Have you made a difference?

[BlackSuit]

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.

 

[Daaaah Whoosh]

I'm planning on making a lot of differences later on in life. So I'm incredibly afraid of dying. Of course, enjoying life is also high on my to-do list, and I can't do that locked in a bubble.

 

[FalloutJack]

This reminds me of my "Justify Yourself" thread featuring a bit from Red Dwarf...taken in a more serious note.

Suffice to say, the answer is still yes. My self-esteem is such that I feel that I am awesome and have been a benefit to others, if even in some small way. Doesn't even have to be a biggie. It can just be. Ya dig?

 

[Grabbin Keelz]

In my freshman year of high school one of my classes was gym. We all were supposed to dressup and play sports n shit and we did. However, there was one person who didn't want to join the others, he never dressed out and he always sat on the bleachers every day. One day I saw him playing his GBA and I asked him what game it was. He showed me Megaman Battle Network 4 and told me all about it and stuff. Loooootta stuff happened from then to now, but the short story is about 5 years later he's my best friend and an overall decent person towards others. Speaking with his dad one day, he told me that out of all his friends I was really his only true friend.

I like to think I contributed to that a bit.

 

[XIII's Number XIV]

Me? Well, hmm, I'm known around as the kind of "therapist" of my friends and family. Whenever they feel depressed/mad/excited about something, they come to me and spill it. I've never revealed any secrets, ever, even if I'm near the said person/thing.

I dunno. It's small, but I suppose instead of a paid professional they turn to someone they trust to keep them sane, I like to think I'm making a difference in their lives. ^.^

 

[Ambi]

I'm just a leech.

For now, anyway.

 

[Dango]

No I have not. But yes, I want to, but in a way that prevents me from being admired or idolized.

 

[Feralcentaur]

*strokes chin* Not really, although my close peers would tell me I'm entertaining to them, I say things mostly just because I feel like saying it rather than to lighten other's day, and I tend to end up mostly just entertaining the people I dislike, rather than the people I actually want to be amused.
And then there's the fact to consider that for about every 3 people I entertain, there's 1 I annoy to no end, and 15 who have no feelings either way. And that's still of course nothing compared to actually saving people's lives as some others do.

In truth, as a person, I've probably consumed more than I'll ever produce. Although I wouldn't say that my death would be better for everyone, as I do still have people who would be upset at my death, I would certainly say this world would be a little better if I just had never existed in the first place. The food I've eaten, the water I've drank, the electricity that has powered the appliances I use, the time I've taken from my parents trying to raise me and the space I've taken up to sleep or sit in is not worth what little I've ever done.

 

[Chase Yojimbo]

My life is like a book. As I read it all things shall come to pass. If however that book ends unexpectedly, I shall accept that fate; but will I make a difference before the book ends? I want to change the world, and that is my life long goal.

 

[SovietSecrets]

Not really no. I help out here and there, but nothing too major.

 

[BabyRaptor]

Not really. I'm one of those people whose kinda just there...Not many people notice me, and usually when they do it's because I've angered them somehow.

 

[AlexWinter]

Well I volunteer to teach Spanish to the kids at my local high school sometimes.

I make people happy in a daily, basic way.

I wrote a book for the purpose of knocking Twilight off the shelves. Look out for it

And in the future I plan to adopt and raise a child to be a better man than I in the hope that he will too and I can start a chain of decent human beings.

That's all I can do really.

 

[badgersprite]

My presence has been scientifically proven to make lives better.

Seriously. Bask. Feels good, doesn't it?

 

[Borntolose]

Well, my robotics team encourages younger children to take science and technology electives when they get to high-school, which I like to think make a difference, as hitech is one of Israel's most important industries. In addition, once I finish school I'm going to the army, and I plan to serve more than the minimum three years. So yeah, I think I make somewhat of a difference.

 

[BlueMage]

Certainly trying to. I ... well, sorta get what your friend went through OP, the difference is my mum lived. And she still is, 8 years on. I'd just started uni doing engineering, so yeah, that caused me to wonder if perhaps I was on the wrong path.

As an engineer, I think I have made a difference - folks can live or die by what I develop and maintain (hopefully the former, not in unmanned weapons platforms development. Yet)

 

[blaqknoise]

No, I doubt I've made a difference. I'm not trying to though... I'm just living my life how I want to.

Perhaps one day I'll make a difference unintentionally.

 

[SuperNova221]

No. I have't. I've come to accept that fact that I'm a terrible person and even if I changed that it wouldn't matter in the end. I very rarely go out of my way to help people. That said, I don't go out of my way to cause trouble, that just comes naturally.