripples which change the world forever. Each ripple is a small thing, but together, those ripples shape the world we live in.

 

[bbad89]

I will cure cancer. Just watch.

 

[Fiz_The_Toaster]

I don't know if I want to, to be honest. If I do, I don't want it to be something major, maybe something on a smaller scale. I feel rather selfish if I try to make a difference, I mean, I want to help people, but not to where everyone knows about it.

I don't know, maybe I am and I don't know about it.

 

[Suarga]

I don't know if I want to, to be honest. If I do, I don't want it to be something major, maybe something on a smaller scale. I feel rather selfish if I try to make a difference, I mean, I want to help people, but not to where everyone knows about it.

I don't know, maybe I am and I don't know about it.

Well its only selfish if you're doing it for the notoriety. If you do it for the sheer hope of changing something for the better, thats the epitome of selflessness. Dying for the greater good, etc., etc.

 

[Fiz_The_Toaster]

I don't know if I want to, to be honest. If I do, I don't want it to be something major, maybe something on a smaller scale. I feel rather selfish if I try to make a difference, I mean, I want to help people, but not to where everyone knows about it.

I don't know, maybe I am and I don't know about it.

Well its only selfish if you're doing it for the notoriety. If you do it for the sheer hope of changing something for the better, thats the epitome of selflessness. Dying for the greater good, etc., etc.

Yeah true, I would have to question why I would want to do it in the first place though. I just don't think I'd want to do it on a large scale.

 

[The Rockerfly]

I will give back as soon as I can. I take so much for granted, the government, my parents and loved ones. The second I am finished with my degree I will start paying giving back

 

[Suarga]

Yeah true, I would have to question why I would want to do it in the first place though. I just don't think I'd want to do it on a large scale.

Yeah, would have to be pretty passionate to try (and succeed) at a large scale change. Maybe it wouldn't be too hard though, since in desperate times people look to those claiming they know the right way out and its not the path they are going. Whatever floats your boat, though.