Introduction
Local communities are the backbone of society, as from them a national spirit may arise as a reflection of either people’s good or bad qualities. Therefore, it is essential to recognize the impact a single person may have inside their neighborhood through one act of kindness. As a member of society, I have attempted to contribute to the betterment of my community in various ways, both as a future high-school graduate and as an individual. In this effort, both compassion and personal growth play an important role, with the former being my driving factor and the latter allowing me to perfect my approach towards community work.
One Act of Kindness Brings Significant Change
Homeless people are one of the most socially overlooked groups, despite their existence in every community. However, helping them is not something everyone aspires to do or even thinks about, instead often choosing to ignore them. These individuals, who overlook the condition of those less fortunate than they are, unfortunately, do not understand the difficulty of homeless people’s existence. Without food or shelter, they rely on mere chance to survive during months of harsh weather, when other people enjoy the luxuries of heating or air conditioning. However, the opportunity to help lies with those who recognize the advantages that life has given them and work with grace to spread it through among their community.
Helping the homeless population during times of trouble is the least one can do for them, recognizing their right to that, which may be considered lifesaving resources. Therefore, since I was fifteen, I have done my best to supply the homeless of my community with water during hot summer days. While one high-school student can only achieve so much, I tried my best to use the resources available to me, such as pocket money, to buy water bottles and distribute them among those in need. This action could not solve all the problems faced by the homeless population, but it helped establish lines of communication that breached the “us and them” mentality. A community may only be as prosperous as its most wanting members, and refusing the homeless human rights does nothing for society’s improvement.
Some people may argue that respect must be earned, not given, but this is a faulty conviction, which only leads to an individual’s isolation. Dignity is something that a person may possess and grant to others at the same time, without losing any integrity. Without social support, a person may not exist in a community setting, as loneliness cannot be a natural human condition. Thus, through simple respect the homeless community may be helped to a level where they may begin to maintain their respectability themselves, securing their future, and status in the world. Until then, recognizing one’s privilege and using it to support others remains critical, even if this help comes in the form of one cold water bottle on a hot day.
Conclusion
Kindness is an essential character trait for those, who aspire to change the world, motivating people to take tiny steps to a larger goal. These small deeds allow for extensive change, starting from a single community and overtaking the whole world through their sincerity. Through my actions, I hoped to help bring about this change in society, demonstrating that helping others may be as easy integrating an act of compassion into one’s every-day life. As I continue to grow as an individual, I hope to progress my behavior further, bettering my means and actions to help others achieve their potential as human beings.