Starbucks Earthwatch Essay: Inspiration

My motivation for wanting to participate in this trip is simple: to inspire. I have learned in the past six months that the simplest word, the smallest action has the ability to inspire and change someone’s life. I always have thought of myself as kind of invisible, I never thought that anyone really paid that much attention to what I did with my life. I was wrong, people watch, they see, they take notice.  Six months ago I had a stroke, caused by a birth defect.  It has been an incredible journey, and it has given me a unique gift. If people see that I can do something to affect change, if people see that no matter what has gone on in my life that I care about the world and our environment, than maybe they will change their way of thinking too, maybe they will reexamine their priorities, their goals, find something that they are passionate about. I find that too often people make excuses or blame circumstances in their lives in order to justify their lack of action.  I also want to show that people of all abilities can make a difference. You don’t have to be limited in what you can do just because you have challenges to overcome.  Physically I can do this, my health is good, I do have weakness in my right arm, however I am more determined than ever to prove that I can do anything I set my mind to, I can do anything someone else can do.  I want to learn, to make a difference and I will do anything it takes to accomplish this.  My passion is to improve the world by motivating others to get involved. Our time on this planet is short, but we need to take care of it and help preserve it for generations to come.