th115+Improving+Our+World

Improving Gets Moving
"How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world," means many things. Especially to Anne Frank, the person who actually says it. She was hidden in a crammed attic during WWII. Who did she think helped the world? Well, maybe not the Nazis, but the people who hid her. There's so much of our world being improved today, yet it still isn't enough. Certain people, not all because I know how hard some people work, really need to roll up their sleeves and help. You don't have to devote your life to improving the world, just maybe a couple of Saturdays on which you're free to help. I think this quote means that you can help and people will do it automatically if they can. People can improve the world by enlightening others with their knowledge, taking responsibility for their actions, and becoming involved in their community.

One way people can improve the world around them is by enlightening others with their knowledge. That basically means teaching others about what you know. An example of that is Stanley in the book __Holes.__ Stanley finds out that one of his tent mates, Zero, never learned how to read. Stanley then decides to teach Zero how to read. Although that's not helping the entire world, he is helping the world around //him//. Plus, Stanley had to fight the fact that everyone else thought he was wasting his time. They all literally thought that this boy was worth nothing. I guess that's where he got his nickname. This makes me think about my own life. Maybe, since I'm a straight a student, to help improve the world around me, I could tutor kids who need helps. I wouldn't charge anything though. It really is cool what someone will do for someone else, even if their friends don't like the idea.

People taking responsibility for their actions is a second way to improve the world around them. This includes if your actions are for the right reasons. For instance, Jesus. Jesus died on the cross; not because he was a criminal, but because he spoke out against the high priests. Yet when they made him carry the cross up the hill, he didn't run or fight back. He committed a "crime," so he had to face the consequences. Imagine a classroom. In this classroom there are two girls named Natalie and Jasmine. Natalie and Jasmine talk all of the time in the back of the class but the teacher never notices. Then one of them says something a little to loud and the teacher happens to glance up. However she glances up when Jasmine is talking. So, only Jasmine gets in trouble. But, Natalie should admit to the fact that she was talking too, therefore taking responsibility for her actions, and improving the world around her. Maybe it is hard to admit that you're wrong, or that you were doing something bad too, but it's the right thing to do, and truthfully at a time everyone has to find the courage to do it, even if they may receive a consequence for doing so.

A third way is becoming involved in your community. I have a friend named Kayla who told me she was getting her head shaved. "Uh yeah right, if you do that you're crazy," was my first reaction. But, then she told me why. You raise money for kids with cancer, and then get your head shaved. Your hair is used to make wigs for children who have lost their hair due to cancer. Wow! Some people raise money for cancer while others donate their hair to organizations like Locks of Love. But she did both! That's awesome. Now her hair's as short as a boy's, but everything at our school thinks what she did is really cool. I do a walk for diabetes every year, but now seeing what Kayla did, I think I can do more. But you don't have to cut off all of your hair to be involved in your community, some things like picking up trash, or volunteering as just as effective.

I wonder what it would be like to be in the shoes of these people. Stanley, trying to teach some who everyone else thinks is worthless. Jesus, carrying the cross to his death to save us, or Kayla. Just imagine sitting in that chair. Seeing the scissors. And, knowing that in a matter of minutes, all of your luscious blond locks will be gone. All of those things took some real bravery. I wonder if I could actually be brave enough to do any of these things. TV and magazines always talk about kids who do courageous things or start massive riots or functions, but you don't have to do that. Small things work too. So what. You wont get on the news or get an article on you in a magazine. Does it matter? If it does, well // that's // a problem. There are many ways you can improve the world around you right now. Doing things in your town is just a place to start. Some people think you have to be a superhero, but I know that by just teaching what you know to others, taking responsibility for your actions, and becoming involved in your community, you're improving the world in //bigger// ways than you think.