Why Not Reflect?

[sivana lavine]

There is something about personal reflection that scares me. I have to think about the meaning behind my actions, contemplating that they might not be up to my own standards of morality. That said, I’d say that open-mindedness and generosity are my two guiding values.Open-mindedness is my second lens through which I see the world. My “lens of open-mindedness” stems from my mom’s philosophy to reach for the stars. My mom has had many professions and encouraged me to pursue any area of interest. As a child, I was encouraged to participate in ballet, basketball, and drama. Whatever the activity, I was supposed to look at it with no prior judgments. Although I am still searching for what I truly care about, I have discovered things I love by trying different things with an unbiased frame of mind. As long as I know that there are never-ending possibilities to learn more, I will never be satisfied. I will hunger for something more that will make me a more interesting, well-rounded person.While I do consider myself to be a well-rounded person, I have one religion: Judaism. In Judaism, an important philosophy is to “treat your neighbor the way you would like to be treated”. This phrase sticks in my mind as a reminder of the generosity I must show others. When I am working with underprivileged kids or raising money to stop the genocide in Darfur, I am contributing to the cycle of generosity. Although I don’t expect anything in return from Darfurian refugees or helpless children, I do receive a sense of belonging in society. By volunteering, I show I care about the existence of our world and those who inhabit it.Yes, it is hard for me to evaluate the reasons why I do something, but it is a necessary measure. The whole process has made me analyze the values that guide me, open-mindedness and generosity. In combination with those two values, role models and religion have formed my identity.