HH(which stands for His Holiness),the 14th Dalai Lama (and my favorite, to date) once said, "The creatures that inhabit this earth-be they human beings or animals-are here to contribute, each in its own particular way, to the beauty and prosperity of the world."
I am not sure where I heard or read that, most likely in a liturgy at Temple or any one of a thousand (hyperbole) books on HH, but I think about that particular notion quite a bit. It goes along the same lines as that age-old query, "Why am I here?" I suppose, but when I think of my contributions to the world and what I can do to be a part of the sum total of beauty and prosperity, only two things ever come to mind. One, of course, is you. Collectively.
I teach. That's something I can do because in so doing, I am afforded the opportunity to, hopefully, broaden minds and open hearts. It is my hope, that this will, in turn, allow you to do the same things with whomever is lucky enough to come in contact with you as you dance through your time on Earth. I don't know if this actually qualifies as a legacy, because that seems like a pretty bold statement, but it's really all I have.
There is that second thing, but it seems silly and I am not sure I want to talk about it and risk being mocked!
So, I ask...what do you do? What will you do? Do you believe in HH's idea about contribution? Does it make sense but seem impossible? Does it seem like a bunch of nonsense? What has been your greatest contribution so far? Don't say nothing or start wailing, "I'm only a teenager--I haven't done anything yet!" because that is a total cop-out. Think about all the people you have known, both superficially and deeply, and imagine how many more you have impacted in ways you might not even know yet. What will your legacy be? And more importantly, what do you WANT it to be?
(450-500 words/75pts)
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I think that everyone has an effect on this earth, the people, and the animals.
ReplyDeleteWeather it for the good or the bad. I know some times this word is filled with more bad then good. There is good though you just have to look a little closer at things.
I think HH’s idea about contribution is true. We all contribute weather large or small we all make contributions. I not only think HH’s idea about contribution is true I think it makes a lot of sense! But I don’t think it’s impossible. Maybe if you’re just a teenager and think, hmm I am only 16 and I go to school every day what do I have to contribute yes, but you have to look beyond that! Like how you affect the people around you. It’s the small things that turn into big things things. HH is far from non sense! He knew what he was talking about when he said what he said about contribution in life, Even if you only contribute to the people in your life. It its still a contribution right?
I am kind of stumped for words on this topic. I am not too sure what my contribution is.
I try to be a good student and productive member of society.
I think my contribution is like helping people. I am always helping someone even though there is never anyone there when I need help. I guess that’s what I do. I don’t judge people and I am always giving a second chance to someone. I donate money, blood, love and time.
I love. I love people. I love animals. I love nature. I am sure I have effected lots of people. Like everyone else I have effected people that I know I have effected and even the people I don’t know that I effected.
You know there are those people in life that you try to help, for the longest time that’s all you worry about is helping that one person. Then there are the people that you come across once and not think twice about holding the door for them, or giving them a quarter. But you made there day. Some times I get the feeling that I want to fix the world, ya know change everything that is wrong with it and replace it with right. So times I don’t think I am doing enough. Other times I think I am too nice of a person. But in the end were just making our contributions. Weather big or small, were making them! I know this is going to sound stupid but I wasn’t even really sure what legacy was, ya know I have used it before and heard it but wasn’t really sure what Webster had to say about it. So I Google searched it. It pretty much said something left behind or passed on. Im not really sure what I want my legacy to be. I just know I want it to be good.
