Journal Entry #6: Help wanted

The morning of day seven:

I honestly believe that everybody has the potential to be the next greatest hero-of-influence of their generation and/or of history. I believe this because everyone is just as capable as anyone else. You have the arms, legs, limbs, brains, and drive, whether you are aware of your drive or not, to do so. Of course there are obstacles in other people’s ways, such as lost limbs or a hindering effect on one’s mind; I don’t mean to sound arrogant and ignorant. It is an unfair feat that I almost certainly never could cross, but I have seen others that have. I just believe that if you have the desire to be great, if you have the ability to actually desire it all in itself, then you have the ability to become it in one way or another; everyone is meant for great things, and the world would be breathtaking if everyone could just find their place within that. It takes time though, and God knows that I’m still looking for mine.

There was a seventeen year old professional guitarist named Jason Becker, who would blow just about any professional guitarist that you have ever heard of or known about, out of this world. This kid was amazing; amazing. The potential that this kid had at sixteen years of age was already so much more than most people gain during their entire lives. I mean it; look this kid up. One day, he was diagnosed with Lou Gehrig's Disease; incontrollable and involuntary muscle movements, which hindered his every ability for playing guitar. His bound and determined father designed a computer program to which he could write and compose music using only his eyes; his eyes. And guess what? He still makes some of the most amazing music that you will ever hear.

You opened up an entirely new world for me; a way to further my compassion and caring towards others, especially others that I do not even know. Your constant caring for the world showed me something that I needed to see, which I was blind to. After my own studies and research, which was influenced by your actions and words, I have seen how many people out there really do need my help and how much I really do have to give; people that need shelter, food, love, and common necessities that most people in this country refuse to go a day without, because they find that absence of it to be “ridiculous.” It is so unfair. I believe the statistic for deaths from hunger resides at one death every six seconds, and this is entirely dealing with the death rate of children. Adults were neglected in this certain study that I’m thinking of (If I remember correctly), so just imagine the possibilities of that. No one deserves this. I’ve taken so many steps to do my part to help as much as I can at this moment in my life, and my efforts will only continue to grow.

So what if I don’t get to go out a buy this new piece of furniture or guitar that I want right now? So what if I don’t get to go out and buy a brand new car right now? So what if I don’t go out and buy this keg for the party tonight, but instead wait another week? So fucking what if I don’t get to have a blast tonight, but someone else just doesn’t starve instead? So fucking what if I don’t get to record my music for another week or two, because I donated the money for my newest gear and repairs for other gear to someone else in need? So fucking what that I would rather donate a week’s worth of gas and take the bus instead, just so a family somewhere can sleep well for at least one night? So fucking what that I take the time to visit an online site that donates to the poor and hungry, simply by playing a game, yet no one else can take five minutes of their precious fucking time to do so? Open your eyes America. That is less than the tip of the iceberg. This country, although that I do love it and appreciate where I am from, is so naïve that it honestly and really makes me sick sometimes, and people’s obliviousness and unconcern of America’s feeble efforts towards helping the less fortunate is even worse.

Action gives influence. My friend Daniel Escobedo lives in Alaska and pulled over to hand his pair of gloves to a homeless man during a fall night recently. If you could have only seen the wake of good intention that it caused; all from that one, simple, act of kindness. And so unfortunately, some of you are so selfish that you will never know the feeling of content that these actions give, and thusly, when the day comes that you need it, you’ll neither know the feeling of content that it gives from being on the receiving end of it all either. One day, you’ll see that your ‘necessities,’ aren’t necessities.

And all that I have to say to you is thank you, thank you, thank you. And I don’t believe that I have the words to describe how thankful these people would be to you, for helping me realize that I needed to help them.