Fulfilling Dreams

I am a “sucker” for charities; anything that requires me handing over money to some kind of charity organization has me sold and asking, “Whom do I make the check out too?” Perhaps not the most fiscal responsible habit for me to have, being a poor college student and all, but I hold to the belief that there will always be other people in the world who need my money more than I do. I may not have all the riches in the world, but every time I open my mouth to complain I remember that there are billions of people who really have it worse than me. Be they in the Salt Lake area, in the ghettos of Detroit, crossing the border from Mexico to America, struggling day in and day out in villages in Bolivia, or living in refugee camps in Africa, I can’t get any of them out of my mind. Forget my dream of buying an overpriced iPhone. What about the dreams of Palestinians to live in a home instead of a tent? What about the dreams of Ethiopians to be able to feed their children? What about the dreams of Mexicans to send their children to college? What about the dreams of Bangladeshis to leave the sweatshops? I realize that everything I do and where my money goes can make a difference. If my money can make someone else’s dreams come true, then it’s worth it to put off my dreams momentarily. I know I have things that I take for granted that other people in the world only dream about, like running water, a job with benefits, and enough food. As long as others have these dreams, I will always be working to grant them.

Written by: Nicole Rasmussen
ASCEND Alliance Intern