Javier Gonzalez

ENC 1101/Massey
9/25/15
Reality
When I reminisce of my younger years, I realize that my childhood was perfect.
Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays were filled with school activities: karate,
baseball, friends, and the occasional video game. Fridays and Saturdays held playdates with
friends and cousins: birthday parties, pool parties, and visits to the movies. Sundays were my
favorite days, bursting with morning cartoons, pancakes filled with syrup, and family laughter
around the table as my mom diligently prepared the bags to go to the beach. I must have been
around eleven years old when the realization that life was not a bowl of cherries hit me like a ton
of bricks. The world was not what I had envisioned in my earlier years and this harsh reality
came with a sudden awareness of the importance of service and my need to make a difference in
the world.
Let me introduce you to Gregory. Gregory was a tall, eloquent, and funny man that had
been a part of my life for as long as I could remember. He had an eccentric taste for food, and his
attire was what I would call "funky." I guess it is also important that I explain that Gregory was
homeless, and, when allowed, he slept on the vestibule of buildings or under the crowded bridges
of downtown Miami. Yes, Gregory was a vagabond. My family met him when he chose the
outdoors of my father's practice as a refuge. Every winter we clothed him with gently used coats,
shoes, and scarves. We fed him on numerous occasions by purchasing food for him or by

cooking a little extra at home. On rainy nights, we would go out in search of Gregory to make
sure that he was in a safe dry place, and we handed him our share of raincoats. One Christmas
Eve, we searched for hours to provide him a pair of sneakers because his had been stolen. I never
really understood the gravity of Gregorys situation. I always saw him as someone we knew and
helped. Until one day, I was about eleven, we couldnt find Gregory under a torrential Miami
downpour. All of the sudden, I realized Gregorys situation and I was in complete shock. The
reality of Gregorys circumstance made me see life from a different perspective: cruel, unfair,
and disheartening.
Gregory was my initiation to service, but I have been blessed with the opportunity to
service others in many ways. In seventh grade, I volunteered at the Childrens Museum Summer
Camp teaching young children, offering tours, and assisting teachers. The experience taught me
how much I had to offer to others and how compassionate I could be to young children. I learned
that others were not as fortunate as I was as a child. At the Childrens Museum, I often felt bad
for the younger children who had to stay until 6:00 p.m. because their parents were working and
could not pick them up earlier. I always made it a priority to entertain them until their mothers
arrival. My experience with Gregory, the Art Museum, as well as making peanut butter and jelly
sandwiches for the homeless, made me realize our interconnectedness as humans.
The simple act of making sandwiches made me realize that my actions would determine
if someone ate that night or not. Dinner would bring not only nutrition but hope and optimism to
another human being. Service is portrayed as something we do to help others. My experience is
that it offers more to the giver than to the receiver. It helps us understand ourselves better. It
allows us to dig deep and recognize who we are capable of being. It helps us resurface to who we

were meant to be all along. It is the relationship with others that allows us to see the connection
we have with one another. Service is about stepping out of ourselves and focusing on others, and
with the act of giving, this awareness grows until our attention shifts to connect reciprocally.

I have not seen Gregory in two years, but I know that wherever he is we made a
difference in his life. He changed who we are as individuals and as a family. His presence in my
life made me see not only the harsh realities of our world, but also ways I can make a difference.
He taught me about pain and unfairness. He also taught me about compassion, empathy,
kindness, and humanity. I no longer see the world through rose colored glasses, and seeing this
reality allows me to contribute what I can to make this world a better place for others. Gregory, I
will forever be grateful for the lesson. As Gandhi said, [t]he best way to find yourself is to lose
yourself in the service of others.