Even baby steps will do!

Last night as part of Architecture for Humanity's Houston Chapter's fund raising event for rebuilding effort in Haiti we watched the film 'One Peace at a Time'. In case you haven't watched it you can find more information about the movie here .

The film features the work and insights of various Noble Peace Laureates and many others with fundamental issues related to education, food, water, shelter, peace.

As individuals who have had the privilege of a great education and lifestyle, I am quite surprised by the minimal number of people I come across who are interested in being part of any cause or contributing towards it. Many a times there seems to be interest and empathy but a number of excuses. The most popular ones I have heard are:

1. I want to do something but not in this region- Why does passion for a cause or an issue be have to be bound by boundaries? And even if you feel strongly about a certain community in a certain region, with the ease of a global world, living thousands of miles away is no excuse any more.

2. Wish I had the time - Well, I am guessing you don't have the time because you are busy making money out of it - how about donating some of that then?

3. I cannot find anything I can be involved in or that matches with my area of expertise/ interest- Really? Have you tried? I can help you find something if you are really interested. 

I believe an education is fruitful even if a small part of it is applied to something that's bigger than yourself. Doctors, lawyers, engineers, architects... we all have something that we got in our training that we can contribute to a great cause- that of humanity.

The movie makes a beautiful case for just finding something you are passionate about and acting on it. Could be as small and simple as not using plastic or driving a hybrid or as big as working towards opening a school or bank in an underprivileged community ! It really is about the choices we make, isn't it? 
As was rightly stated in the movie - 'the thing that thrives most is the one that you feed well!