Shoes

To be respected is a privilege, it must be earned, it has to be appreciated, and mostly it must be reciprocated. Humility is a quality of respect that often goes underlooked. On Saturday when one of the participants touched my shoe in a show of respect I was confused. Being unsure about the meaning of the gesture was part of the source of my confusion, but moreover I was bewildered as to why someone would admire another who has done relatively little. The real triumph, in my opinion, are the success stories that come from these kids who, as adolescents, have already seen the despair of crime, poverty, and most likely death. From my uncertainty I have come to believe that as someone fortunate enough to be in India it is an obligation to perform in the community as an advocate for better standards and better lives. Be an ambassador in your own neighborhood and instigate the change for dreams to be achieved.