Contribution isn't a word you can look up in the dictionary, search on Google, or ask a teacher and get a good answer. Although, HH does make a lot of sense, I'd have to disagree. Contribution, in my eyes, is what we as individuals are capable of doing or giving. All of us in the world, human or animal- we're not all here to contribute. Some of us are only as good as the dirt we walk on, whereas some of us are worth more then we bargain for. Whatever the case may be, every person, animal, or bit of nature is different. I am only a teenager, but I believe I've contributed more then a 90 year old. Just by holding the door, or giving my smile to someone who has lost theirs. Maybe that extra dollar donated to charity changed a little kid's life. Maybe, just maybe, that piece of trash I threw in the trash can instead of on the ground or my bike I road instead of wasting gas, would help Global Warming. HH's idea is indeed possible, but how many of us can say 'I gave a dollar to a homeless person.' or 'I saved a life today.' Not many, because half of us are too busy worrying about the next party we're going to or when our parents are giving us more money. I'm not even sure of who I am, let alone why I've been brought to this world. Maybe I was brought here to show people it's okay to be different, to fill a lonely person's heart, or save a life- even change one. I know for a fact I've effected people's lives. Whether it's good or bad, I've done something for them to remember me. I once knew a guy, all I heard about from people was that he had the biggest dreams and he gave 110% of himself into everything he did. He had the world in the palm of his hands and everyone knew he would be someone one day. 15 years later, he sits in a jail cell. People no longer know him as the 'Guy who had it all,' they know him as the 'Guy who lost it all.' Will I be like that in 15 years? Will I be the guy who has it in the palm of his hand and throws it all away? Is HH's idea possible? Have I really changed a life? Do animals contribute more than humans? Are we both equal? What is my legacy? So many questions, but only one answer. Life is a ride and I choose to take the scenic route. So, Bunje, to answer your question, we are all here for different reasons. To contribute or not, we're here for some reason and we can't figure out what that reason is and we can't do a thing about it, all we can do is wait and let the reason find us. Michael Jackson left a legacy of being the most popular singer, Thomas Jefferson left a legacy in this country- the Lousiana Purchase, Jackie Robinson left a legacy of being the first African American baseball player. They all changed the world back then and gave us the world we have today. I don’t want to be a singer, I don’t want to be the president, and I don’t want to be a baseball player. Can I really just be me, Dominic Giordano, a male who lives in New Jersey and leave such an astounding legacy? When I know the answer, that’s when I will know what I want my legacy to be.
ReplyDeletei was just asking myself this question a couple days ago why am i here. so i told myself what will i do and i realized i will make others happy i will make people smile i will teach others that a smile is the greatest gift i have ever been givin that laughter and happiness can trump almost any sorrow well that is the case for me no matter how down i was or down someone else was a smile or a friendly conversation would at least bring them out of that hole of unhappiness thats all most people want realy is just someone to ask hi hows it going or how you feeling.
ReplyDeleteI haven’t found why I’m on this planet yet but I know as I get older and look back on life I will find out why. But in the mean time I’m just taking life day by day and I have always said and thought about when I get up every morning. Take life day by day. I say that because life is to sort to have one bad day because if you are having a bad day and you’re thinking about the next that’s not good. I’m trying to say that life is to fast to think about the past and future so think of the present before doing anything. I sound crazy right now because I’m having a hard time typing it but if I could take to someone in person I think it would be a little different. I believe in the HH idea because there is always someone going down the wrong path and the right and that what makes the HH’s idea right. People are going to mess up in life and there are going to be people that succeed in life and by doing one of those things there has to be a reason why you’re on earth. It might seem like a bunch of nonsense in different situations in someone else’s life but I don’t think it is, not at all. My greatest contribution to this world and to my life would have to be how I look out for my sister. My sister has autism and she is great, and that’s why I see life as taking it day by day. Because I know when she is trying to tell me something and she can’t it frustrates her and it kills me when it happens. But I wake up every morning and just think how and why it had to happen to her and how she goes through her day not being able to talk and tell people how she feels and what she wants. I’m always there for her and that will never change. So maybe just her in my life and how I and she are brother and sister and still the best of friends that would be my best contribution so far. So yes take day by day because I will always look at life like that and just stop and tell mom or dad and look them in the eyes and just tell them that you are there for them and that you love them because that goes a long way in life.
ReplyDeleteI do the things i do for a reason. I do them because I believe that it will help me in the future with my life. I set goals so i can eventually reach them; no matter how hard they are. Nothing in this world should be impossible to yourself. Well, at least to me it shouldn't. Doubting yourself is a weakness in my book. Nothing should seem like a bunch of non-sense. I want to be the type of person that people look at and say, " Wow, i want to be just like him." I just want to be the one person everyone knows. One of my greatest contributions I have ever made is what i'm going to be in the future. I already know what I want to do with my life and i have my mind set to it. And i don't want anything to change. I want my legacy to live on and passed to my children. What ever I do, I want them to be better. There is never a limit to what you want to be.
