Changing You to Change the World

My eyes would close and thoughts of serenity fill my mind just so the concerns of the world--of my surroundings, became nonexistent. Sitting there, wondering why I haven't found myself or why everything and nothing seems to matter rattles my brain every five seconds. "Shrinking from the world," I did more than shrink. I climbed into a burrow underground and poked my head out when all of the 'hubbub' was over. I completely agree with Loeb. So many people go through life asking the same question. What am I doing here on planet earth? You know you are part of the world, but at the same time that fact scares the crap out of you. I haven't been confronted with many public issues that needed addressing, but the personal ones I can fully relate. I've heard every black joke in the book, and they never used to bother because I did not notice my color. The superficial eluded me and I went my merry way not paying attention. Then one day I look in the mirror, I am black. I felt uncomfortable with this new found truth and the jokes hurt my feelings more than ever. I wanted to speak out, tried to make my feelings known, but I shied away. I was too scared and didn't think anyone would listen to me. You need to speak out. If there is an issue, and you find a problem who better to speak about it than you! I didn't stand up for myself and ever since then I always wondered if I would be able to stand up for other people or just retreat to my shell and live in an invisible underground.

"Do not put off tomorrow what you can do today." This is a very popular saying and also very true. We always wait for the opportune moment, or when we think it feels right. The truth is, there is no "right" moment. The time is now, you feel something, make it known. If you want change, it has to start with you. The perfect standard that is talked about in the book has some correct points. I think that people don't believe they are impossible of making change because they do not know where to start, they don't think anyone will listen, and the thought of failure or embarrassment is too much to bear. Sometimes we do think that only Superman can do great things, but there is that little voice inside that acts at Thomas the Engine"I think I can, I think I can, I think I can." It did not surprise me that King got a "C." Many people that changed history received bad grades, were blind, deaf, the list goes on. I think he included this detail to show his readers that even Martin Luther King Jr. was not perfect. He had his flaws, but that did not become an obstacle in his life. We can all achieve the same greatness, we just have to step forward, breathe, and dive in.