Anywhoo, As I was looking up inspirational quotes to give my roommate for her 21st birthday (Hi Taylor, I hope you read this after I give you your present... But who knows), I stumbled across Emily Dickinson's quote:
If I can stop one heart from breaking, I shall not live in vain; If I can ease one life the aching, Or cool one pain, Or help one fainting robin into his nest again, I shall not live in vain.I've read this quote before, but it's been a while. Probably since before I had declared social work as my major. And to be honest, this is why I am a social work major. Because I long to fix people. And I know that if all of my work here on this earth only leads to helping one person, my goal will be accomplished. My life will not have been a waste (not that I think I'm a waste).
Can you imagine if all people lived like this? Like their only goal in life was to ease one pain, to help one person, to stop one heart from breaking. In some ways, I can see this: a beautiful picture of humanity coming together to assist each other and living as if helping others mattered. On the other hand, I can't even imagine this because it's so far away. Which sounds completely hopeless, but it's reality, unfortunately.
Today, Sister Grace from the House of Mercy came and spoke in our chapel. She was incredible. I know a lot of people thought it was boring, some may have thought she was too forceful, some may have thought she was too "against the system" or something. But to be honest, she was doing what we are all called to do. Because we have a lot, much is expected from us. We are called to share what we have.
So basically, Sister Grace started the House of Mercy which is a homeless shelter in downtown Rochester. They have 4,000 people who come and are served through the House of Mercy. The building is only meant to house 19. Sister Grace and her coworkers also work to provide proper burials for the deceased homeless in Rochester. When she was explaining this, it hit me like a ton of bricks. There are people out there who have no one to plan a funeral. No one to take care of the details that must happen at the end of their life. This costs money. These were all things I never knew went on.
Today, I was confronted with the poverty right down the street. And it rocked my world. And guess what: IT SHOULD. We are supposed to get upset about the things that break God's heart. Do you think God likes the fact that His children, His creation, the ones He loves are out there living on the streets, hungry & cold? He doesn't. And it's our responsibility.
I heard a quote once that went something like this: Instead of asking God why poverty exists, why don't you ask yourself (it was said more articulate and powerful than that... but whatever).
I don't know why poverty exists. I don't understand how people can be poor and hungry and cold while I sit here sweating, not being able to decide what I want for dinner. I don't know why we don't feel sorry forspending tons of money to fill our materialistic desires while others can't even fill their bellies.
But what I do know, is that we're supposed to do something about it.
