BELIEVING IN SACRIFICE
BELIEVING IN SACRIFICE
BY ALEXANDER JAMES MENDEZ
As the sun went down and traffic disappeared, it would come time for me to find a place to sleep. It is frightening having to sleep outside all alone, something I found myself doing often. The value of love had become very apparent to me. You see, love is not just understanding what somebody is going through but doing something about it. True love will often cause one to be willing to go out of their own way, sacrifice their time and energy, to be there. When we stop to think about how this applies to our families, I believe it is important to ask ourselves, “What is in it for me?” Yes, it is important to do things in which require sacrifices such as time and money to maintain the relationship within our family, but we should never forget that we need the love we are working for. Everybody needs love. Could you imagine what the world would be like if everybody really loved each other? Although alone, broke, and homeless, I found that doing good for people in similar circumstances earned me a new relationship that was like family and created unconditional love. I recommend anyone dealing with dysfunction or a troubled relationship to pull out a pen and notebook, and title a page, “My Relationship Goals.” Take the time to think about how you can improve the relationship and remember that setting goals out of love for others can be something anybody can do to change the world.
Being involved with other people's lives present opportunities to bring change. It requires courage. I remember not having a car and having to work to pay my families’ bills, keep clothes on the babies’ backs and food in their stomachs. The problem was the shift started at 5 A.M and it was winter. By believing in sacrifice, I left our home at three AM down a mile of pitch-black, rainy darkness in a very sketchy part of town on foot in rubber boots armed with a rain poncho and lunch box. I would feel so good once I made it onto the city bus for the remainder of the ten-mile trip, and even better to make it to work on time. The point is love is an action, not a feeling, a choice we make, not an emotion. I just want to let you know that when we combine sober love with courage miracles are possible.
Over the years, I have made mistakes that affected the lives of people who love me. I have learned the important lesson that we must not let our intellect or understanding get in the way of what the creator (or God) wants to do in our lives. There is a lifestyle of understanding that can be developed, which cannot only change the world, but help us find out who we really are. By becoming willing to put ourselves in other people’s shoes, we can comprehend ways to make a difference in the world. For those who may believe that a relationship within their life has sustained too much damage, always remember a slow steady stream of water will erode the hardest rock and a little sprout can turn into a giant redwood tree towering 350 feet tall. Be patient and remember to never give up. How will you know if you have successfully changed the world? Because you will receive something far greater than any material possession, and that is love. | AJM