Good Life Award - Winners
2008
Good Life Award Writing Contest
Honorable Mention
Mitchell Hopper
8th Grade, Tower Heights Middle School
| I have been pretty happy for the most part in my life. One of the reasons for this is because I have learned an important lesson. Helping others is one of the habits that has made my life as happy as it is. It is one of the things that I have accepted into my life, and I feel that it fits Dottie Yeck’s happiness equation perfectly. As you are serving others, you are helpful and showing love for those around you. It also helps you to forget yourself and the problems you may be facing. It cures selfishness and helps you think straight, enabling you to prioritize your life. All of this fits under the “Doing good= Being happy” part of the equation. If you are having a bad day, try something simple, such as helping with dinner, or other various household jobs. To make service truly work, you also need the other part of the formula. To help yourself lead a good life, you have to learn to help others cheerfully. That is the last half of the formula: “Being good= Having fun.” Now, as you’re helping out around the house, try to smile and be cheerful about it, and you will see a change of attitude in the room. It’s very contagious. Serving others doesn’t have to be big; even simple deeds can make a difference. For instance, when it snows, I shovel the driveway at my house. Then I go to the neighbors and ask them if I can assist them in shoveling. I always make time to shovel one more driveway before rushing back inside. Sometimes helping others isn’t easy, and there are other things you would rather be doing. I have found that no matter how inconvenient it may seem at first, I always seem to end happier than when I began. It helps me to sort out what I need to do. To get the most out of service for others, you have to decide that you want to be cheerful. Last summer, I volunteered to work at a Cub Scout camp for a week. That was probably my longest week that summer. Sometimes the kids didn’t care what I was talking about, and I was ready to jump in the lake. But when the week was over, I realized that I had had a great time, helped cub scouts earn achievements, and made new friends, too. To find out if someone you know needs help, talk to them and listen to what they say. It isn’t hard, and soon you will find opportunities to help out. One of the commitments I have made is to help others at all times. It isn’t always convenient, but it is worth it. When I die, I am positive that one thing I will think about is the good I have done for others, and that is what will make me truly happy about what I’ve done with my life. |