"Why are we here? What is the purpose of life? Is it enough just to be happy? Is my life serving some greater purpose? Are we here to help others or just ourselves?" (Baggini, 2004, 1). Although the meaning of life is personal, to me I have found a piece of it through my service. We are here to help each other - we are all alike, we seek companionship, human touch, happiness and love "love is the most powerful motivator to do anything at all" (Baggini, 2004 188). Through unconditional love of all man kind, we find love and happiness within ourselves. "The beginning of our happiness lies in the understanding that life without wonder is not living" (Schneider, 2004, 163).
One of my favorite quotes of the semester was "If I do not always know what it is in another person that I have lost, it may be that this sphere of dispossession in precisely the one that exposes my unknowingness, the unconscious imprint of my primary sociality" (Butler, 2004, 28). However, because of Ben at the VA I found the purpose of my service-learning - to see his eyes and happiness made it all come together.
So as I re-read this quote I thought - I do not always know what is IN another person the I may GAIN! That day that Ben changed my entire service experience, I have been completely different and now seek out patients who could use a visitor.
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