Change in family values.

Growing up I never had anyone teach me the importance of community service. Frankly, until I was seventeen I didn't know what it was. I had heard about people doing it, but I thought it was for serious troublemakers and the extremists. I didn't think I had anything extreme to protest or change that wasn't already in progress. My family and the different communities I grew up in were apathetic towards anything outside their general cocoons. The only time my mother even suggested volunteering was so that I could get an insiders look on a career. I never learned to place importance on community service until I was in the HUM190 class with Sherry, Paula and her husband Dr. Vaugn. It was there that Paula introduced service learning to me. It was difficult to say the least finding the significance in the little community service that we did. I though that it was difficult because as Loeb said I was "beyond my comfort zone". I didn't like anything beyond my bubble of exsistence, but after HUM190 I realized I was apart of a bigger bubble.

Then I was convinced to do S.L.I.C.E where I thought it was going to be the most challenging experience I had ever faced. In reality it hasn't been. It hasn't been nearly as challenging as what some of the poeple experienced in the Soul of a Citizen. Once I read chapter 3 though, I understood that everything doesn't have to be a challenge, that I am taking steps towards a bigger challenge. Change.

I have found since being in this class that I value my ability to be understanding. I have told Austin this, but I like to take the philosophy of the "golden rule" (treat others the way you want to be treated) and instead of the word treat I put understand. Understand others the way you want to be understood. I try not to make judgements and or jump to conclusions. I think that this is an important skill for any cause that I would take part in.