I stand here today, taking a candle from my Grandpa, and using it to light my own future. I think of my Grandpa as the stars; always in the distance, not always seen, but always there. See, when my Grandp  passed on, he left a legacy; a legacy in which hard work never fails, if done with the intention of helping someone. He lived to give others anything they needed, he laughed at the simplest parts of life, and he loved to bring those around him together. He may have passed on, but his lessons will always be reflected in the actions of those he touched.

Caring, considerate, and honest, my Grandpa’s ideals and ethics are still alive within me. Indeed, my own life follows my Grandpa’s legacy. In my mind, there is nothing truer than those who help others. I try to be honest. I try everyday to make someone around me smile. For example, I do volunteer work every week at a nearby foster home. The home always has at least three kids, if not more. The foster mother is loving, caring, and supportive to each and every one of them. She is my idol, because she devotes her entire life to helping others. Some of the children come from more difficult backgrounds than others, yet they persevere and survive. I do not think there is any better thing for me to do than to help those children. When I am there, my goal is to make every child smile at least once. Whether it’s through helping with homework, reading stories to toddlers, mentoring, or just talking about music, I try to make their lives a little more joyful every time I see them. To see their laughter, despite everything that they have been through, proves to me that there is no better way to live my life.

As the plaque on the wall of the home says, “The best thing you can give children is time.” This idea is true, because a child’s life can be changed if someone just takes the time to listen. Once, when I was at the foster home, there was a boy that had returned again. He had been in and out of the home his entire life. And he had the worst expression on his face that I had ever seen. He wasn’t sad; he wasn’t hopeless; and he wasn’t angry. He was resigned. All he did was sit there and accept it. He had accepted what life had given him, and wouldn’t fight to make it better. That was a horrible thing for me to see, because to some extent, I understood. He had learned to take life the way it’s given to him. But he wouldn’t fight. That’s where he and I differ, and I showed him that. One time, we were talking about how much he likes cooking. He said he liked it because he didn’t have to do much, and could be lazy, and just listen to music while he was waiting. I asked him if he ever “jammed out” to his music, with air guitars or something similar. It definitely was not one of my best lines, but he laughed anyway. It was the first time I had seen him smile, and it completely changed his whole face. He no longer looked resigned. He looked happy. We had fun just talking that time, and I still talk to him nearly every day. He laughs more now, and I like to see that I helped him, and showed him that he can still enjoy his life, even if it isn’t exactly how he wanted it. I have experiences like that at the foster home a lot, and I love to know that I am making a difference.

Helping others is not only my present, but also my future. I intend to be a doctor. I want to spend my life preventing and caring for people with illnesses. I want to help. I have seen how some families don’t have as many opportunities as others, and as a consequence, children grow with less than they need. I want to change that. Now, I’m not going to say I can change the world, but I will change the outlook for as many people as I can. As a doctor, I will be able to physically help children when they are ill, and see that they are provided for. Emotionally, I want to be supportive, and a source of strength for families. I want to be there.

I know that as a doctor, there will be difficulties. Some adults are not fit for parenthood. Some people just don’t want their children. While that is challenging, I would be there. I would remain a source of stability. I would be empathetic, yet provide an objective standpoint for the child. I will assist.

I know that it is not possible to help everyone, or save everyone. But I will do anything possible to help. Even if it’s just making someone smile when, lately, they haven’t had a reason to, or bringing two people together again, I will help. Physically, emotionally, and mentally I will be there for those who need it.

My Grandpa passed away happy. He was not the richest man, or the bravest. He knew what it was to feel loss. Yet he was happy. He was happy because he helped others around him, in any way possible. Whether it was giving roses to a girl he hardly knew because of her wonderful performance in a show, or putting on a silly bike helmet and making moose faces to hear his grandchildren laugh, he appreciated what he had, and gave everything possible to make others happy.  The brightness he inspired in me, I utilize now when I help children in foster care, and will continue to use in the future when I am a doctor. I have the light now, and I will help.