Be a Small Light in a Dark Room

Miep Gies said, â€Å"Everyone is capable of providing a small light in a dark room. † How is this true for me? Ever since a child is young, parents tend to instill in them high aspirations and goals for the future. The desire to make a difference in the world is the primary theme in doing well in school. When I was little, my grandfather used to say to me that â€Å"The world has too many problems that you, my dear, are meant to fix. At that time, I believed that it was his indirect way of saying that he wanted me to have a good job so I could be wealthy and live well. On the day of September 11, 2001, the terrorists attacked the United States and shook the world to it’s core. At that time I was living in Albania and I did not understand what was going on and how it could affect me. I kept thinking back to what my grandfather had told me and I could not see how one person alone could make a difference. I was not powerful enough to change the course of events or prevent tragedies from happening; I was one person who most people did not know existed. As I soon learned, the world was not a place of fairytales and dreams but in a way a dark room. Deception, sadness, emptiness, and greed were influential factors in the lives of many. In a materialistic society, everyone strove for their own ambitions ignoring those suffering. Miep Gies said, â€Å"Everyone is capable of providing a small light in a dark room† and I believe wholeheartedly in this concept. As I matured into an educated young lady, I understood that if one person had the courage to stand up to injustices, it would give voice to those who are afraid to do it themselves. Have I been â€Å"a small light in a dark room† in my life? I do not think I have been so far because I have not had that opportunity to make a difference in somebody’s life. In the future, I plan to study international affairs and make a powerful impact in the life of those people who live in fear and terror, or as Miep describes it â€Å"a dark room. By standing up to injustices and protecting people, I would be â€Å"the small light† that guides them to a life where their human dignity is respected. I will be their hope of a better future and I will try to make a positive impact in many lives. In Afghanistan, many young women are not allowed to leave their homes because of the fear that they might be killed. In Kosovo, young children are murdered by Serbian patriots and their rema ins are scattered throughout their villages. In Somalia, many people are kidnapped by the Somalian pirates and tortured until a ransom is paid. There are many other examples of â€Å"dark rooms† throughout the world and it takes just one person to start a revolution for a positive change. Anyone can be that â€Å"small light† if they have the passion and determination to make a difference in the world. Only God knows where the journey of life will take me but I know I am strong enough to overcome any obstacle in order to make a difference in the world. I will be that â€Å"small light in a dark room† and I will encourage others to follow their dreams because anything is possible.