Sunday, September 7, 2008
Sociological Mindfulness
In the summer of 2007, I went on a social justice trip in Chicago called Or Tzedek (Righteous Light). It was one week and thirty-two hours of community service. However, I got a lot more than something to add on my college resume. On the trip, I met a homeless man named Dave. He completely surprised me and obliterated my preconceived notions about the homeless. Dave was going to college classes. He was working and trying so hard to make ends meet. Davehated drugs and loved his daughter. All of a sudden, my eyes were opened to this new world where the homeless were the victims of a situation not the perpetrators. That trip taught me to open my eyes and to stop jumping to conclusions. I am forever grateful to Dave and the trip for changing my thought process and teaching me about sociological mindfulness.
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1 comment:
Wow it really sounds like this experience with Dave shaped your notions about social groups. This reminds me of T.J from the "Gangsta" story, he was a drug lord, a gangsta, and a college graduate, yet all we thought of is he must be the low life of society. I guess with Dave and T.J the statement, "you can't judge a book by its cover" is really true!
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