Be the Change You Wish to See in the World

I going  going off the food/nutrition path for this post and will write about another subject this is very close to my heart.

First, a little personal background. I am involved with student organization where we recover unused/unopened food from the campus dining halls and serve it to a low-income housing group. This group needs everything and anything that we can give them, so in addition to serving food, we will teach nutrition education classes to the kids, young moms, and elder adults that live in this community.

Last week I went with a nutrition professor to talk to the community group’s leader about the classes. She told us about the community troubles: teen pregnancy, the cycle of poverty, testimonials of people struggling to get their GEDs…the list continues.

Needless to say, I was very upset afterward. And not upset like boo-hoo-wet-tears -runny-mascara-upset. I just felt heavy; like gravity was slowly sucking me towards Earth’s core and there was no way to stop it. Any thesaurus-word that you can think of for “sad,” that depicts exactly how I felt.

Ultimately, I decided that the best way to put this energy to use is to DO SOMETHING about it. My emotional drain was not doing anybody any good by me sitting on my bootay. How can I help this community group by moping about it? Answer: I can’t! Ain’t no time like the present and it is presently time to get movin!

Take action about issues that bother you. Whether it is poverty, hunger, or human trafficking, YOU can make a difference. Whatever you feel passionately about, DO it! You do not need an entire free day to volunteer. Any amount of time you have to give is time that someone will graciously accept (however, if you DO have a day to volunteer, that is wonderful too!).

Think of the world as a big black piece of canvas that is darker in areas where there is more need. When you and your sisters go to a nursing home or you go paint a house with your church group, y’all are punching holes into that dark canvas, letting light through the hole, where it can shine and reveal the joys of human life.

It is important to acknowledge that there is a lot of need in the world, but try not to constantly dwell on it and try not to let the issue bring you down emotionally (so easy to do!). Instead, use your emotional energy for ACTION, get out and DO it.

Punch holes in the darkness, one hole at a time, and eventually that black canvas will fade into light.

Check out these websites for more information on how to reach out to your community. Give your zip code, dates , activity type and it matches you with an organization or event.

www.dosomething.org —> a grassroots, how to start your own *blank* (whatever your passion is)

www.volunteermatch.org

“I am only one, but still I am one. I cannot do everything, but still I can do something; and because I cannot do everything, I will not refuse to do the something that I can do.”
Edmund Everett Hale

Christine is a Nutrition Science student at Baylor University. She loves black beans, the elliptical machine, and a little kick of caffeine.

intern@collegelifestyles.org