ReplyDeleteI think that HH's idea of contribution is true . I believe that everything that is put on earth is here for a reason which brings me to the question do I think it makes sense but seem impossible. And that would be a yes and I don’t think its impossible. I think everyone has there own way of contributing here whether its big or small and you don’t have to be a multimillionaire in order to make a contribution. Little things such as getting out the bed every mourning and coming to school can make a contribution because your taking your time to make sure you educate yourself in order to better you and your community. I think the biggest contribution that I have made would have to be helping out people. Now I don’t go around donating money to charities and giving homeless people sandwiches but I do help the people I know out mainly being my friends and younger cousins whether its giving them lunch money for food to make sure they eat or making sure they're not getting in any trouble and doing good in school. Now I know I don’t make a big contribution but I think the little thing count too. So what I am trying to say is I do believe in HH’s idea of contribution and it makes a lot of sense to me I believe that all the creatures that inhabit this earth make a contributions whether it’s the big things such as the trees that give us oxygen or down to the small things such as insects like spiders which eats other insects that annoy us such as flies. So let me get down to the point. What I am trying to say is everything makes contributions and even if you think you don’t you do.
ReplyDeleteI contribute to people’s lives in many different ways. I be kind to others, I don’t break promises, all that good stuff. But the main thing I do to contribute to people’s lives is like you said I teach. But it is a different kind of teaching. I don’t teach classroom stuff, that’s boring. I teach life lessons, life skills and just skills in general that are beneficial to have. I will do the best I can to contribute to other people’s lives especially younger people because I know that they would benefit from it. One thing I did to teach younger kids this past year was that I coached little league football. I contributed my knowledge that I had from being a high school football player to them because some of the things the other coaches teach them are completely wrong. So I show them the right way to do it so they can learn and benefit from it and be better football players. I believe this theory makes sense because if you are going to teach somebody something that if used the right way can benefit them, they can be very successful in life because of it. Therefore it is not impossible. It doesn’t seem like a bunch of nonsense because like I just said, if that contribution that somebody has given you is used the right way, you can be successful in life.
ReplyDeleteSo the one of the many contributions I have to offer in life is teaching. I believe that is the best contribution you could ever give someone.
I think HH's idea about contribution makes a lot of sense. I have always believe that we all contribute to the world even when we think we are not, I will always believe in this idea because even the choices of other people affect us too. For example if a guy comes out of a party drunk and drives back home, he can have the change of being involve in an accident and kill someone, then all the family of that person will be affected, just because of his decision. Why am I here? I asked that question to myself for many years and now I think I know the answer, I am here to help and love people, I already know how I want my future to be helping children and loving my family, so I think my question is answered and I will contribute to society in many other ways. I think that I have made contributions to earth by listening to the problems of my friends and not letting them make bad and dumb choices, I gave them advice and love when they most needed. I have helped people that I don't even know, but when I see that they are having trouble or they don't understand something I help them, as an example I help people every day in my computer graphics class, and that is a small contribution but it will make a difference in whether they fail or pass the class, I always help people without expecting something back, a "thank you" is enough. I am a very loving person and I think giving love is a VERY important contribution, I donate blood and help save the lives of many people that I don't even know but It gives me a great satisfaction in the inside because I feel useful when I help, so I think that has been my greatest contribution so far, but I know that when I begin my career as a nurse my contributions will be greater. If people are not here to help, we don't need them, because we need good things to make this world a better place to live. I don't throw trash in the streets, so I help in the contribution of nature, I hate when people do that because they thing that trees and plants are not important but what they don't see is that we depend on nature and vice versa. I don't really understand the meaning of legacy, but I think that is something that you remember about a person?. And I want the other people to remember me for being a lovely girl that whenever they want a big hug, I will be there for them. I know that in the future I will accomplish numerous contributions, because I believe that everything in earth has a purpose, we all have a mission and we are all capable of doing our part.
ReplyDeleteI believe that I have helpt a lot of people in my life there is times where I catch friends or even enimies in a bad position and I stop to lend a hand. Every one would like to be remembered as like the greatest person ever that would be a nice leagacy to leave behind. But I guess realistically I just want to leave behind enough happy memorries so that when ever someone thinks back opon me t=I bring a smile to there face. It would be nice to be loved by the world when I die but it would be okay if I was just remembered as a nice guy by my friends and family. I often ask my self why am I here. Im not really sure why god put me here but I hope that for what ever reason he did put me here I hope that I served that purpose. i think I have contributed enough so far in my life that if I died now I would be happy with the way I am viewed, but I hope to stay around longer so I can leave behind children. One of my contributions in my lif I think is the way I talk to people or my understanding because often times I here people out and steer them in the right direction. Another one of my contributions I guess is my humor because often times people tell me I
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