29.
“Spoiled Rotten to Empathy: A True Story of Transformation”
“I was a privileged child, showered with gifts. My 16th birthday came around, and my parents gifted me a brand new red convertible. However, I threw a fit because I actually desired my older brother’s dark blue car. Looking back, I realize how shallow and self-centered I was. My turning point came when I took a job as a camp counselor at a local day camp the following summer.”
“Initially, I didn’t need to work, but boredom led me to take the job. Little did I know that it would shatter my perceptions. This day camp catered to families unable to afford summer child care. We provided breakfast, lunch, and snacks, often the only meals for many campers. On Fridays, they’d plead for extra food to take home, knowing they might not have another meal until Monday. It was a sobering reality.”
“But what truly struck me was a boy who refused to remove his shoes and socks, even on pool days. One day, he came in limping, clearly in excruciating pain. That’s when I discovered his blood-soaked socks, his feet covered in sores and his toes curled under. It was heartbreaking. His family couldn’t afford properly fitting shoes. I used my lunch break to buy him new socks and shoes.”
This experience broke me in the best way. It completely shifted my perspective and changed the way I viewed the world forever.”
