We must become the change we want to see in the world
A glass that is only half-filled with water can either be perceived ashalf-empty or half-full, depending on the mindset of the person who isviewing it. Unfortunately, most human beings have a marked tendency to seethe glass as half-empty and do nothing more than perhaps wish that someonewould come along and fill it to the brim. And so, the glass stays half-filled with water and a volume of space with unrealized potential. At thispoint, I must confess that till recently, I belonged to the group of peoplewho tended to take the half-empty view and to that extent was a persondissatisfied with some aspects of her world. One such area of marked dissatisfaction was a rather decrepitneighborhood near my place of residence. As a lover of beauty and a personwho one day hopes to be an architect, the neighborhood constantly disturbedmy equilibrium each time that I had occasion to pass through. I used towonder and lament over the fact that no one seemed to care about the filthon the streets, the dingy exteriors of t
Irealized that raising the resources and funds to achieve a complete make-over of the area would not just take time but lead to a host of practicalissues such as rehabilitation of the residents. Instead I only see the promise ofpotential. he buildings, the graffiti on thewalls, or the total lack of any greenery. With the change in my perspective, I now no longer see a decrepitneighborhood that is empty of promise. I continued to feel disgruntled about the lack of change and continueddeterioration of the neighborhood in question till one day, when I readabout an eleven-year-old girl's efforts to bring about a change inenvironmental consciousness: "Severn Cullis-Suzuki has been active inenvironmental and social justice work since kindergarten. They were successful in raising enough money to appear at 1992'sRio Earth Summit, with the aim of reminding the decision makers of who theconference would ultimately effect. At age 11, shestarted the 'Environmental Children's Organization,' a small group ofchildren committed to learning and teaching other kids about environmentalissues. Simple things such as painting the interiors with cheerful colors,better lighting, potted greenery and shrubs along window sills and buildingexteriors, and even painting over the existing graffiti with say, a child'sartistic vision of a better world. To add to the list, I was alsohorrified to discover the degree of gloom within the interiors of thebuildings during the one time that I had reason to visit some of thetenants. Suddenly I realized that I could personally play a role in bringingabout a change in the neighborhood that had disturbed me so much. Yet, I continued to wish that it could change and theconstant refrain in my mind was that either the government or some richphilanthropist should invest in bringing about improvements so that theneighborhood could look as pleasing as some of the more well-kept areas inthe city. So I set out to examine thepotential for change that existed within the existing structures andsuddenly, where I used to see only ugliness, I began to see the promise ofcheer. This experience has also made me realize that there is agreat deal of truth and wisdom in Mahatma Gandhi's words that "We mustbecome the change we want to see in the world. A promise that has led to hope and a plan to mobilize thesupport of the resident and neighborhood communities in order to realize myvision of change.
Common topics in this essay:
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Focus Web,
Mahatma Gandhi's,
Children's Organization',
Severn Cullis-Suzuki,
Earth Summit,
decrepit neighborhood,
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