Pay It Forward: Why This Generation Should Be More Concerned With Giving

As I grew up, I was naturally a humanitarian and a giver; I tended to feel compassion for people easily. That ideology grew more when I decided to serve in the Marines and saw people who do nothing but suffer, all over the world. Sympathy in life is important; it shows compassion and can solve conflict.

However, most people don't fully understand unless they have been through rough times or have seen someone else’s struggles firsthand.

Empathy means showing compassion and understanding the struggles that less fortunate people face, which translates into giving and donating.

Empathic societies tend to be more civil societies. Also, as global civilization progresses, we naturally expand in our empathetic mentality toward each other.

There are so many ways to give, like attention, money, education or, simply, time. The impact of giving any of these is huge whether it is to family, friends or strangers. The impact is strong and leads others to buy into the “pay it forward” syndrome.

Furthermore, being in a different culture, country or environment means being a representative of your culture and country, so what you choose to do is vital, as you are a diplomat of your group.

When I gave the last of my food to Iraqi citizens, they asked why I was doing it and I responded that they needed it more than I did.

Afterward, I knew I had made a huge impact on how they viewed Americans. After realizing the awesome feeling I experienced by improving someone’s life, I decided to sponsor two children in two countries. A person's breadth of altruism speaks volumes of him or her.

Lastly, many people can afford to pay $10 per month to make someone’s life exponentially better. Think twice about donating to a child who needs it — giving probably makes you feel better than receiving.

If you cannot give financially, consider donating your time to troubled kids or to a soup kitchen; maybe you can give away clothes you no longer want.

We take many pleasures in life for granted and don’t realize what life would be like without these things. It’s likely that when you look back on your life in your old age, you’ll find solace in knowing that you made a contribution to someone’s life. Consider doing something for other people.

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