it isn't always about the money

My hols have officially come to an end. I am going back tomorrow. Goodbye freedom and pleasure and Hello Finals T____T

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I know I don't write much in my blog, I prefer to post up pics rather than words. Well, because for one, I am lazy and two, I cannot find anything intelligent enough to write.

I know in that last sentence I just make myself sound like I am faking my intelligence all this while. But to be fair, I never said that I am smart.

Saturday night is always an emotional night, because it is Oprah's Big Give at 8pm. I never missed it, every week at the same slot. And I am glad for that.It never ceases to moved and to touched me whenever I watch this show. And in more ways than one that I do not even know where to begin. Tonight's show is again filled with heartwarming scenes but one in particular that remained in my head until now is the scene where Steve helped out a shelter.

In that scene, after serving food to the people in the shelter, Steve offered to help wash the dishes as well. In the kitchen, he met this young African-american man who shared his own life story.

This man got into drugs after college but decided to sober up for the sake of his four children. And after rehab, he is now 7.5 months sober. Steve congratulated him and even offer to help him in any way he can.

At first, I thought this will be another scene when Steve will give money to this man, since he looks like he could do with some extra cash. But surprisingly this man just answered that Steve had already helped him by just listening to him, by not judging him and by not looking down on him. Of course, Steve was also equally shocked by his answer and Steve realized that it all comes down to this: "It isn't always about the money."

When one watches this show, sometimes we think that oh this people can afford to do all this charity stuff because they have money that can be donated. So if I don't have money, then I cannot help them.

But it is inaccurate, isn't it? Sure we are not filthy rich, but there are still so much we can do even without donating money. There is our time, and our strength, and our words, that all can also be donated. Even a simple gesture of respecting people around us and treating someone with respect already makes a whole lot of difference. By not judging someone as we talk to them, by not judging them as we look at them and by not judging them as we treat them.

I have never emphasized enough the consequence of judging someone. It happens so frequently and sadly, so blatantly in human nature that it becomes such a norm nowadays. Especially when we judge people of other races. When you judge someone, you already build a perception of that person in your head and it will be hard to change that perception.

I am sure everyone is guilty of that. I know I have.

And another thing that man said was that when you feel like you had a bad day, think about others that might have it far worse than you. So take each day as a blessing. Count your blessings and appreciate them.

He is right. All this while, I like complaining this and that. When truth is, others might have been worse off than I have. At least, I have food to eat and a bed to sleep in. I think this world could be a happier place if people complain less, and act more. What a small change it can make if all of us just try to not complain. I am sure we will even be happier.

This show has truly influenced me to give back to society, no matter how small it is. I know I may not be able to do much but during these times, I remember the story about the boy and the starfishes. I received this story through a email some years back. (some words have been edited because I don't remember the exact story now)

One night, a huge storm hit a beach and in the morning, all the starfishes lay on the sand because of the huge waves that washed them there. And there was a little boy who took each starfish and threw them back into the sea. A man saw what this boy was doing and told him that he will never be able to save all the starfishes because the beach was so huge and the shore so long, and that he is wasting his time. The boy said, that is true but it means something to the starfishes that he rescued.

It took me awhile to get the story but he is right. We cannot help every single person in need but maybe for each person that we helped, we create a small difference, and a small difference is better than no difference at all.

This show has helped me realized that no matter how rotten the world and his inhabitants has become, we can at least hold on to that little hope that there is some goodness out there. No matter how small the hope is, but to believe in that is so much better than to not believe in anything at all.

I guess it is time that I learn to give back as well. I don't know where to begin but at least I have equipped myself with awareness. I am taking baby steps now but I hope that despite all the workload that bombard me and rob me of my time, I will never ever forget to give back.

I also watched the Hallmark premiere of "Human Trafficking" tonight and it scares the hell out of me. 800,000 people are trafficked between international borders as sex slaves. That is such an awful and despicable thing. To me, any sex without consent is a disgusting crime and there is nothing that can ever justify it.

I am not in the position to tell anyone how they can help stop human trafficking because of my ignorance all this while but there is one thing I know. This business would not be so lucrative if it was not because of the demand. Just think about the women and girls around us. What if those sex slaves were someone we know?

I would elaborate more but I am too sleepy now. I know I won't be able to stop thinking about both these shows tonight because of the impact it had on me.

And I hope YOU won't stop thinking about it too. *Spread the message, pls*.