This opinion piece was contributed by a Sinclair Community College student who is currently enrolled in a public speaking class.
I’m Lowell and I believe in kindness, love and compassion. Every single one of us has the ability and the fundamental need to be treated with kindness. There are people who strive every day to promote these ideals through music, art, speeches and their actions. Imagine a world full of compassion, a world full of love and kindness — it would be an entirely different realm than the one we live in today.
I was born into a “family” where this vital need was neither met nor provided; I was abused, neglected and unloved. I then spent the next three and a half years in three different homes. After those three years, I was adopted by two very loving and caring individuals who taught me about love through their actions and the way they chose to treat others. They taught me about treating others the way I wanted to be treated. Many people reach their understanding of kindness through religion. I opted out of this route, but I do believe that if you are kind, others will be kind to you. Without their guidance, I know I would be a much different adult than the one I am today. Compassion is a choice, conversely, so is hatred. How I choose to spend my resources affects the world in which I live in.
The actions of a few can change the minds of many. Martin Luther King fought for equality. Nelson Mandela spent 27 years of his life behind bars to fight to end apartheid in South Africa. There are people every day that take small steps to better our world. All humans are in it together, regardless of race, religion or sexual orientation. We live on the same wonderful planet. If we choose love and abandon hate, the paradigm changes.
War replaced with peace, poor replaced with prosperity. Some people think I’m a dreamer, but I don’t mind.
My name is Lowell and I choose to believe in kindness, love and compassion.
Students are welcome to submit their own “This I believe” writing pieces.
The Clarion is open to other student-written opinion pieces that may have been written for a class.
If interested, submit your piece to clarion@sinclair.edu.
If submitted, we reserve the right to edit the writing piece before it is published. Students should also keep in mind that submission does not guarantee publication.