Values born in times of Communism
On Monday, August 18 Da Chen, author of Sounds of the River came to talk to our school. Throughout his speech I was trying not to leap about like a fan girl at a Harry Potter convention, but I couldn?t help but be amazed at seeing him in person. I loved the book immensely and it was wonderful to see the author in person.
Da Chen impressed upon us that we, as Americans, are lucky individuals. We are lucky to be born with the privileges and wealth that we have. He told us that we could have just have easily been born in a third world country and have been working in a sweatshop at that very moment. Instead we?re expected to do nothing but learn and experience life in this thriving, invigorating environment called college. I also believe that I am lucky to have this life, and I have to grip onto it as hard as I can so it doesn?t slip from my fingers.
Another message that I took from Da?s talk was that life can have its ups and downs, but we just have to make the best of them and create the most comfortable niche that we can. Da?s life is a credit to this message in that he took his brutal childhood and rose above it to accomplish his dreams. He said that if he can do it we can too and he?s absolutely right. In fact, because we started from higher points we should be able to rise even higher and achieve our dreams with even more ease. However we are all our own people and we walk our own paths.
Another message that seemed significant was the importance that Da placed on his family and friends. People play an important role as a support unit not only in academics but in life. In college I hope to make friends to be my support group and also get to know the faculty. I?m very much on my own here and will need people?s assistance if I?m to succeed. When Da?s family was being crushed by the Communist regime they relied on each other to get through the bad times. Like Da had his family, I have the people I love to get me through life.
In the Circle of Life section of the assignment I acknowledge my ?value? in life as having fun. This may sound flippant and ridiculous to the casual observer, but when you really think about it what else is there better to work for? If my entire life is about being happy, then what a wonderful life it will be. The only problem is, in order to be happy there are many qualifiers; such as getting a job and going to school. If I don?t do these things then the happiness I desire will slip through my fingers because there will be no means to support it. Another clause to my life is that my happiness should not interfere with the happiness of others. That is one that I struggle with a lot, especially when other people don?t necessarily have the same policy.