There are two short stories that I feel may help give an idea about my thoughts, mindset, and reasons for applying to the Peace Corps. They are stories I heard in the past that just sort of... stuck with me. They do not define who I am, but I feel that they are accurate representations of at least a part of me and they way I think about the world. Please, do not read these and think that these are on my thoughts all the time, or that my mind is constantly consumed with such deep and philosophic questions. Trust me, I love all the same silly things and can be just as shallow as the next person at times. But, these stories do speak to my soul and represent some of the morals and foundations I truly believe in.
The first and shorter story is about a businessman and a fisherman, perhaps you've heard it before. The summary is as follows:
A businessman is on vacation and walks along the pier. He comes across a fisherman who is just hauling in his catch. The businessman notices how well the fisherman did and asks how long he had been fishing. The fisherman replied that he had been out for a few hours, but he was finished because he had caught enough fish for himself and his family. The businessman was confused as it was still early in the day. The fisherman told the businessman that he was going to relax for the rest of the day, catch up with his children, spend some time with his wife and friends, have a drink and enjoy his time on the beach.
The businessman suggested that the fisherman stay out fishing longer and bring in more fish. He would have higher yields and make more money. The fisherman considered the option and asked the businessman what he would do with the money. The businessman explained to the fisherman how he could then buy more boats, hire a staff, and continue to grow his fishing business. The fisherman was all ears so the businessman continued. He suggested that the fisherman could buy other fishing businesses and make a fortune for himself and his family.
There are a lot of messages in this story, but what I take away from it most is that we do not need always need the money, job titles, or accomplishments to measure success or to be happy. Don't get me wrong, I certainly admire ambition; and who wouldn't like a job where they can earn a bunch of money and not have to worry about finances ever? But in reality, if we cannot be happy with ourselves, with our family, and with simply enjoying spending time with others and doing what we love, then what is the rest of it for?The fisherman inquired how long all of this might take. The businessman answered maybe twenty to thirty years. The fisherman wondered what he would do then, after making all of this money. The businessman told the fisherman that he could the retire to the coast, get a small boat and fish in the mornings, then spend the rest of the day relaxing with his children, spending time with his wife and friends, and enjoying his time on the beach. The fisherman smiled at the businessman and reminded him that he does all those things already. The businessman smiled back at the fisherman and then continued his walk along the shore.
The second and lengthier of the two stories is called "The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas" by Ursula K. LeGuin. I will not summarize it because it does take a bit longer to read. Here is a link to that story if you care to read it (which I think you should, because I like it :) ) The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas
This story is more complicated than the last. It forces us to reflect upon our own lives and compare ourselves to the citizens of Omelas. In fact, LeGuin asks us to imagine our own Omelas throughout the story. The city is filled with so much joy and exuberance. Who would not want to live in a place like that? But then the tragic necessity is revealed and we, like the citizens of Omelas, must consider whether or not the child's despair is worth the happiness of everyone else. Personally, I do not believe that one person's happiness or contentment should be contingent on the suffering of another. When stated like that, I think most people could agree with me, but it happens. I'd like to think that I would walk away from Omelas.
Would you walk away?
Good morning how are you?
ReplyDeleteMy name is Emilio, I am a Spanish boy and I live in a town near to Madrid. I am a very interested person in knowing things so different as the culture, the way of life of the inhabitants of our planet, the fauna, the flora, and the landscapes of all the countries of the world etc. in summary, I am a person that enjoys traveling, learning and respecting people's diversity from all over the world.
I would love to travel and meet in person all the aspects above mentioned, but unfortunately as this is very expensive and my purchasing power is quite small, so I devised a way to travel with the imagination in every corner of our planet. A few years ago I started a collection of used stamps because trough them, you can see pictures about fauna, flora, monuments, landscapes etc. from all the countries. As every day is more and more difficult to get stamps, some years ago I started a new collection in order to get traditional letters addressed to me in which my goal was to get at least 1 letter from each country in the world. This modest goal is feasible to reach in the most part of countries, but unfortunately it’s impossible to achieve in other various territories for several reasons, either because they are countries at war, either because they are countries with extreme poverty or because for whatever reason the postal system is not functioning properly.
For all this I would ask you one small favor:
Would you be so kind as to send me a letter by traditional mail from Lesotho? I understand perfectly that you think that your blog is not the appropriate place to ask this, and even, is very probably that you ignore my letter, but I would call your attention to the difficulty involved in getting a letter from that country, and also I don’t know anyone neither where to write in Lesotho in order to increase my collection. a letter for me is like a little souvenir, like if I have had visited that territory with my imagination and at same time, the arrival of the letters from a country is a sign of peace and normality and an original way to promote a country in the world. My postal address is the following one:
Emilio Fernandez Esteban
Calle Valencia,39
28903 Getafe (Madrid)
Spain
If you wish, you can visit my blog www.cartasenmibuzon.blogspot.com where you can see the pictures of all the letters that I have received from whole World.
Finally I would like to thank the attention given to this letter, and whether you can help me or not, I send my best wishes for peace, health and happiness for you, your family and all your dear beings.
Yours Sincerely
Emilio Fernandez